What Are Laertes A Foil To Hamlet

1610 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: In which of these ways is Laertes a foil to hamlet

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is one of William Shakespeare’s most notorious pieces of literature. Published in the early sixteenth century, the play continues to be the longest of all Shakespeare’s plays and the most famous as well. In the very beginning of the play, Hamlet is visited by a captivating ghost similar to his recently deceased father, the King of Denmark. The ghost informs Hamlet that his father was poisoned by Claudius, the King’s brother. Claudius then went on to take the throne and also marry Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. The Ghost persuades Hamlet to avenge his father’s death by killing King Claudius. The task given to Hamlet causes a great deal of internal conflict. What is so appealing about this masterpiece is the …show more content…

Laertes plays as a foil to Hamlet, and his expedition for revenge is emphasized heavily at the end of the plot. Although Laertes is absent for most of the play, the casualties of both his father and sister led him to thirst for vengeance like no other. Hamlet murdered Laertes’s father, Polonius, when he thought he was slaying Claudius instead. Laertes’s sister, Ophelia, and lover of the Prince Hamlet, drowned while mourning the death of her father. Shakespeare depicts Laertes as a foil to Hamlet. Laertes’ significance to the play is to depict contrast with Hamlet, as well, to give Hamlet a final emotion to act upon his impending revenge, instead of thinking and justifying revenge. Laertes wanted revenge for the murder of his father and immediately confronts Claudius, who he believes is at fault. When he discovers Hamlet is at fault, he immediately seeks revenge against him. Laertes’ want for revenge is accompanied by Claudius’ want to kill Hamlet, and therefore when Laertes acts upon his revenge, Hamlet is also given the opportunity. Although it takes the entire plot of the play before Hamlet acts upon revenge, he does eventually avenge his father. Since Laertes acts almost instantaneously, Laertes and Hamlet are foils for each other. Laertes, holding anxious vengeance, meets Hamlet in the final act:
“I am satisfied in nature./ Whose motive in this case should stir me most/ To my revenge. But in my terms of honor/ I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement. Till by some elder masters, of known honor,/ I have a voice and precedent of peace/ To keep my name ungored. But till that time/ I do receive your offered love like love/ and will not wrong it” (Shakespeare

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Shadow Archetype In Hamlet

    1279 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play, Laertes is as an extremely caring member of his family. His strong emotions for family have an opposing side to it, a shadow that has repressed feelings of anger which cause him to add to the disaster in Denmark. An example that depicts this is when Laertes attempts to request more rites for Ophelia’s funeral. After he is denied, he starts a commotion by calling the priest “churlish”, explaining that Ophelia will be “A ministering angel” while the priest will “liest howling”(5.1.217-218). His compliments to Ophelia shows how much he loved her, while his nasty insults to the priest show his repressed rage. While this is occuring, Hamlet hears Laertes’s mention of Ophelia during the commotion and throws himself into a brawl with Laertes. It is the conflict built up from there that causes Claudius to target Laertes as his next weapon to kill Hamlet with. Laertes’s deep anger for Hamlet makes himself the best candidate for Claudius’s manipulation. Once Laertes’s sides with Claudius, he shows his dark intent by requesting Claudius to not “o'errule me to a peace”(4.7.58). On the day of the duel, Laertes undergoes a confrontation of his shadow while he clashes with Hamlet. His realization of his shadow comes too late into the duel when both Hamlet and Laertes are struck by poison, as this happens he declares that he is “ justly killed with mine own treachery (5.2.337).” In the moments that he is still alive, he dismisses his shadow and ends the circle of murder by announcing the true nature of Claudius. Laertes’s repressed anger guides the play into the duel where many deaths occur including Hamlet’s.

    Read More

  • Laertes, Claudius, and Fortinbras as Foils of Hamlet

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first foil or character that sets off Hamlet, in the play is Laertes. After King Hamlet's death, he, along with Prince Hamlet, return to Denmark for the funeral services. That is the first sign that Laertes will become a foil to Hamlet in the play. Both Laertes and Hamlet are very fond of Laertes' sister, Ophelia, which is the second similarity of the two. Another similarity of Laertes and Hamlet is the father figure of each, Polonius to Laertes and Claudius to Hamlet, has someone to watch them to see if they are acting accordingly. [accordingly?] In act two, scene one, Polonius instructs Reynaldo to go to Paris to give Laertes money and messages, and to find other Danes that will give him gossip about Laertes. In act two, scene two, Claudius instructs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out why Hamlet is acting so strangely. The next similarity of Laertes and Hamlet is that they both grieve over a death in the play. Laertes grieves the death of Ophelia, while Hamlet grieves over his father, King Hamlet's death. The final similarity of Laertes and Hamlet is that both seek revenge for the death of their fathers. Laertes wishes to kill Hamlet after Hamlet murders Polonius and Hamlet wants to kill Claudius for the murder of King Hamlet. Both succeed in their quest for revenge.

