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Importance Of Foil Characters In Hamlet

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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

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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.

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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.

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In “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”, William Shakespeare uses the sayings and behaviors of many of his minor characters to show his audiences the true characteristics of the protagonist, Prince Hamlet. This literary device is called a foil. A foil is a character whose traits help to clarify the character of the protagonist. In this famous play, Prince Hamlet has many foils. Laertes is the most effective foil to Hamlet because of how his life and reactions compare to that of Hamlet.

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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

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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.

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A Deeper Analysis on Character Foils of Hamlet in Hamlet Character foils often allow the reader to better understand a protagonist’s personality and desires. In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Horatio, Claudius, and Laertes are exemplar character foils for the protagonist, Hamlet, and under further examination, the play suggests that these character foils help the reader to really resonate with Hamlet and depict the contrasts and similarities between Hamlet and other characters in the play. These character foils are important and significant in highlighting another character’s flaws and traits in which they may not have, compared to another character in the play. To begin with, Horatio plays a huge role in being the character foil for Hamlet.

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First, Hamlet is very intelligent and knows when someone is using him, but Laertes is not very intelligent and is easily tricked. Laertes is very gullible. Second, Hamlet is indecisive although, Laertes will not hesitate to do what he wants to do in order to get his revenge. Clearly, Hamlet and Laertes have similarities and differences. It is important that we recognize the the differences and similarities of these characters that I described.

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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.

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Hamlet shows his admiration for Fortinbras by saying: The imminent death of twenty men; That for a fantasy and trick of fame; Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot. (4.4.60-63) Here, Hamlet is fascinated with the fact that Fortinbras would wage a battle for land that has no meaning. Fortinbras is a manly warrior and shows the ability to take action.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The foil character introduced is that of Fortinbras. The two could definitely be seen as very similar to each other, since they are both avenging their fathers, but in fact, the reality is that a closer look reveals the signs of the things that set them apart from each other. When the character of Fortinbras is mentioned in Act IV, Scene ii, Hamlet is quick to point out his shortcomings, such as the fact that he was willing to go to excessively large lenghths to avenge his father’s death, even if it meant wasting many lives and troops for a seemingly worthless cause. However, when Hamlet finds a moment alone, he puts his own feelings into words and confesses how he truly sees the situation, which he does after nearly every altercation that is thrown his way. This does not just show that Hamlet is crazy for always talking to himself; it shows that Hamlet is his own confidant.

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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.

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