Laertes Poison In Hamlet

Though Hamlet and Laertes demonstrated potential to be future leaders, they had identical destined fates in which different types of poison would represent the cause of their fallouts. Towards the end, poison plays a significant role towards all the characters as it what kills almost everyone involved. When Laertes and Hamlet duel each other, Claudius comes up with a scheme that would be fitting and less controversial on his behalf. The king decides make specifications in the duel by anonymously poisoning Laertes’ sword. If Hamlet becomes struck by the sword, it’s an instant death in which Claudius would be clean from allegations. But to ensure an instant death, Claudius adds a pearl of toxin into Hamlet’s cup of wine. Claudius exclaims loud …show more content…
Claudius’ plot is reversed as Hamlet never drinks from the cup of wine. Instead, the Queen does. Although he was struck in the duel with the sword, Hamlet grabs the specified sword and swings it at Laertes, causing them both to be poisoned to death as well. It wasn’t just the sword that was filled with poison, but the monarch environment was filled with toxins as well. Claudius’ reign as king poisoned everyone around him as he was the main cause of these issues to occur. Since the murder of Hamlet Sr., he infected Hamlet’s family as well as Laertes’ mind as well. Claudius used Laertes’ emotions to benefit his plan and was nothing more than just a pawn in his chessboard. Hamlet recognized saw through Claudius since the beginning, but it wasn’t until it was too late in which Laertes came to the realizations of the plots. Laertes and Hamlet were so caught up of fulfilling prophesies for their fathers, they were too late to take all the toxins out. Laertes now knows it wasn’t the poison in the sword that killed him, but the poison Claudius created is what led to his downfall. His last words to Hamlet are “he is justly served, it is a poison temper’d by