Initial Reaction: In Act V, I feel really bad for Hamlet. Ophelia has just died and he has no idea. It was terrible for him to be at a funeral that he didn't even know that it was Ophelia. It reminds me of when I go to a person I don't knows funeral, it would feel awful if for whatever reason I am reminded that it is my mother or grandparents. Its makes me understand just how awful it was to learn Ophelia drowned in a stream.
Character Analysis: Laertes has just lost his sister and his father, and it seems as though grief has taken over him. He is fence matching with Hamlet, where he plans to stab him with a poisonous sword. He has many flaws, he was too overprotective of Ophelia, and now he has to bear with the consequences of both his sister and his fathers death. He is a foil for Hamlet. He causes many conflicts between himself and the ones in his family.
Theme Analysis: I think the last act has many themes, such as death, suicide, and revenge. Everyone is dying in Act V between Ophelia drowning in a stream, Laertes getting stabbed with a poisonous sword, Hamlet getting stabbed with the poisonous sword also, Gertrude drinking from the poisonous cup as well as the King. Everyone pretty much killed themselves as a mass suicide. revenge could also be at play here for all the wrongful doings they all did, karma came back at them and taught them a lesson. Life is very short, and Hamlet and the other characters showed us just that.
I’m not sure where your assessment of Laertes being “too overprotective” came from. He gave his sister warning to not fall blindly in love with Hamlet because Hamlet’s future was not entirely of his own making; Hamlet is beholden to the kingdom, so he would have to answer to the desires of his people and possibly marry for politics. Laertes didn’t want to see his sister heartbroken or taken advantage of by Hamlet. However, he didn’t forbid Ophelia from doing anything, he didn’t require a chaperone for her and he left the country for several months. Maybe you can show me the sections of the play that gave you the impression that Laertes was being over protective? That would give me a different view of him.
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