Laertes (Hamlet) in the context of "Polonius"

Play Trivia Questions online!

 or

Skip to study material about Laertes (Hamlet) in the context of "Polonius"

⭐ Core Definition: Laertes (Hamlet)

Laertes /leɪˈɜːrtiːz/ is a character in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Laertes is Polonius' son and Ophelia's brother. In the final scene, he mortally stabs Hamlet with a poison-tipped sword to avenge the deaths of his father and sister, for which he blames Hamlet. While dying of the same poison, he implicates King Claudius.

The Laertes character is thought to be originated by Shakespeare, as there is no equivalent character in any of the known sources for the play. His name is taken from Laërtes, father of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey.

↓ Menu

In this Dossier

Laertes (Hamlet) in the context of Prince Hamlet

Prince Hamlet is the title character and protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet (1599–1601). He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew of the usurping Claudius, and son of King Hamlet, the previous King of Denmark. At the beginning of the play, he is conflicted whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and struggles with his own sanity along the way. By the end of the tragedy, Hamlet has caused the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Claudius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two acquaintances of his from childhood. He is also indirectly involved in the deaths of his love Ophelia (drowning) and of his mother Gertrude (mistakenly poisoned by Claudius).

↑ Return to Menu
LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Prince Hamlet
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
William Shakespeare → Hamlet → Polonius → Ophelia → Prince Hamlet → King Claudius → Laertes (father of Odysseus) → Odysseus → Homer → Odyssey →