Laertes

Question 1

Who is Laertes?

Answer 1

• Son of Polonius, brother to Ophelia.
• Fiery, honour-driven, and impulsive.
• Returns to Denmark to avenge his father’s death and ends up manipulated by Claudius.

Question 2

Key quotes for Laertes

Answer 2

“I’ll not be juggled with: / To hell, allegiance!” – Shows Laertes’s fierce loyalty to his father and his passion for revenge.

“The king, the king’s to blame” – His dying words expose Claudius and signal Laertes’s moral clarity at the end.

“I am justly kill’d with mine own treachery” – Admits his role in the corrupt plan and accepts responsibility.

Question 3

Main themes for Laertes

Answer 3

Revenge – Acts as Hamlet’s foil: takes immediate action.

Family – Loyal and protective toward his sister and father.

Madness – His grief over Ophelia’s death leads to extreme emotion.

Corruption – Complicit in Claudius’s plot to kill Hamlet.

Question 4

Context for Laertes

Answer 4

Laertes represents traditional honour culture, where vengeance is swift. His downfall critiques this code and reflects Christian warnings against revenge and manipulation.