#WCW: Why I can’t bring myself to hate Laoghaire on Outlander

What about Laoghaire’s actions 20 years later?

When Claire is in her present day, Jamie has to survive and move on. That means marrying again and he chooses Laoghaire. For whatever reasons given in the books and show, Jamie and Laoghaire do marry, they don’t have a happy marriage, and they live apart. There’s no point in looking at the whys right now.

Claire’s return throws everything off. Jamie married Laoghaire believing Claire was gone forever. Everyone else believed Claire dead. Despite this marriage not being a happy one, it was a marriage for Laoghaire. She had a man to support her and her daughters.

Understandably, Laoghaire was hurt when she learned the truth. She was angry that Claire was still alive, knowing that it would mean her marriage to Jamie was voided. He wouldn’t be punished as he supposedly didn’t know Claire was alive–and Claire would back that up with her story–so all that could happen was Laoghaire’s marriage would be dissolved.

In a time when women had so very few rights, she would have been scared. What would this have meant for her and her daughters in the future? Sure, she would have had money and land from previous marriages, but she was likely counting on this marriage to Jamie to set her up a little more for life. Her actions made sense. Her anger was understandable.

I just can’t hate Laoghaire. There are times I’ll roll my eyes and groan, but I definitely can’t hate her. She was a woman of her time.

Next: Outlander theories: Could Claire and Laogire be related?

What do you think about Laoghaire? Do you just look at the character or the circumstances around the character? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander returns in November. Like Claire and Jamie on Facebook for more updates.