In Hamlet, Laertes' objective is to
kill Hamlet. Hamlet has destroyed Laertes' loved ones. Hamlet kills Laertes' father,
Polonius. This in turn destroys Laertes' sister Ophelia. Ophelia takes her own life due
to anguish over losing her father by a man she loves.
No
doubt, Laertes has a goal and strong purpose for killing Hamlet. One man has brought
about his destruction. Now, to kill Hamlet will avenge Laertes' father's death. To kill
Hamlet will restore Laertes' troubled heart because of the death of his father and
sister.
What could be more important than to kill the one
man responsible for destroying one's family? Laertes has a clear vision. He desires to
kill Hamlet for making his life miserable through the loss of his family
members:
Ophelia has gone insane after Hamlet’s departure
and her father’s death. Laertes returns and vows to avenge Polonius’s death. Claudius
contrives a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes, during which Hamlet is to be
injured with a poisoned sword tip and poisoned with a drink, thus assuring his death.
When news arrives that Ophelia has drowned herself, Laertes is grief
stricken.
To find relief for
his troubled heart, Laertes agrees to fight his enemy
Hamlet:
Hamlet’s confusing and truncated relationship
with Ophelia and his inadvertent murder of Polonius have made the two young men virtual
enemies.
In the end, Laertes
accomplishes his main objective--he kills his enemy Hamlet.
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