Hamlet Rhetorical Analysis

Even though Hamlet and Laertes come from different worlds they have a lot of similarities and differences. On one side they are similar because they both want to get revenge for their father’s deaths, they both have a strong love for Ophelia and they both are very loyal sons to their fathers. But on the other hand they are very different because Hamlet is more of a thinker than a doer and Laertes is more of a doer. Hamlet is a very moody character while Laertes is very passionate about everything he does. The Differences between Hamlet and Laertes are striking, and they deserve thorough examination. At the beginning of Hamlet, Hamlet has many characteristics such as he is more of a thinker than a doer, he is very bitter, Hamlet is very depressed and suicidal. Hamlet is more of a thinker than a doer because Hamlet has a lot of soliloquies throughout the play explaining his thoughts about everything (act 1 scene 2). He is also very bitter through the play towards his mother and new stepfather because he knows how his father died. Also he doesn’t approve of how fast his mom moved on from his father and onto his uncle. “Queen: the lady does protest too much, I think. Hamlet: Oh, but she’ll keep her word”(act 3 scene 2). Also Hamlet is very Depressed and suicidal at the beginning of the play because he’s whole life is falling apart. “oh , that this too, too solid flesh would melt, thaw and turn into dew!”(act 1 scene 2). Another example is “I have lost all of my happiness,

Laertes character is perhaps best known for being an obvious foil to Prince Hamlet. Both of their fathers are killed, and they both love Ophelia. Hamlet has mistakenly killed Polonius, Laertes’ father, while mistaking him for Claudius. This turn of events places Hamlet in the same role as Claudius. Laertes, like Hamlet, also lost his father and wants to make Hamlet pay for his father’s death. Unlike Hamlet however, Laertes shows his passionate reaction very openly when he says that he will throw "conscience and grace to the profoundest pit" (IV, V 129) and is ready without any hesitation to take revenge. Laertes comes back to Denmark, knowing of his father’s death, and goes up to Claudius and says"…to hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand that both worlds I give to negligence. Let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (IV V 128-134). This provides insight into Laertes’s mind, showing that he will never cease gaining his revenge. However, Laertes is a man of action similar to Fortinbras. His reaction to his father's death is very different from Hamlet's response to the news of his own father's murder. Comparing Laertes and Hamlet, Laertes displays impulsive reactions when angered. Once Laertes discovers his father has been murdered, he immediately assumes the person guilty of killing him is Claudius. Returning home from France, Laertes hears the news about his father and sister’s death, and takes immediate action. He gathered up a crowd of followers and invades the castle. He is not a man to sit down quietly waiting for an opportunity, which is how he differs from Hamlet as Laertes shows that he makes very rash decisions. In the play and Branagh’s film, Laertes is foil to Hamlet because Laertes displays qualities that differ from and are

All Laertes is thinking about is killing Hamlet for two reasons. Hamlet has a necessity to kill Claudius. Claudius ambition to conserve his life for the throne, has made him take a step forward by putting Laertes against Hamlet. " To thine own peace. If he be now returned, As checking at his voyage, and that he means No more to undertake it,

Hamlet is dissatisfied with his inability to kill Claudius, thus allowing him time to rewrite his wrongs. Unable to muster up the courage to carry out his envisions of murdering Claudius, Hamlet calls himself “a dull and muddy-mettled rascal” (2.2.526) that is “unpregnant of [his] cause”. (2.2.527) In both the soliloquies Hamlet stands around dreaming of completing the act, but pushes aside his outraged feelings toward Claudius. Hamlet is mad at himself as he pretends he is unaware of the treason. The soliloquy “what is a man” starts out with “how all occasions do inform against me, and spur my dull revenge!” (4.4.31-32) By “spur my dull revenge” Hamlet is stalling and much like a dull revenge a dull knife would do little to help achieve a stout revenge. This soliloquy also ties in with the

First off, one distinct difference between Hamlet and Laertes is the amount of time each is present throughout the play. Hamlet is there to witness everything that occurs in Denmark first-hand. He even discovers the hidden truth behind the death of his father when the ghost states, “Revenge [King Hamlet’s] foul and most unnatural murder” (Shakespeare Page 35 Line 29). On the contrary, Laertes only learns of most information about Denmark by letters or informants. For example, Laertes states, “How came he dead? I’ll not be juggled with” (Shakespeare Page 98 Line 141). This is after Laertes has returned to Denmark, and he still does not know who or what caused the death of his father. Another contrast between the two characters is where they travel when not in Denmark. For the short time that Hamlet is not in Denmark, he travels to England. Laertes, however, spends his time in France when he is not in Denmark. This further intensifies the notion that these characters are foils because these nations are seen as the two powerhouses in the United Kingdom. Hamlet travels to one nation, while Laertes travels to the opposite one. So, while Hamlet is present for almost the entire play, Laertes is rarely seen because of his extended

