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 profoundest pit!/ I dare damnation. 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). In contrast to Laertes quick judgement and reactions with grief, Hamlet is affected very differently. Hamlet copes with hi!
             s intense sadness inside. Hamlet internally continues to mourn his father's death for months afterwards. The public is aware of his sadness, but they are not aware of the extreme of his suffering. Unlike Laertes, Hamlet never seems to fully suspects his father's death to have been a murder until his encounter with the ghost. Once Hamlet has met the ghost his sadness transf
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