Laertes

Laertes is a fictional figure in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, first published in the early 1600s. He is Polonius's son and Ophelia's brother, a young Danish nobleman who returns quickly from France after learning of his father’s death. Laertes is portrayed as loyal to his family and quick to action, contrasting with Ophelia’s fragility and the court’s intrigue. His presence intensifies the play’s themes of revenge, honor, and the consequences of political scheming.

After Polonius is killed, Laertes seeks vengeance and conspires with Claudius to kill Hamlet. The two hatch a plan that uses a poisoned blade and a poisoned cup of wine to ensure Hamlet’s death. In the climactic final act, the duel between Hamlet and Laertes turns deadly: Laertes wounds Hamlet with the tipped sword, Hamlet retaliates and wounds Laertes with the same blade, Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine and dies, and Laertes silently confesses the plot before dying. Claudius is killed as well, and Hamlet dies shortly thereafter. The sequence brings the play to a cascading conclusion in which most principal characters perish.

Character and legacy: Laertes functions as a foil to Hamlet, embodying swift action and filial duty in contrast to Hamlet’s hesitation and introspection. His drive for revenge highlights themes of justice, loyalty, and the corrosive effects of ambition within the Danish court. The name Laertes also appears in Greek mythology, where Laertes is the father of Odysseus, adding a layer of classical resonance to the Shakespearean figure.