Laertes acts as a foil for Hamlet and develops Hamlet’s character in many ways seen by the audience; Laertes character develops Hamlet’s intelligence. When Laertes comes back to Denmark to get revenge for his father’s death, Claudius easily manipulates him. “To thine own peace. If he be now return'd, As checking at his voyage, and that he means no more to undertake it, I will work him to an exploit, now ripe in my device, under the which he shall not choose but fall. And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe, but even his mother shall un charge the practice and call it accident.” (Act IV Scene VII, Lines 60-70) Claudius comes up with a plan to kill Hamlet without having to be the murderer; therefore it is Laertes that will look guilty

Hamlet realizes someone’s behind the curtain and stabs his sword at the arras thinking it was the King

What is Hamlet about? Maybe a summary of the plot could answer this question but it wouldn’t do it justice. However it’s impossible to narrow down any of William Shakespeare’s work to one theme. The fact is, that all of Shakespeare’s plays are about many things. There are many ways to look at a Shakespearean play, and none are wrong of course, but it is not entirely true to say that one theme is the most important. Some of the more common and dominate themes that can be found in any of Shakespeare’s works are: conflict, appearance and reality, order and disorder, and change.

without the guidance of either of their fathers. Laertes, on one hand, is more concerned about the moral justice that would be achieved by avenging his father’s death. “I am satisfied in nature,/ Whose motive in this case should stir me most/ To my revenge” (Act V, scene ii, 3882-3885). Hamlet, on the other hand, is lost in his madness and unable to clearly define how he can justify his actions, and make things right again in Denmark.

Laertes serves a foil to Hamlet, although they are not similar in birth, they are similar in that they both have a dear father murdered. Using this parallel, Shakespeare uses Laertes to show what Hamlet should be doing, contrasting Laertes’s words of action to Hamlet’s own words of action. We see this most clearly when Laertes is talking with Claudius and he says that he will “cut [Hamlet’s] throat i' th' church” to avenge his father, this contrasts directly with Hamlet who decides not to kill a praying Claudius when he has the chance (4.7.144). Laertes also serves as external conflict as he challenges Hamlet to a fight and is convinced by Claudius to kill Hamlet with a poisoned sword. Without this fight, who knows if Hamlet would have gotten around to kill Claudius? But when we really look at Laertes’ words and consequent action, we see another similarity with Hamlet, both are rash and passionate. This is significant because

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark has been performed thousands of times since it was “written in 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603” (Britannica.com). It’s popularity stems from its themes that translate across time. These themes, are seen to be relatable even to this day with the ever growing audience. Readers and viewers are able to find similarities between the current state and or even relate to one of the characters or events taking place over the course of Shakespeare’s five act masterpiece. Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark remains a viable text for contemporary readers in that it functions as a mirror.

Hamlet is a suspenseful play that introduces the topic of tragedy. Throughout the play, Hamlet displays anger, uncertainty, and obsession with death. Although Hamlet is unaware of it, these emotions cause the mishaps that occur throughout the play. These emotions combined with his unawareness are the leading basis for the tragic hero’s flaws. These flaws lead Hamlet not to be a bad man, but a regular form of imperfection that comes along with being human.

I Hamlet's second soliloquy, we face a determined Hamlet who is craving revenge for his father. “Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat/ In this distracted globe. Remember thee!” Hamlet feels sorry for his father who was unable to repent of his sins and is therefore condemned to a time in purgatory. He promises his father that in spite of his mental state (he is distracted, confused and shocked) he will avenge his death. He holds him in the highest regards because he sees his father as a role model. “Yea, from the table of my memory/ I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records,”. He’ll erase all prior Knowledge and experience and leave only his father’s “commandment”. He will engrave it in the front of his mind to show his

Hamlet, the main character of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most complex characters ever created. His intricacy can be seen in the amount of soliloquies he speaks throughout the play. Each one of Hamlet’s soliloquies reveals his innermost thoughts and gives the reader or audience insight as to what he is feeling at that time. Hamlet’s quartet of soliloquies illustrates how Hamlet is initially indecisive, but eventually makes a decision to take revenge against his uncle.

During the last years of Queen Elizabeth, “The Tragedy of Hamlet” was written by William Shakespeare. The father of Hamlet appeared outside of the Elsinore Castle on what seemed to a very cold night for the season that they were in. His appearance was referred to as of a warning that was leading to the killing in ancient Rome of Caesar. The presence provided Horatio and his company a suggestion that something threatening or evil had previously taken place and the would have been an offset to nature in Denmark. There was a transfer of power post the death