    Read More

  • Cause And Effect In Act 1 Of Hamlet

    330 Words  | 1 Pages

    This play takes place mostly in Elsinore, Denmark between the fourteenth and fifteen century following the death of the late King Hamlet, who has been dead for two months prior to the beginning of the play (Shmoop Editorial Team). Act One commences in the middle of a routine nightly shift where Horatio, Hamlet’s friend, and two other guards witness the coming of a spirit that bears an uncanny resemblance to the recently deceased king. Meanwhile at Elsinore Claudius is crowned King with Hamlet’s mother as his queen. This chain of events causes discontent within Prince Hamlet as he delays his mourning time out of spite for the coronation. Afterwards, Horatio and the guards come to the consensus and tell Hamlet of their encounter so that the Prince may meet with the Ghost. The Ghost reveals to Hamlet that he was a victim of a well-planned murder at the hands of Claudius.

    Read More

  • Laertes in the Play and Movie Version of Hamlet

    876 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the 1990 version of Hamlet starring Mel Gibson, Laertes is portrayed in a very poor light. He seems to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. At certain points during the written play, Laertes's actions may be taken entirely differently than they are conveyed in the movie. In the film version of Hamlet, all of Laertes's negative aspects are much more pronounced.

    Read More

  • Juxtaposition In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1710 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet questions what may or may not happen however Laertes just wants the revenge fast and effective. Although these characters have different standards when it comes to revenge, they both immediately blamed and directed their anger towards Claudius when they found out their father’s were dead. Hamlet’s reason to blame Claudius is simply because he is his father’s murderer. In 1.5 while Hamlet is talking to the ghost of his father he says, “Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift/As meditation or the thoughts of love/May sweep to my revenge” (Shakespeare 1.5.31-33). At first is seems as if Hamlet would seek revenge right away because he seems eager to find out who the killer is and when he does find out he says he knew it was Claudius all along. He is furious and after this part in the play, Hamlet’s anger is mainly focused on Claudius. On the other hand when Laertes found out Polonius is dead he went straight to Claudius assuming it was him. By doing this he shows that he is controlled by his impulses unlike Hamlet who waited until he got proof to act on his fury. Laertes also blamed Claudius for not giving his father a proper burial, which can relate to Hamlet’s anger too because Hamlet felt as if there was not enough mourning for his father death. Not only did they both lose their fathers, but they both lost Ophelia, a female figure in their lives that they both loved.

    Read More

  • Timeless Themes In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes, And Fortinbras

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today, many people feel that Shakespeare’s plays are outdated and that despite being so forward for their times, they have lost their place in the modern world. Shakespeare’s plays though, touch on timeless themes such as love, friendship, and vengeance such as seen in Shakespeare’s Hamlet as Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras, all fight to achieve a common goal; the goal of avenging their father’s deaths. Hamlet is controlled by his inaction and manic nature, Laertes is consumed by his impulsiveness, and Fortinbras – unlike the others – exercises control in fighting to defend his honor. When we compare these three characters and their motivations we can see that being ruled by our emotions can lead to detrimental circumstances and regrettable

    Read More

  • Similarities And Differences Between Hamlet And Laertes

    1680 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is often said that characters who are in constant conflict are different in nature. Although this is often true, it does not apply to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as characters who are very similar to each other are also involved in constant conflict. While some may argue that Hamlet and Laertes have distinct differences, it is evident that there are noticeable similarities between them. These similarities are evident when looking at their deep love for Ophelia, their desire to leave Denmark, and their domineering attitude towards females throughout the play.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of The Better Man, Hamlet Or Laertes

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet is pensive, but murderous, while Laertes is compulsive, but not murderous. Hamlet ended up murdering several characters with little to no remorse, which makes him a cold blooded killer. Apart from being a killer Hamlet is also jealous of not being crowned king. While Laertes main motive was to get revenge for his father 's death, Hamlet was not only focused on his father 's death, but was concerned about his royal status. Laertes also shows qualities of a man, as he is protective over his sister Ophelia. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes never disrespected any women in the play. Although Hamlet is the protagonist, he is not the "better man".

    Read More

  • Hamlet and his battle with depression

    1756 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet, a young prince preparing to become King of Denmark, cannot understand or cope with the catastrophes in his life. After his father dies, Hamlet is filled with confusion. However, when his father's ghost appears, the ghost explains that his brother, Hamlet's Uncle Claudius, murdered him. In awe of the supposed truth, Hamlet decides he must seek revenge and kill his uncle. This becomes his goal and sole purpose in life. However, it is more awkward for Hamlet because his uncle has now become his stepfather. He is in shock by his mother's hurried remarriage and is very confused and hurt by these circumstances. Along with these familial dysfunctions, Hamlet's love life is diminishing. It is an "emotional overload" for Hamlet (Fallon 40). The encounter with the ghost also understandably causes Hamlet great distress. From then on, his behavior is extremely out of context (Fallon 39). In Hamlet's first scene of the play, he does not like his mother's remarriage and even mentions his loss of interest in l...

