Hamlet Group

Question:

brenda-sanchez
brenda-sanchez
Student
High School - 12th Grade

Why was Hamlet's father killed unjustly by Claudius and why was Laertes unjustly killed too?

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Posted by brenda-sanchez on Monday June 1, 2009 at 1:27 PM and tagged with claudius, hamlet, killed, laertes, unjustly.

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  1. danylyshen Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Hamlet's father was unjustly MURDERED by Claudius while he slept in the garden. Claudius crept up, and killed Hamlet Sr. by pouring a deadly poison into the "porches" of his ear. This is the most unjust act of the play and it is why Claudius is the antagonist.

    Laertes's death can be seen as "unjust" because he was led untruthfully by Claudius for such a long time. Laertes was really only trying to avenge his father's death and the cruel treatment of his sister. There isn't anything really unjust in that, if we follow an "eye for an eye" philosophy.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/character-analysis

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    Posted by danylyshen on Thursday June 4, 2009 at 6:10 AM