Background
- Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, son of the deceased king
- Laertes: Son of Polonius, Ophelia's brother
Motivations
- Hamlet: Seeking revenge for his father's murder
- Laertes: Seeking revenge for his father's death and sister's madness.
Temperament
- Hamlet: Reflective, contemplative, and often melancholic
- Laertes: More impulsive and hot-headed
Actions
- Hamlet: Hesitant and delayed in his revenge
- Laertes: Quick to act and avenge his father
Fate
- Hamlet: Dies in the end, along with most of the other main characters
- Laertes: Also dies in the end, but his death is portrayed as a more honorable and heroic sacrifice.