Hamlet's LaertesOne of the least discussed characters of Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet, is Laertes, son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia. He witnesses the death of all his close relatives, thus losing his "honorable" approach to life - until the end of the play. Bernice W. Kliman in "A Television Interpretation of Hamlet" (1964 with Christopher Plummer) highlights Laertes' actions at the climax of the play: close-ups, of course, reveal that Gertrude offers Hamlet the poisoned wine after drinking it, which Laertes takes he makes the sign of the cross as he takes the fatal rapier, which deals a nasty blow to Hamlet at impatient urging from Claudius, who the soldiers restrain Claudius after Laertes' revelation. Yet the setting leaves enough space around the close-ups for Laertes to make his first admission to Osric alone and for the supernumeraries to disappear as Horatio holds the dying Hamlet, the frame widening for Fortinbras' stately entrance. (157)Kliman's description contains some details that do not fit into the official text since his description comes from a television version of Hamlet. Based on the stage version, Marvin Rosenberg describes Laertes in his essay “Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat”: Laertes is a charming and romantic figure who sparks surprising and spectacular moments in the play. Not much attention has been paid to it by scholar-critics and theater observers; for all his activity in the later acts, he is not much tormented by internal struggle – despite being surrounded by others fascinating with their hells of interiority. After Laertes' brief and luminous introduction in I,i and I,iii, he disappears from the work – and from Denmark – until returning to lead a rebellion in IV,v [. . .]. (87) With Rosenberg's overview of Laertes' situation in the play, we begin to consider his interaction with the other cast members. Laertes makes his appearance in the play after Marcellus, Barnard and Horatio have already seen the Ghost and have amused themselves with him in an attempt to get him to communicate with them. Horatio and Marcellus exit the ramparts of Elsinore with the intention of enlisting the help of Hamlet, who is dejected by his “hasty marriage” to Hamlet I's wife less than two months after Hamlet's father's funeral (Gordon 128). After this scene, Laertes is one of many present at a post-coronation court social gathering at Elsinore.