Character Foils In Hamlet

In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, there are two characters that foil each other. Hamlet and Laertes go through many similar events throughout the story. Firstly, both of their fathers are murdered during the play. This makes both characters want to seek revenge at all costs. Secondly, Hamlet and Laertes are both spied on during the play. Finally, Ophelia's death affects Hamlet because she was his lover and it affects Laertes because she was his sister. For the following reasons one can see that Hamlet and Laertes go through similar problems throughout the play which make them foil characters.

One of the most important subplots of the play Hamlet is the character of Laertes and how he demands revenge for the slaying of his father. Laertes is an antagonist character in the play Hamlet and works against the main character. However, Claudius is Hamlet's real enemy in the play so Laertes might be classified as a foil rather than a true antagonist. Laertes is an extremely important character to the plot, although his importance is only seen at the end of the play. Therefore, he should be classified as a major character. His actions ultimately begin the final climax of the play's plot. Laertes is the son of the priest Polonius and the older brother of Ophelia, late female companion of Prince Hamlet. At first, Laertes seems to only be a peripheral character but functions to further the plot in the latter half of the play upon his return to Denmark.

Like in every story there are alway a main character but what make that main character to shows is the foil come from other character, but what was foil? How does it help us to understands the character better? It was a skill which author or playwright reveals one character to contrast with another character in order to shows and helps the reader for a better understanding of the main character in the story. With in play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare use the foil as a special technique which highlight the characterization of the main character Hamlet. By showing that deep emotion of him and Shakespeare contracting him with another character to see the change of him.

Decisions In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare incorporates the theme that an individual’s decisions, whether conscious or unconscious, which are made on earth will foreshadow their outcome in the afterlife. Shakespeare establishes this theme through the contrast of the character foils, Hamlet and Laertes. While both characters do act upon their decisions, Shakespeare clearly shows the difference between the influences of their actions. Hamlet commits his actions in an unconscious states as he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which occurs when an individual has, “exposure to trauma involving death” (Canadian Mental Health Association, para. 1).

The final way that Laertes acts as a foil to Hamlet occurs once again when Claudius and Laertes are discussing Laertes’ actions to achieve his vengeance. Claudius gives Laertes advice saying, “That we would do/ we should do when we would; for this ‘would’/ changes” (4.7.134-136). Claudius is warning Laertes that if he waits long enough, he will probably end up not doing anything at all and will not achieve his goal of vengeance. This quote spoken by Claudius is quite similar to when King Hamlet’s ghost meets with Hamlet earlier in the play to warn him about how he was killed by Claudius and that he must get revenge. King Hamlet’s ghost also warns Hamlet saying, “Taint not thy mind” (1.5.92), telling him to not over think his plan because otherwise he will not pursue his vengeance. After Claudius warns Laertes to not get side tracked, the audience is reminded of King Hamlet’s ghost telling Hamlet to not over think because then their plans will not be pursued. This scene acts as a foil towards Hamlet because soon after the conversation, Laertes does pursue his plan of seeking vengeance, whereas Hamlet has been working on his plan the whole play, and has still not started to execute it.

Laertes also brings revenge and betrayal out of Hamlet. Though an enemy, Laertes is a foil to Hamlet. Laertes helps in the development of Hamlet through the similarities they share. These include anger over the death of their fathers, and desire to exact revenge. Betrayal is also relevant because Laertes betrays Claudius in the end, revealing his plan to kill Hamlet. Hamlet betrays his father by verbally abusing his mother, against the wishes of his father. The differences between the two men are very strong. Hamlet would not kill Claudius in the church because he was praying. Laertes, however stated that he would kill Hamlet in a church, praying or not. Another difference is that Hamlet cannot be a man of action and a man of thought at the same time. He does not use his mind when he acts. He just acts. When he is pondering something, he is unable to act out his thoughts, and keeps quiet. Laertes, however, is able to act while thinking. He finds out that Hamlet killed his father and immediately devises a plan to kill him. This flaw makes Hamlet dangerous to himself, and is ultimately his downfall.

In a play filled with despair and suffering, love can still play an important role. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, is a play about revenge with eight deaths. Despite this, the relationship between two characters, Hamlet and Ophelia is extremely vital to the theme of the work and influences how the characters in the play act. It does this through how Ophelia acts like a foil to Hamlet, how the pair views each other, and what themes present in the play the relationship emphasizes.. One of the important points in the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is how Ophelia acts like a foil to Hamlet.

scene Laertes is talking to the king about avenging his father's death, so the king tells him it was Hamlet who killed Polonius. After hearing this Claudius and Laertes come up with a plan to kill Hamlet and end this once and for all. This shows how short tempered Laertes is because he does not even want to know the full story he just wants to kill Hamlet. Hamlet the main character of the play is very timid, loyal, and has an inability to take action. In act 1 scene 5 Hamlet sees the ghost of his father for the first time and the ghost tells Hamlet the truth about his death. “The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown.”(Act 1 Scene 5), this quote is what the ghost tells Hamlet that it was Claudius his own brother that murdered him and took the crown. “So, uncle,

