LAERTES                    I am satisfied in nature,

Whose motive in this case should stir me most

To my revenge. But in my terms of honour

I stand aloof and will no reconcilement

Till by some elder masters of known honour

I have a voice and precedent of peace

To keep my name ungored. But all that time

I do receive your offered love like love

And will not wrong it.

HAMLET                     I embrace it freely

And will this brothers’ wager frankly play.            (5.2.221-230)

Laertes’s response is interesting, and more nuanced than Hamlet’s protestations: I am satisfied in nature, whose motive in this case should stir me most to my revenge. So far as my feelings go, the personal injury you’ve done me through the harm you’ve done to my family—I accept that you didn’t mean to hurt them, or me, and so yes, let’s set that aside, even though it’s the most clear motivation I have for wanting to be revenged on you. So far so good. But in my terms of honour—as I am a gentleman, as I have a care for my reputation, and that of my family—I stand aloof and will no reconcilement till by some elder masters of known honour I have a voice and precedent of peace to keep my name ungored. This is a bit weird: I’m not letting you off the hook, as far as the injury and insult you’ve done me, until it’s generally agreed, by those whose judgement I respect, that I have restored my reputation and removed any blot or stain upon it. We’re not completely good yet; I have to be seen to have recovered my good name. But all that time I do receive your offered love like love and will not wrong it. I believe you, when you say you’re sorry; I’m not going to throw your sincere protestations back in your face. (And I’m sorry too.) I embrace it freely, is about all Hamlet can say—this is about the best he could hope for, moving towards complete reconciliation, but with a residual need at least to go through the motions—and will this brothers’ wager frankly play. Let’s do this thing, in the spirit of fraternal openness, then. Is Laertes being disingenuous, knowing that it’s crucial to the plan with Claudius that some kind of combat still takes place? Possibly, although in performance he can start to seem reluctant, to have misgivings about what he’s agreed. The sting’s going out of it a bit? Claudius can tense.