Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The insanity that deteriorates the delicate conscience of Prince Hamlet propels him into a rather overwhelmingly grotesque and precarious statue.
His poor father who reigned Supreme ruler of Denmark was treacherously murdered in cold blood by his very own blood and bone of a brother. Similar heart-wrenching circumstances occur towards the fragile conscience of Laertes, whose father also faced cold-blooded manslaughter by the whips of lunacy, and sister, who mentally collapsed and drowned herself in the depths of the stream. These two valiant characters within the play share common attributes within their mental and physical states, yet it’s clear that Hamlet is troubled much more drastically by the wretched whips of society and its distasteful behavior towards his conscience as to Laertes, who faces lesser impacts to his inner stability. Hamlet and Laertes are often challenged with man-on-man conflicts that essentially illustrates each character’s motives against their oppositions. From being sent abroad, family death, and abrupt instability to the mind, Laertes and Hamlet are very similar characters whom suffer the gravest of burdens, yet in contrast, Hamlet devises a plot for revenge upon Claudius to avenge his father while Laertes impulsively stomps through the gates of the castle and demands the incumbent king to relinquish his father from whatever entrapment or imprisonment he’s presumably held in.
The two similar empowered forces execute different approaches towards retaliation and vengeance for their loved one. Hamlet features a more clandestine spirit towards vengeance for his loved one while Laertes accentuates a more authorized and conspicuous spirit. Being prince of the considerably large country of Denmark, Hamlet is expected to represent his royal legacy and leadership for the citizens of the region. People frown upon the prince’s volatile sentiments, calling him “mad”, which essentially is one of many troubles he faces with his concept of preserving his father’s legacy and throne. The same body of people find Laertes as a better fit for the royal position as they refer to Laertes as”lord,” and whisper that “Laertes shall be king” (IV.
v.102–106). Laertes asserts better qualities and conditions for a position on the royal throne because he’s better mentally stable and not as exceedingly overwhelmed with the surroundings as to that of Hamlet. Incessant pressure towards one’s mental statue may also contribute to a state of insanity. Deterioration is the most imperative asset to Laertes and Hamlet’s inner conscience, yet one faces a more rapid effect than the other. One definite and irrefutable attribute both Laertes and Hamlet share is their identical efforts of retaliation in order to avenge their lost loved one.
They both make it clear to the audience that they’ll risk bloodshed in order to achieve their primary concern interest. Driven by the insanity that persists in their mind provokes them to face the instigator of all the horrid conflicts, King Claudius. Hamlet and Laertes expressed a message, whether it be implied within a structured play towards the specific individual or marching through the castle gates to face the individual, they both wanted to let their message be heard to be able to prompt a change of heart within Claudius. Claudius however, approaches each situation with either leaving, like he did to Hamlet’s play, or by pivoting the actual foe at hand like he did to Laertes towards Hamlet. Such despicable actions done by the king only motivates Laertes and Hamlet into deeper madness, to the point where they pledged the death of their foe by steel sharpness upon their sword, envenomed or not. For Hamlet to want King Claudius dead and Laertes to want Hamlet dead, it was a anticipated massacre within their little circles.
In conclusion, the common and most adequate characteristics Laertes and Prince Hamlet share are particularly the results of man-on-man conflicts within their atmosphere. Death and provokes lunacy which stems then plots the Shakespearean play as a whole. Laertes resorts to a rather impulsive action against his foe within his man-on-man conflict while Prince Hamlet clandestinely executes similar ideas. The foe at hand is King Claudius, who treacherously decieves and murders his position on the throne. Prince Hamlet and Laertes also both share the common perception of avenging their loved one, of which is the essential gas that drives and motivates them to act either clandestinely or impulsively towards their man-on-man conflict with madness looming within their conscience and deteriorating it.
