hamlet
Throughout Shakespeare's play of Hamlet, it becomes quite apparent that many characters are foils of each other. These characters serve as a mirror to one another, reflecting what appears to be the opposite. Laertes is a foil to Hamlet. These two men play parallel characters through which both emotions and actions can be easily compared. Hamlet and Laertes are different men who live very different lives, but as they interact throughout the play, it becomes apparent that the two men are actually quite similar and connected. At young ages both Hamlet and Laertes are faced with the deaths of their fathers. While both are devastated by their loss, the two young men handle their grief and ways of revenge differently. Laertes responds immediately to the murder of his father. He is extremely angry and makes sure the public is aware of his rage. Laertes is quick to jump to conclusions and accuse. He automatically assumes King Claudius to be guilty of the deed. "How came he dead?"(IV, V: 148) he questions Claudius suspiciously. Laertes attempts to frighten Claudius while throwing in a bit of a threat: "To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil!/ Conscience of grace, to the profounde
When Ophelia is pronounced dead, both Hamlet and Laertes are greatly affected by sadness and rage. / And so he goes to heaven,/ And so am I [revenged]. Shakespeare has faced the two characters with incredibly similar situations in order to show the differences in both men's personalities. Hamlet however wants more than simple revenge, he wants Claudius to forever pay for his act of cruelty. Laertes does this because he views the growing relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet as a threat to his own. They both love and care greatly for her, and strive to kee!p her away from the other. Through this plan Hamlet forces Queen Gertrude to feel guilt from her late husband's death. / Why, this is [hire] and [salary] not revenge. Hamlet contemplates over and over again his means of revenge. The irrational rage is also the reasoning for Laertes seeking vengeance against Claudius. He simply want revenge, to be able to say he killed the killer of his father. He analyses and over analyses how and when he should proceed. To this point I stand,/ That both the worlds I give to negligence,/ Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged/ Most throughly for my father" (IV, V: 149-154).
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