Are you too quick to make important decisions? Do you act before you think? These quick decisions are common in the play Hamlet. Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare in 1589. The play is set in Denmark. The protagonist is a prince named Hamlet. Hamlet's father dies suddenly, and Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude, decides to marry Hamlet's uncle, King Claudius. Hamlet slowly goes mad and wants to take revenge on his father's murderer. Laertes, the son of the king's partner, makes a bad decision in the play. When Laertes' father Polonius is killed, Laertes is outraged and seeks revenge. Laertes made a bad decision in the play, but he could have tried to use decision making, weighing possible alternatives, and he could have changed the outcome of the play if he had made careful decisions. Laertes' main decision in Hamlet was as if to take revenge on Prince Hamlet for killing Polonius. There are seven steps in the decision making process. First Laertes had to identify the decision to make. Laertes followed this step by seeking a solution to his father's death. Next, Laertes would have to gather relevant information about his situation. Instead of this step, Laertes automatically assumed that he had to kill someone without knowing what actually happened to Polonius. So Laertes would have to identify his alternatives to the decision. Laertes did not explore alternatives in the play. He immediately met the king and decided to kill Prince Hamlet without looking for different ways to deal with the situation. After exploring the alternatives, Laertes would have to weigh the evidence of the situation. The only proof Laertes had was the king's word that Hamlet... in the center of the card... the king. By killing the king, they put Denmark in better hands and save both lives. Furthermore, Ophelia and Hamlet could marry and take the throne. Just by changing Laertes' decision, Hamlet's ending changes completely. Everyone is alive and well except King Claudius, and Denmark has not been conquered by Fortinbras, an officer from a foreign country. By using decision making, creating alternatives, and choosing the best outcome, Laertes would have completely changed the situation. play, Hamlet. Laertes could have used stages two, three, and four of the decision-making process to make an informed decision. Furthermore, Laertes may have wanted to explore his many alternatives and outcomes before making a decision. Finally, Laertes should have told Hamlet about Polonius' death. Think before you act and don't be too quick to judge.