NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
... At his own sister's funeral, he erupts into a fit of rage. When Hamlet jumps into Ophelia's grave to take one last look, Laertes immediately attacks him crying for, "the devil take thy soul" (5. 1. 258). If Laertes had analyzed his situation properly, he would have restrained himself from attacking Hamlet on the grave of his diseased sister. Laertes faces many negative ramifications due to his emotional behavior. Laertes ends up with many regrets because he does not take the time to think through his actions.
The rage that Laertes so quickly adopted quickly leaves near the end of his death. Laertes immediately becomes repentant for what he has done. Right before Laertes decides to strike Hamlet with the poison tipped sword, he realizes he does not want to commit such an action. Laertes says attacking Hamlet is, "against my conscience" (5. 2. 311). Despite his incipient thoughts of reluctance, Laertes attacks Hamlet and fatally wounds him.
Laertes quick action did not allow him to fully decide not to attack Hamlet. Even though his conscience disagreed with his actions, he acts before his conscience could take full stage. Laertes remorse arises only after he is wounded. After Hamlet attacks Laertes, he realizes that his actions were contrary to his beliefs.
Laertes admits to Osric, a servant, that his death is deserved: "I am justly killed with mine own treachery" (5. 2. 324). Along with Laertes's change, he turns against his ally, Claudius. He immediately confesses that the "King's to blame" (5. 2. 340) and begs for mercy. Laertes plea for mercy shows that he deeply regrets his actions and wishes to remedy his wrongdoings. Another negative effect of Laertes's volatile behavior is his vulnerability to be manipulated by Claudius.
Because Laertes was so enraged to act, he did not realize how Claudius riled him to attack Hamlet. In the conversation between Laertes and Claudius, Claudius slowly convinces Laertes to do his bidding. Claudius demands that for Laertes to seek his revenge, he must, "put me [Claudius] in your heart for friend" (4. 7. 2). Laertes does indeed put Claudius in his heart for when Claudius asks Laertes if he will "be ruled" (4. 7. 65), Laertes quickly concedes.
Laertes is clearly in a state of extreme anger and Claudius controls the situation precisely. Claudius not only attempts to control Laertes, but also to enrage him more by taking about his father: "Was your father dear to you?" (4. 7. 120). Claudius's motive in asking these questions is to rile up more hatred in Laertes for Hamlet. Claudius after telling Laertes to "requite him for your father" (4. 7. 154) angers Laertes enough that Laertes resolves to kill Hamlet and even poison the tip of his sword. Claudius not only infuriates Laertes, but he also lies to Laertes to anger Laertes more.
Claudius lies to Laertes that Hamlet pursued to kill him, but instead killed Polonius. Laertes responds by asking why Claudius did not retaliate himself. Claudius again lies by saying that it was Gertrude's deep love for Hamlet and the "great love the general gender bear him" (4. 7. 20). Yet, before Laertes returns from France, Claudius exiles Hamlet to England with a death message. Claudius is not being completely open with Laertes. When Gertrude reports Ophelia's death to Laertes, he runs out in a fit of rage.
After Laertes leaves, Gertrude asks Claudius about Laertes's anger and he claims that he "had much to do to calm his rage!" (4. 7. 212). Laertes thinks that he can confide in Claudius when all the while Claudius is merely using Laertes for his advantage. Claudius wants Laertes to kill Hamlet and deceitfully convinces Laertes to attack Hamlet quickly. The struggle to control one's emotions plagues more than just Laertes in Hamlet. Hamlet, much like Laertes, fights to restrain his emotions.
However, Hamlet is better able to control his emotions and eventually conquers them toward the end of the play. Hamlet's struggle to control his emotions begins after his first meeting with the ghost of Hamlet Sr... The ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered his father and that revenge must take place. Hamlet responds with his desire for "wings as swift/ As meditation or the thoughts of love, / May sweep to my revenge" (1. 5. 34). Hamlets first reaction is to avenge his father's deaths. However, through the play, Hamlet lacks the desire to commit the revenge.
Hamlet attempts to find any excuse not to commit the revenge. While Laertes's emotions cause him to act imprudently, Hamlet's emotions cause him not to act. Hamlet starts giving soliloquies about his desire not to act. At one point, he questions if not acting entirely would be better than committing revenge. He asks himself "whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ Or to take arms against the sea of trouble" (3. 1. 67). Hamlet's emotions take such a strong hold on Hamlet that he questions his actions entirely.
Hamlet goes on to say that, "conscience does make cowards of us all" (3. 1. 91). Hamlet's emotions cause him to fear to take action. His reasoning leads him to find any excuse not to take any actions. When Hamlet sees Claudius kneeling in prayer and vulnerable to attack, he refuses to act because he assumes Claudius will go to heaven.
Yet Claudius believes that his prayers will never reach heaven: "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; / Words without thoughts never to heaven go" (3. 4. 100). Hamlet thinks that Claudius is in deep prayer while in reality Claudius is merely doing the motions of prayer. Even though Hamlet's reasoning in not killing Claudius was completely untrue, Hamlet's emotions were too strong for Hamlet to act otherwise. Though Hamlet's emotions seduced him not to act, he attempted to fight them. Hamlet say that he is "pigeon-lived and lack gall" (2. 2. 584). Hamlet taunts himself because of his reluctance to act.
He constantly insults himself for his delaying. Hamlet constantly tries to overcome his emotions to generate the courage to act. He asks Horatio show him a man "that is not passion's slave, and I will wear him/ In my heart's core" (3. 2. 73). The struggle to conquer his emotions heightens when Hamlet meets Fortinbras.
Hamlet admires Fortinbras's ability to act properly: "Rightly to be great/ Is not to stir without great argument, / But greatly to find quarrel in a straw when honor's at stake" (4. 4. 55). Hamlet's emotions fall apart here because Hamlet finally realizes that one must act when one's time in called. Hamlet now knows that his emotions are interfering with his purpose of vengeance. Hamlet's ultimate battle with his emotions happens right before the fencing match with Laertes. With just one phrase, Hamlet defeats the emotions that have been plaguing him not to act: "Readiness is all...
Let be" (5. 2. 221). These two words signify Hamlet's preparedness to exact revenge for his father's murder. Before this quotation, Hamlet's emotions were impeding his actions. Now that his emotions are gone, Hamlet is ready to act. Hamlet's ability to eradicate his emotions allows him to pursue his noble cause in a proper manner. Although he and Laertes both had noble causes, Hamlet's control over his emotions allows him to exact his revenge without any regrets or treachery.
The play Hamlet, contrasts the characters of Laertes and Hamlet to show how deleterious emotions can be to a noble cause. For many people, a high level of emotions obstructs them in their daily actions. Only by conquering one's emotions, much like Hamlet accomplished, can one pursue a noble cause properly.
Free research essays on topics related to: kill hamlet, play hamlet, noble cause, laertes, hamlet's
Research essay sample on Kill Hamlet Noble Cause
