ipl-logo

Importance Of Foil Characters In Hamlet

472 Words2 Pages

Foil characters are often used to showcase the main character in a literary work. These minor characters have contrasting traits with the main character. However, sometimes the foil character shares the same traits as the main character, but the foil display their traits in a way that the main character does not. This helps to show the strengths and weaknesses of the main character. In Hamlet by Shakespeare, the characters Laertes and Fortinbras serve as foil characters to Hamlet. All three of these characters’ fathers have died and Shakespeare shows three different ways to deal with it through these three characters. The actions of foil characters Laertes and Fortinbras helped show Hamlet’s character. When Hamlet’s father was killed, he was struck with grief. So much so, that Claudius, his stepfather, called him out and told him he needed to stop crying about his death. He was then visited by the ghost of his …show more content…

Fortinbras is trying to take over the country that Hamlet is prince of. Laertes challenges Hamlet to a fencing match where he intends to kill him. The immediate action of Fortinbras and Laertes highlights Hamlet’s lack of action. The fact that Hamlet is enemies with the two helps to show Shakespeares’ meaning: take action for what is right. Hamlet doesn’t want to take action but his enemies do.
The actions of foil characters Laertes and Fortinbras helped show Hamlet’s character. Laertes and Fortinbras’ immediate action showcased Hamlet’s hesitation to get revenge. The relationship between these characters show that Shakespeare wanted to encourage people to take action for what they believe in. Fortinbras illuminates this. He took immediate action and tried to honor his father in the best way he could. He ended up completing his goal and taking over Denmark in place of his father. Both Laertes and Hamlet died, showing that lack of action and overexcited action don’t

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Foils In Romeo And Juliet

    429 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare use many foils to give contrast throughout the play. A foil is a comparation between two unlike characters in a play. The characters that caught my attention the most was the foil of Benvolio and Tybalt. They reveal their contrast between their emotions, roles in the play, and as protagonists and antagonists in the story. Therefore, Tybalt and Benvolio represent a classic example of foils in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

    Read More

  • Foils In The Kite Runner

    728 Words  | 3 Pages

    A foil is either a character who is opposite to the main character or nearly the same as the main character. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast only. The author adds these characters in his novel so that the reader can better understand the main characters and the story. The character foils being presented are about Amir and Hassan, their foils are shown when they are both still children and their differences clearly reflect one another.

    Read More

  • Foils In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    623 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some say that opposites attract; in some cases they do and in some they do not. A foil is a character who is opposite of another character in order to highlight certain characteristics in both characters. An example of foils in a play that Shakespeare wrote, Romeo and Juliet, including rambunctious Tybalt and the tranquil Benvolio. Another example is the obnoxious funny Mercutio and the lovey dovey Romeo. Romeo and Juliet was a Shakespearean play written 1595 by William Shakespeare.

    Read More

  • Character Deception In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1940 Words  | 8 Pages

    Hamlet Character deception is a common characteristic that has and will be a reflecting characteristic in literature for centuries. In many of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, deception, whether positive or negative, is being used to mislead, to protect characters, or to hide a crime or future crime. Analyzing why the characters are using deception against each other is very important to the reader’s understanding of the work as a whole. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, He uses Hamlet’s deception of character and also the character’s use of deception towards Hamlet to carry out the overall theme of the tragedy. The theme that is represented, is that in able to get malicious revenge, you must be able to act as if you are someone different than your true self while in turn, being able to deal with others deceiving you.

    Read More

  • Family In Hamlet Essay

    796 Words  | 4 Pages

    Then, Laertes chooses to become a participant in the killing of Hamlet. As aforementioned, this plan for death is a success, but causes many other deaths along with Hamlet to fail.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Greed In Hamlet

    470 Words  | 2 Pages

    Laertes was worried about his and his dad’s pride so he decide to murder hamlet. Laertes plans the big fencing match with Hamlet. He tricked hamlet and poisoned the tip of his sword. After he poisoned the tip of his sword everything went downhill. Laertes was being greedy because he wanted his dad to be king and stay king.

    Read More

  • Laertes As A Foil To Hamlet Character Analysis

    925 Words  | 4 Pages

    One similarity that makes Laertes such a good foil to Hamlet is that they both return to Denmark when they have lost a father. However, the sharp contrast in their reaction to these deaths reveals more about Hamlet’s character. Upon returning to

    Read More

  • Hamlet Fortinbras Quotes

    1570 Words  | 7 Pages

    After this quote was said, we feel less bitter towards Fortinbras as he pays tribute the Hamlet and we develop sympathy for Hamlet because of his heroic actions. Furthermore, this quote advances Hamlet’s character because Hamlet is finally honored for what he has done and is also seen as a hero. This moment in the

    Read More

  • Hamlet And Masculinity In Hamlet, By William Shakespeare

    956 Words  | 4 Pages

    Similarly, Laertes is known for being a good fighter, a man of action, and having the ability to lead. During the play, Laertes states, “To cut his throat i’th’ church”(4.7.98). Laertes here claims he would go as far as kill Hamlet in the church, something almost unheard of for the

    Read More

  • Examples Of Hamlet's Indecisiveness

    628 Words  | 3 Pages

    Like many things, Hamlet is intelligent and honorable, but his indecisiveness is the cause of his tragic downfall. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare portrays that Hamlet is very incapable of finishing the task at hand. Throughout the drama Hamlet faces many trials and tribulations due to his late father Hamlet, who was murderously killed by Claudius. His inability to kill Claudius and himself is one grand flaw of an epic hero. After King Hamlets passing, Hamlet entered an unknown state of mind that not only feared others for his wellbeing, but also feared himself.

    Read More

  • Differences And Similarities Between Hamlet And Laertes

    633 Words  | 3 Pages

    Almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother… Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune.” Laertes shows he is impulsive when he says he is going to kill Hamlet with a poisoned sword.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Foils In Hamlet

    883 Words  | 4 Pages

    As presented throughout the play, Hamlet and Horatio have both similarities and differences that better help the reader examine character foils and their significance in the

    Read More

  • Importance Of Foil Characters In Hamlet

    965 Words  | 4 Pages

    To be a foil character, one must “contrast with other characters in order to highlight particular qualities of the other characters.” Throughout Hamlet, four prominent characters are foil characters to Hamlet: Laertes, Fortinbras, Horatio and Claudius. In many cases, Hamlet and the foil characters react differently for each other in varying situations but yet show similarities in their reactions. The relationship created between Hamlet and Laertes takes a shift from the beginning of the book towards the end.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Entrapment Analysis

    1488 Words  | 6 Pages

    Hamlet realizes there is no one left to trust but himself, which explains why he only speaks his innermost thoughts and feelings in the confines of privacy. Concerning the Fortinbras situation, Hamlet realizes how Fortinbras is doing something he is too much of a coward to do: actually follow through with a vow to avnge the death of his father. The words spoken from Hamlet himself sum it up perfectly, “How all occasions do inform against me, and

    Read More

  • Hamlet Strengths And Weaknesses

    1844 Words  | 8 Pages

    Hamlet is William Shakespeare 's renowned tale of mystery, intrigue, and murder, centered on a young misguided prince who can only trust himself. Some may say that the actions of Prince Hamlet throughout the play are weak and fearful, displaying a tendency to procrastinate and showing an apathetic nature towards his family and peers. Others spin a tale of a noble young scholar, driven mad by the cold-blooded murder of his father by his uncle. In truth, I believe Hamlet is neither of these things. Hamlet is a sort of amalgamation of the two, a bundle of contradictions thrown together into one conflicting but very human mess of a character.

    Read More

More about Importance Of Foil Characters In Hamlet

Open Document