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Shakespeare's plot and characterization
Historical plays of shakespeare summary
Shakespeare's plot and characterization
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The play Hamlet by Shakespeare has a plot filled of death and sadness that stems from its character’s actions. The main character Hamlet is one of the most important characters in the play along with Fortinbras and Laertes. Fortinbras is the heir to the throne of Norway, and Laertes is the son of Polonius who lives in Denmark with Hamlet. These three characters share relationships with one another that help the plot of the story advance. Above all, the relationships cause the reader to recognize similarities and differences between Hamlet and both Fortinbras and Laertes. Throughout the play, comparisons and contrasts are distinguished between the three characters. Furthermore, the contrasts and parallels between Hamlet and the characters of …show more content…
Fortinbras and Laertes help the reader visualize Hamlet as either a strong or sluggish character. While Hamlet and Fortinbras are considered foils of one another, they have many parallels, ranging from their actions in response to their situations, to how they think and feel about the situations they’re in.
Hamlet and Fortinbras are both heirs to their select thrones, but both are denied their position. In fact, both Hamlet’s uncle and Fortinbras’ uncle take their position as king instead. Even though their situations are different, this only brings more similarities and differences to light. For instance, one difference between Hamlet and Fortinbras is their ambition. Fortinbras takes action with force and promptness. In the beginning of the play, Fortinbras is already “holding a weak supposal of [Denmark’s] worth” (1.2.18) and he believes that the death of Hamlet’s father has left Denmark “disjoint and out of frame” (1.2.20). Hamlet, on the other hand, overthinks and talks himself out of taking action, like when he is about to kill Claudius. When Hamlet has the chance to kill Claudius he changes his mind and says, “Why this is hire and salary, not revenge” (3.3.79); he talks himself out of the act and becomes sluggish. However, both Hamlet and Fortinbras are not respected by their uncles, and this parallel and others lead the reader to a greater perception of the
text. The character of Laertes shares many parallels with Hamlet surrounding their father’s deaths and quests for revenge, but a great contrast is the way they complete tasks. During the play, both Hamlet and Laertes are struck with the realization of the deaths of their fathers, but they react to it in different ways. At first, Laertes doesn’t want to believe that his father is truly gone and he asks, “Where is my father?” (4.5.128), but the only answer is that his father is dead. After hearing from the King, Claudius, Laertes immediately wants to take Hamlet’s life in an act of revenge. Hamlet, too, after the suggestion of his father’s spirit, wants revenge on Claudius for his father’s death: “As meditation or the thought of love, may sweep to my revenge” (1.5.30-31). The characters of Hamlet and Laertes think similarly to one another and are in similar situations; although the way they act, or in Hamlet’s case, don’t act, can be thought of as completely different. Laertes doesn’t think about his situation close enough and acts immediately, but Hamlet on the other hand takes time before he executes a plan. He thinks a lot when wanting to kill Claudius, and also when he is talking about committing suicide. Hamlet actually talks himself out of taking his own life when thinking about how if “the everlasting had not fixed his canon ‘gainst self-slaughter” (1.2.131-132) he would already be dead. The parallels between Hamlet and Fortinbras and Hamlet and Laertes are the most important parallels throughout the play because the parallels help to distinguish the different ways Hamlet can be perceived at the end of the play. The parallels between the lives of Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes help the reader identify how differently they handle situations. This all becomes clear in the final act of the play when almost everybody’s lives have been taken. Fortinbras is an important character who has the most redeeming qualities. After his father’s death, he figures out a way of going back to take the land his father lost. In act 4, scene 4, he is already making his way to Denmark from Norway with his army in order “to gain a little patch of ground” (4.4.18). The way Fortinbras takes action and thinks makes Hamlet look insignificant, and Hamlet even understands how much more dominant Fortinbras is because after Hamlet dies he wants to give him Denmark’s throne and exclaims, “He has my dying voice” (5.2.357). Laertes, unlike Hamlet and Fortinbras, doesn’t think and only acts. As soon as he learns Hamlet has killed his father, he yells that he will “cut his throat i’ th’ church!” (4.7.126) which shows how much anger he has built up inside him at this point. The way Laertes acts without thinking helps the reader see Hamlet as a more dominant figure rather than Fortinbras. Therefore, when compared to Laertes, Hamlet is seen as a strong leader who can lead the kingdom of Denmark to a brighter future, but when Hamlet is compared to Fortinbras he looks sluggish and not fit to rule. The parallels between Hamlet and Fortinbras and Hamlet and Laertes help to distinguish the contrasts within the play; furthermore, both the parallels and the contrasts help shift how Hamlet is perceived as either strong or weak. The reader of the play can understand how Hamlet can be seen as strong or weak by the end of the play through the use of comparisons. From the beginning to the end of the story, parallels appear from the deaths of father’s to reactions to those deaths. Clear contrasts become apparent and fully developed to the reader from the parallels. Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are important characters throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the parallels of their inner characteristics make the play worth reading.
