In act 1 scene 3, Laertes and Ophelia have a heart to heart. At first Laertes starts telling Ophelia to write to him when he leaves, then, when she agrees to do so he breaks into the big brother scene by talking about Hamlet, it is very clear that he does not think highly of the Prince. Laertes calls Hamlets “favor” to Ophelia “trifling” and he also reminds her that Hamlets love for her is like a violet, early to appear in the spring, but also early to die. He wants to contrast that Hamlets temporary “favor” that would grow and deepen. Ophelia is clearly unhappy with this when Laertes mentions “he may love you now” and then continues to go on and tell her that he is the Prince of Denmark and cannot just marry anyone. Hamlet is a Prince but Ophelia is not a princess and he needs to get the approval of the Denmark public on who he marries. What Laertes means is that he needs the Kings approval to marry, and Laertes has witnessed convocations between the King and Hamlet.

For this reason Laertes is certain that Hamlet and Ophelia cannot get married and that the relationship will only hurt her and this could make her “lose her heart” or “lose her chaste treasure open”. He doesn’t stop there, he keeps going to explain to her that Hamlet does love her but he doesn’t have a high opinion of her. He justifies his under lying doubt by comparing her to spring time flowers that may be diseased before they even bloom. Finally, he reminds her that she is young and “youth to itself