William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is known as one of the greatest tragedies and perhaps the best work he had created in his career. In the end, many characters end up dead on stage and many even go mentally insane on their way to death. But there is clearly a common goal beyond all the dying and I believe that this faith is in the relationship between father and son. This is the case between Sir Polonius and his son Laertes. Although they did not have the best relationship before Polonius was killed, it is clear that Laertes felt love for his father after he passed away. The question is, whether or not Laertes was ever burned by his father, why did he feel that he had to claim his father’s honor in the middle of the story? When I reached the end of the story, I found that Laertes had always worshiped his father, that he only wanted to live for himself and not be told how to live by his wise father. This is the reason why he went to Gaul, and it is also the reason why he came to honor Polonius.
At the beginning of the story Hamlet, it is clear that the reader wants Laertes out of Denmark, but the reason why he wants to is not fully shown. When the reader looks at Act 1, Scene 2, it is said that Laertes wants to go to France with his father Polonius and talk to King Claudius about his departure. Laertes says that he has done his duty to the king, and now he wants to leave. He agrees that Polonius does not want his father to leave, but he does not want to oppose his son;
he has, sir, a slow license wrested from me
A laborious book, and finally
In his will I sealed my hard consent.
I beg you to let him go.
These lines, spoken by Sir Polonius, show that he is unwilling to leave his son, and also shows that he is protecting his son. In all honesty, Polonius does not know if his son will be able to survive and make a living for himself. This can be seen more clearly when Laertes prepares his departure;
Let this be true to you first of all;
And it follows, as night and day;
Therefore you cannot be false to anyone.
Farewell, my blessing, let this rest in you (1.3.78-82).
Polonius continues to give his son instructions on how to do this in his own Gaul. I think everyone can relate to a time like this in their lives, when they just wanted to leave, but their parents were in and out reading. I am sure of this how Laertes felt at this time; although he loved his father, yet at the same time he wished to escape from him. It is also clear that Polonius raised a very strong family, which is a good example of why Laertes is able to protect his sister Ophelia.
When Laertes finally arrives in Gaul, it is discovered by the reader that Polonius still has little faith in his son to take care of himself. In order to keep an eye on his son, Polonius sends his servant into Gaul to secretly spy on Laertes and try to see if he is doing right. It is almost as if Polonius felt that he could not trust his son, and again we see his protection of his family. Polonius also sends money and stamps with his servant, and asks him to inquire into his conduct.
Later, in Act Four of Hamlet, Polonius is falsely killed by a village character who is one of those who seem to have gone mad at this point. When Laertes was brought into Gaul, he invaded Denmark to avenge his father’s murder. Is this the same thing that had walked in his father two acts before? Of course, because love for his father and, as I mentioned above, respect for his father was always present in Laertes. He only wanted to write as much as he could in his life, but he must always keep his son. for fidelity to his father. After all, isn’t the whole story of Hamlet avenging his dead father, King Claudius? This is proven by the fact that it still exists today and it says that the father-son relationship is the highest respect. Sometimes it seems that the son hates the father, but does he ever hate the father? In a few years the son will be like the father, and I can say that it is true. This is the only way in which the relationship between Laertes and his father Polonius can be understood. We all want freedom, but even as we grow up, we need role models. In the fourth act, see Laertes’ reaction to hearing his father’s sudden death which he defends. the son theory of the father;
“I dare the damnation. Here I stand;
I neglect both worlds;
Let what comes come. Only he will be avenged
For a father very well.’ (4.5.129-33).
The last act of the play is Laertes’ opportunity to take revenge on the village that killed his father, Laertes, as he believes, was also the cause of his sister’s murder. But are the feelings he now has different from those he had in the beginning, or have they always been with him? Again, I believe the answer is always there. Whether he can know whether or not he always had a regard for his father, he only became aware of the death of Polonius. He knew what he had lost in life when his father passed; as Laertes says, “Thus I lost my noble father.” (4.7.25) Perhaps to blame both the murder of the father and the sudden fury of the sister, because she left her freedom. It is sad that it took two deaths of the family to know that man was worthy, but in the end, that man could die.
A true tragedy, Hamlet proves to be one of, if not the best play that Shakespeare ever wrote in his lifetime. . Even though at the end two deadly figures approach, and several others go mad, the story is really about bonds, honor, and faith. This is the relationship between Laertes and his father Polonius. It was clear that they both loved each other, and the love between them was always present, but unfortunately they could never know how they felt.
Report:
- Shakespeare, William. hamlet Norton Shakespeare Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 1997. 1668-1756.