In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character of Fortinbras, has been used as a foil for the main character, Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras have lost their fathers to untimely deaths. Claudius killed Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, and King Hamlet killed Fortinbras' father. Both Hamlet and Fortinbras have vowed to seek revenge for the deaths of their fathers. Since the revenge tactics of Hamlet and Fortinbras are completely different, Hamlet perceives the actions of Fortinbras as better than his own and the actions of Fortinbras, then, encourage Hamlet to act without hesitating.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there are multiple times where the protagonist, Hamlet, is portrayed as Laertes, the antagonist. Although, while every character is almost a foil to Hamlet, only a couple stand out over all the other characters. Amongst Laertes, Fortinbras, and Claudius, I’ll be focusing my essay on how Laertes functions as a foil to Hamlet. Laertes is presented with similar catastrophic situations that Hamlet encounters. This is observed when both of them left home, faced the death of their fathers as well as Ophelia’s death. During Act 1, Scene 2, it is acknowledged that Hamlet is returning to England and Laertes asking for consent to France in Act 1, Scene 3. Polonius sends his man, Reynaldo, to Paris to spy on Laertes in Act 2,
The relation between these two characters is a lot like the juxtaposition with Hamlet and Laertes. Just like Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras’ father, King Fortinbras, was also killed but the way he died was in a battle with King Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras’ circumstances are almost identical. Their fathers were both murdered, both their uncles are on the throne and they are both princes of their countries. Revenge is the motive for both of these princes because of their dead fathers, but the way and the reason they seek it is extremely different. Hamlet wants revenge because the ghost of his father told him to and Fortinbras wants revenge to reclaim the land that his father lost when he died. Fortinbras is more focused on the honour of his country, Norway, but all Hamlet cares about is killing his fathers murderer. Hamlet’s morals slow down the process of his revenge whereas Fortinbras’ firm attitude makes him act faster. Hamlet later develops some jealously towards Fortinbras, he says, “Rightly to be great/Is not to stir without great argument/But greatly to find quarrel in a straw/When honor’s at the stake” (Shakespeare 4.4.53-56). Hamlet is saying that if Fortinbras is taking such quick action for a little bit of land that means nothing then what does that make Hamlet? He says in order for him to be great like Fortinbras he must take violent action. Hamlet and Fortinbras are both equally rebellious
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is very palpable as the reader examines the characters of Hamlet himself, as well as Laertes, son of Polonius, and Fortinbras, prince of Norway and son of the late King Fortinbras. Each of these young characters felt the need to avenge the deaths of their fathers who they felt were untimely killed at the bloody hands of their murderers. However, the way each chose to go about this varies greatly and gives insight into their characters and how they progress throughout the play. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are similar in the fact that each had love, or at least respect, their fathers. Enough to make an attempt to wreak revenge upon their fathers murderers at the risk of their own reputation, freedom, and souls.
In Hamlet, Shakespeare introduces us to Fortinbras and Hamlet. Both characters are bent on avenging the death of their fathers who were murdered. In Act I, two different revenge plots by these two men are revealed, and while Fortinbras is very open and bold about killing Claudius, Hamlet is sly and quiet about his plan. Fortinbras is also dead set on attacking Denmark no matter what but Hamlet is indecisive about killing Claudius. Fortinbras plans to lead an army to attack Denmark while Hamlet’s plan of attack is to act crazy.
The character of Hamlet is very prestigious, but he has many shortcomings. In many cases, he shows that he is all words and no action. He waits until the very last minute to take a course of action. Hamlet realizes this, and he wishes that he had the characteristics of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Horatio.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is arguably one of the best plays known to English literature. It presents the protagonist, Hamlet, and his increasingly complex path through self discovery. His character is of an abnormally complex nature, the likes of which not often found in plays, and many different theses have been put forward about Hamlet's dynamic disposition. One such thesis is that Hamlet is a young man with an identity crisis living in a world of conflicting values.
