1.3.6-48

In this section Laertes warns Ophelia to protect herself from Hamlet, for his involvement with the state may influence his decisions. What we've seen of Hamlet so far, however, suggests that his interests are far from those of the state. Several possible causes for the distrust Laertes voices emerge in the in class responses to lines 6-48. It may be due his overall distrust in young people: both Hamlet and Ophelia, or due to the recent use of marriage (between Gertrude and Claudius) as a political tool. Laertes wants to protect his sister from something like this happening. It seems as though the relationship between politics and love will be an important theme throughout "Hamlet."