    Read More

  • What Are The Similarities Between Hamlet And Laertes

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    Basically Hamlet's character is going through a tough time, he’s upset, disgusted, depressed, moody, and also indecisive.Laertes foils Hamlet’s character. He is the son of Polonius and the brother to Ophelia. He is described as a passionate and a quick of action person. The most important thing about him is that he is a doer not a thinker. Being quick on his feet to problems is what got him killed. Laertes warns his loving sister about Hamlet but also boys in general “ My bags are already on board. Farewell, my sister. Please write often. As for Hamlet, and his attentions to you, Do not take them to seriously. They are like violets in the spring, Fast-blooming and sweet, but not long-lasting” ( Act I, Scene 3). The beginning of the play he leaves Denmark and goes to France. Due to the killing of Ophelia and Polonius he returns back and seeks revenge. Claudius and Laertes team up and plot to kill Hamlet.Hamlet and Laertes has a lot of similarities and differences. They are different because Hamlet gets forced to be sent away while Laertes wanted to get sent away. Hamlet is more of a responsible person while Laertes is more bold and reckless. Laertes provide contrast to Hamlet's character. They are similar in multiple ways starting with the love they had for

    Read More

  • The Importance of Laertes and Fortinbras in Hamlet

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. Shakespeare has made them similar in many aspects to provide a greater base for comparison when avenging their respective father's deaths. Hamlet and Laertes love Ophelia. Hamlet wishes Ophelia to be his wife, Laertes loves Ophelia as a sister. Hamlet is a scholar at Wittenberg, and Laertes at France. Both are admired for their swordsmenship. Both men loved and respected their fathers, and display deviousness when plotting to avenge their father's deaths.

    Read More

  • Claudius' Speech

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Hamlet revolves around Hamlet’s quest to avenge his father’s murder. Claudius’ first speech as King at the beginning of Scene 2, Act 1 introduces the themes of hierarchy, incest and appearance versus reality and plays the crucial role of revealing Claudius’ character as part of the exposition. The audience is left skeptical after Horatio’s questioning of King Hamlet’s ghost in the first scene of the play. By placing Claudius’ pompous speech immediately after the frightening appearance of Hamlet’s ghost, Shakespeare contrasts the mournful atmosphere in Denmark to the fanfare at the palace and makes a statement about Claudius’ hypocrisy. Through diction, doubling and figurative language, Shakespeare reveals Claudius to be a self centered, hypocritical, manipulative and commanding politician.

    Read More

  • Hamlet: The Bewildering Human Condition

    1242 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is a complex and ambiguous public exploration of key human experiences surrounding the aspects of revenge, betrayal and corruption. The Elizabethan play is focused centrally on the ghost’s reoccurring appearance as a symbol of death and disruption to the chain of being in the state of Denmark. The imagery of death and uncertainty has a direct impact on Hamlet’s state of mind as he struggles to search for the truth on his quest for revenge as he switches between his two incompatible values of his Christian codes of honour and humanist beliefs which come into direct conflict. The deterioration of the diseased state is aligned with his detached relationship with all women as a result of Gertrude’s betrayal to King Hamlet which makes Hamlet question his very existence and the need to restore the natural order of kings. Hamlet has endured the test of time as it still identifies with a modern audience through the dramatized issues concerning every human’s critical self and is a representation of their own experience of the bewildering human condition, as Hamlet struggles to pursuit justice as a result of an unwise desire for revenge.

    Read More

  • Laertes And Fortinbras Retribution In Hamlet

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Laertes hears of his father’s death, he wasted no time in confronting Claudius even threatening to take his crown. Claudius tells Laertes he’s not responsible for his dad’s death, Hamlet is and begins to manipulate him. Because of Laertes’ annoyance and anguish he vows to take revenge on Hamlet. “To this point I stand, That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father,” (IV.v.135-136). Claudius tries to convince Laertes to wait for Hamlet’s return from England to seek his revenge. The king tells Laertes that he will compete against hamlet in a fencing and match and promises him that he will be victorious in beating Hamlet. The king believed that his plan was secure in killing Hamlet. During the fencing match he will attempt to serve Hamlet poison wine and if that plan fails Laertes will use a poison tipped sword to kill him. Laertes response to his dad’s passing uncovered requital as an intent to bring conclusion to Polonius’

    Read More

  • Comparing Courage In Hamlet And Laertes In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    Laertes burning rage overcomes any doubt in his mind about the consequences that may follow with abruptly storming into the castle. Laertes is no coward in the face of fear for his fiery rage possesses powerful courage in those who are strong enough to obtain it. The resentment Laertes feels for the death of his family against Hamlet burns within him, for he knows it was Hamlets fault that his father was stabbed by mistake and his sister, Ophelia, drove herself crazy. Therefore, Laertes teams up with Claudius, Hamlets uncle, in order to give Hamlet the revenge that he deserves, “My Lord, I will be ruled…devise it so that I might be the organ” (IV vii 69-70). The plan currently being devised by Claudius and Laertes is extremely courageous for Laertes wants to be the only one to slay Hamlet. Laertes will be protected by the king, for the king wants Hamlet dead as well. Laertes courageousness shines through in creating a long thought out plan with other options if the first idea will not work out. The courage shines through in Laertes making sure every little detail is executed properly in him and Claudius’ plan.

    Read More

More about What Are Laertes A Foil To Hamlet

Open Document