King Claudius' Manipulation of Laertes

King Claudius uses deliberate language and tone in order to manipulate Laertes into gearing all of his anger and rage towards Hamlet. Laertes is extremely vulnerable due to his fragile and malleable state of mind that resulted from the death of his beloved father. As King Caludius clearly does not like Hamlet he takes advantage of Laertes' vulnerability and manipulates him into wanting to take revenge on Hamlet through killing him. As Claudius works Laertes up, once Laertes finally asserts that he will take vengeance on his father's killer, Claudius validates Laertes as he says "Why, now you speak/ Like a good child and a true gentlemen" (IV. 5. 142-3). Furthermore, Claudius plays into Laertes emotions as he validates his wishes/feelings. Additionally, Claudius takes advantage of Laertes fragile state to clear his own name. For example, in Act I, Scene 5, lines 192-203 Claudius tells Laertes that if Laertes were to assemble his wisest friends, have them determine whether or not he has betrayed Laertes and they decide that he has indeed betrayed Laertes, then Laertes can have all of Claudius' possessions. Essentially, Claudius offers such an extreme proposition that Laertes doesn't even question Claudius.