... vengeance that does not end with his own demise, as well as, ascendancy to the conveniently empty throne of Denmark. Secondly, there is Laertes, son of Polonius. Laertes seeks out revenge using lex talionis, "an eye for an eye;- and to this he is entitled to. In these times, the eldest ... but if honour meant anything to him; and in these times, honour meant everything, than it was his obligation to exact his vengeance upon Hamlet. Laertes, having such noble qualities as being inherently good and having a basic honesty and courage, takes up this challenge to kill Hamlet. Unfortunately, ci...

• Word Count: 2387
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

... 59-70).[9] It is possible that "poison in the ear" is an image of temptation. In that case, Claudius's later whispered plottings with Laertes, Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are further examples of "poison in the ear." In view of the development of poison imagery early in the ... play, it is significant that Hamlet, Claudius, and Laertes ultimately fall as victims of swords "envenomed" by the same "serpent" Claudius (5.2.326). Claudius has also wed Gertrude, Hamlet's mother and queen ... inadvertently kills Polonius. As if that were not enough, he rejects Ophelia, sending he...

• Word Count: 1931
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... conversation. Hamlet informs Gertrude of Claudius" actions and then hears Polonius eaves dropping. Hamlet kills Polonius. I chose this as the rising action because Laertes, the son of Polonius, challenges Hamlet to a dual, which is the reason for Hamlet's death. The climax of the play would be when ... . Hamlet, in my opinion, would be considered a sub-plotted play. I choose this because all the characters had unique relationships with one another. Laertes wanted to kill Hamlet. Polonius spied on Hamlet's actions. Claudius wanted to kill Hamlet. The young Prince wanted to kill his uncle....

• Word Count: 1576
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours" (II.2.299-303), obviously another morbid description of the current state of affairs. Laertes also used words that contributed to the theme of disease. To Ophelia, warning of her relationship with Hamlet, he says, "The canker galls the infants ... while "gall" is to break the skin; "Infants of spring" is a metaphor for the young spring flowers, with their unopened "buttons", or buds. To Laertes, Ophelia is a young, innocent bud and the canker is her love of Hamlet; since he cannot marry her, he could only break her hea...

• Word Count: 1339
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... . Without Claudius" death, the decay that has become Denmark will never be destroyed. Gertrude and Ophelia are the only two innocents. They have no control over their lives. Polonius and Laertes control Ophelia. While Gertrude is blind to all that goes on. Both are casualties of war. Yet the readers do not feel much sympathy because they are undeveloped. We do ... to die with Hamlet. Such love leads to the conclusion; under different circumstances Hamlet would have been a noble King. Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes each must avenge a father's violent murder. Yet Hamlet is the only one wh...

• Word Count: 1544
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... used his own children as a concealment. On the outside he looked like a loving father giving his son fatherly advice when in reality it was just an excuse to insure that Laertes did not do anything to embarrass Polonius. He covered up his own decay of morals, his lying, his deceit, is lack of concern for his daughters well being by trying ... ...

• Word Count: 1359
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School