The decisions of Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras are utilized to show the importance of balancing thought with action in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The lives of the three characters are all following similar paths at the start of the play, but their personalities take them in very different directions. For Hamlet, the idea of revenge consumes him, and he becomes too obsessive to accomplish much of anything. Laertes on the other hand jumps into the pit of revenge too quickly, and gets lost in all the hubbub. However, Fortinbras knows how to carefully dance around the subject of revenge in a manner that he succeeds with little to no damage to himself. Although it is important to act quickly in tense situations, it is also important to not ponder so much that the opportunity is lost.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the importance of characters Laertes and Fortinbras have been an issue that's discussed and analyzed by many literary critics. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are parallel characters in the play. Laertes and Fortinbras are often use by Shakespeare to compare the actions and emotions of Hamlet throughout the play. "They are also important in Hamlet as they are imperative to the plot of the play and the final resolution" (Nardo, 88). Shakespeare placed these three men: Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras into similar circumstances, which is, to avenge for their fathers' deaths. The main difference between the three is the way that each of them comes to grief of their fathers' deaths and the way they planned their vengeance.
The way we perceive our lives is echoed in the way we comport ourselves in everyday life. Hamlet is a man of visible education and he would rather use his mind over his fist. He is quick to look for an explanation on behalf of the actions of others. Hamlet is not a man to search out blood without a rational justification. When dealing with Laertes and Fortinbras you can vividly see the contrast between the extremes. Once Laertes finds out his father has been unjustly murdered, he swiftly swears revenge without give the situation a second thought in contrast to Hamlet who takes all factors into mind before carrying out a sentence.
In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras and Hamlet find themselves in similar situations. While Hamlet waits for the right time to avenge his father's death, Laertes learns of his father's death and immediately wants vengeance, and Fortinbras awaits his chance to recapture land that used to belong to his father. Laertes and Fortinbras go about accomplishing their desires quite differently than Hamlet. While Hamlet acts slowly and carefully, Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge with haste. Although Laertes and Fortinbras are minor characters, Shakespeare molds them in order to contrast with Hamlet. Fortinbras and, to a greater extent, Laertes act as foils to Hamlet with respect to their motives for revenge, execution of their plans and behavior while carrying out their plans.
As the play’s tragic hero, Hamlet exhibits a combination of good and bad traits. A complex character, he displays a variety of characteristics throughout the play’s development. When he is first introduced in Act I- Scene 2, one sees Hamlet as a sensitive young prince who is mourning the death of his father, the King. In addition, his mother’s immediate marriage to his uncle has left him in even greater despair. Mixed in with this immense sense of grief, are obvious feelings of anger and frustration. The combination of these emotions leaves one feeling sympathetic to Hamlet; he becomes a very “human” character. One sees from the very beginning that he is a very complex and conflicted man, and that his tragedy has already begun.
Up until this point the kingdom of Denmark believed that old Hamlet had died of natural causes. As it was custom, prince Hamlet sought to avenge his father’s death. This leads Hamlet, the main character into a state of internal conflict as he agonises over what action and when to take it as to avenge his father’s death. Shakespeare’s play presents the reader with various forms of conflict which plague his characters. He explores these conflicts through the use of soliloquies, recurring motifs, structure and mirror plotting.
Hamlet is the best known tragedy in literature today. Here, Shakespeare exposes Hamlet’s flaws as a heroic character. The tragedy in this play is the result of the main character’s unrealistic ideals and his inability to overcome his weakness of indecisiveness. This fatal attribute led to the death of several people which included his mother and the King of Denmark. Although he is described as being a brave and intelligent person, his tendency to procrastinate prevented him from acting on his father’s murder, his mother’s marriage, and his uncle’s ascension to the throne.
The perfection of Hamlet’s character has been called in question - perhaps by those who do not understand it. The character of Hamlet stands by itself. It is not a character marked by strength of will or even of passion, but by refinement of thought and sentiment. Hamlet is as little of the hero as a man can be. He is a young and princely novice, full of high enthusiasm and quick sensibility - the sport of circumstances, questioning with fortune and refining on his own feelings, and forced from his natural disposition by the strangeness of his situation.