What Reasons do Laertes and Polonius Give for Their Command

Laertes wants her to stop because Hamlet is a prince who 'may not carve for himself': Ophelia is too far beneath Hamlet, socially, for their relationship to have any hope of surviving. Hamlet is bound to end up in a political marriage to the Princess of Poland or somewhere. One possible mistake is to believe that Laertes really believes that Hamlet is dallying with her affections following his first speech. Laertes wants her to persuade …

…his offensive warning to Ophelia to 'fear' the power of her lust, has a low opinion of the affair (and of women). Both men are obsessed by family honour, an important theme in the play, and the preservation of Ophelia's 'chaste treasure'. The Hamlet we have met in Act 1, scene 2, doesn't look like the sort of man to dally with a young girl's affections, especially considering that he is so agonised by his mother's infidelity.