Laertes, a foil to Hamlet in the play, faces similar problems as Hamlet. Laertes learns Hamlet is responsible for the death of his father, Polonius by Claudius. But, in Act III Scene iv, Polonius was hiding behind the arras of the Queen Gertrude’s room and Hamlet killed him accidentally. Claudius took the opportunity to use his manipulative skills and convince Laertes he should kill Hamlet for what he did (Cruttwell). Claudius’ speech to Laertes implies that not acting would show no love for his father, “Not that I think you did not love your father, but that I know love is begun by time, and that I see in passages of proof”(IV. vii. 111-113). Claudius’ tone influences Laertes to immediately seek revenge on

Laertes and Hamlet are foil characters as we all know. They act nothing alike. What I am gonna tell you how they are the same and how they are different so you know they are foil characters. What characteristic do you think they have that explaines why they are foil characters.Hamlet was a character who you would have thought he was clever and played circles around everyone when they thought they had played a circle around Hamlet. He acted mad and crazy, “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed, His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God, How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world!” Act 1 Scene 2. The only reason he acted like that is because his whole life was falling apart, he was depressed, his dad died and his mom remarried within two months of the death of her husband. He was always right about people he tried to warn his mother about the new king, and how he killed the old Hamlet which was the old king. Hamlet just wants to be protective of his mother, he does not want her to get hurt any more than she already is. Laertes is Ophelia’s brother, he tries to protect her from things. Laertes is a guy who, if things does not go as planned or if he threatened then he wants to fight and settle it. The only thing wrong with that is if he always done that then he would be killed by now already. The king

Laertes loses his family because of Hamlet’s actions. His father is killed by him and his sister kills herself because of her grief. Laertes and King Claudius begin to plot Hamlet’s murder, planning to poison him, by drink or wound, whichever comes first. However, the plan backfires on the both of them and Laertes dies from his own blade, but not before saying “The King, the King’s to blame.”

A foil is a minor character that helps the audience better understand a major character. A foil may exist as a comparison character, with similarities between the two, as well as differences that bring to light an important contrast between the foil and the main character. A foil may also just be someone for the main character to talk to, so we can know and understand their thoughts and feelings. Foils help us understand the obvious as well as the arcane. In the classic tragedy Hamlet, we see William Shakespeare employ foils to illustrate both examples. They become important literary tools that help the reader rationalize the concurrent theme of the play -

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet both lose a father by unnatural and sudden death. The unnatural death of the father is brought on by someone close to the son. When Laertes discovers that his father is dead, he is outraged. When Hamlet learns from the ghost of his father's murder, he weeps, and promises action, though he delivers none. Both Laertes and Hamlet grieve deeply for their fathers, but Laertes acts upon this grief while Hamlet carefully plots his revenge and waits for the perfect moment to avenge King Hamlet. Laertes' unplanned action causes his death by his own sword, while Hamlet's apparent inaction finally gets him the revenge that Laertes has attempted. Though Laertes' grief at his father's death causes his

Hamlet and Laertes are similar in the way they associate with their families. Laertes respects and loves his father Polonius and Hamlet holds a great respect for his dead father, who Hamlet compares his father to the sun god, "Hyperion". After the death of both their fathers, Hamlet and Laertes seek revenge on the murders. Hamlet and Laertes both show different attitudes towards females. Laertes gives Ophelia guidance on her relationship with Hamlet and Hamlet is able to persuade Gertrude that he is not mad and manipulates her to follow his instructions. Hamlet tells his mother to convince Claudius of Hamlet's madness. He is able to make his mother reflect upon her part in the death of his father and feel guilt "Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots as will not leave their tinct." (Shakespeare 1997 3.4.90-93). The father's of Laertes and Hamlet both attempted to use spies to gain information on their sons. Claudius hamlets uncle and step-father. Claudius employed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to gather information on Hamlet and Polonius sends Reynaldo to check up on Laertes. Hamlet becomes outraged that Claudius is spying on him which then results in Hamlet mistakenly killing Polonius. Laertes becomes angered at the death of his father and boldly seeks vengeance against Claudius.

"But I am very sorry, good Horatio, /That to Laertes I forgot myself; /For, by the image of my cause, I see/The portraiture of his" (V.2). In seeking to revenge, Hamlet accidentally stabs Polonius, the king's advisor, thus killing the father of Laertes. Hamlet acknowledges, with his sense of higher justice and objectivity, that Laertes has a reason for hating him, given that he is also a parricide. There is a sharp, circular irony to this cycle of revenge. Similarly, Ophelia is driven mad by the death of her father and kills herself. Hamlet, while much of his madness is assumed, is also driven to a state of emotional distress. Laertes, Hamlet, and Ophelia all act irrationally in ways that bring about their death because of the extremity of their grief.