Laertes Quest For Revenge In Hamlet

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In 1601, Shakespeare wrote Hamlet which is named after its main character. Hamlet is a play about the quest for revenge, and includes the revenge story of both Hamlet and an another important character, Laertes. Hamlet’s quest for revenge begins after the death of his father, Old King Hamlet, and the remarriage of his mother to his uncle, Claudius. Hamlet directs his revenge towards Claudius because he not only kills Hamlet’s father, but also marries Hamlet’s mother less than two months following the murder. Hamlet’s drive to avenge his father’s death begins when Old King Hamlet’s ghost tells Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius for his murderous acts. The revenge story of Laertes begins near the end of the play when Hamlet stabs Laertes’ father and advisor to Claudius, Polonius, causing his death.…show more content…
Hamlet’s fire for revenge ignites when Old King Hamlet’s ghost appears to Hamlet to tell him the truth of his death. In Hamlet, Old King Hamlet’s ghost says, “‘Tis given out that, sleeping in mine orchard, a serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” (Shakespeare 1.5.40-45). The ghost asks Hamlet to seek revenge for his foul and most unnatural murder, and now knowing the truth, Hamlet is driven to avenge his father’s death. Later on in the play, Laertes learns of his father’s death later in the play. Angry, Laertes storms the castle demanding to know who killed his father. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Laertes says, “Let come what comes; only I’ll be revenged most throughly for my father” (4.5.47-48). King Claudius then reveals that Hamlet had murdered Polonius. This revelation inspires the desire in Laertes to avenge his father’s death by killing Hamlet. . Hamlet and Laertes’ desire for revenge are as similar as the results of those

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