Foils in Hamlet
Hamlet, Fortinbras and Laertes have something in common. All their fathers have been killed and they are searching for some way to channel their mourning. They want to avenge their father's death some way. Fortinbras wants to conquer land, no matter how small or worthless. As Hamlet says to the captain, "Goes it against the main of Poland, sir or for some frontier?" And the captain replies, "We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name. To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it /nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole A ranker state, should it be sold in fee" (Act IV, scene iv, lines 15-22). He is a warrior and feels that he has to be in some sort of confrontation involving war.Laertes wants to kill just as Hamlet wants to kill his uncle. They both have the same strong desire to kill but Laertes wants to do it as soon as possible. At first he goes after Claudius thinking that he was the one who killed his father, Polonius. "How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with. To hell allegiance, vows to the blackest devil, conscience and grace to the profoundest pit!" (Act IV, scene v, lines130-132). Then when he finds out that Hamlet was to blame; he and the king come up with a p
Shakespeare used Fortinbras and Laertes in the play so that the reader could compare and contrast them with Hamlet. Hamlet is always in two minds about something whereas Fortinbras is dominant with one decision and then goes off to conquer land in Poland. Hamlet is also confused about whether he should kill his uncle. Just when you think Hamlet is ready to kill the King he has a moral dilemma and postpones it for later. Laertes on the other hand is positive that the only way to avenge his Father's death is by killing the killer (Hamlet). He is certain that this is the right thing to do, he never looks back after making a choice. The reader is then (after seeing the comparison and contrast) able to see how vulnerable Hamlet is, we are able to see his faults because these two other characters, Laertes and Fortinbras, essentially have everything that Hamlet needs, direction, certainty and confidence. Throughout the play Hamlet is making up plans and tricks of how he will catch the King and trick everyone in the kingdom, but when we, the readers, see how these three compare we can really see just how weak and flawed Hamlet is. Even an actor seems to have power over the prince of Denmark. The actor can get so into his work that he starts crying. Hamlet envies him for that. "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba that he should weep for her? What would he do had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have? He would drown the stage with tears and clear the general
Some common words found in the essay are:
Act IV, Claudius Hamlet, Laertes Revenge, Fortinbras Laertes, Poland Hamlet, Hecuba Hecuba, Laertes Fortinbras, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II, Hamlet Hamlet, iv scene, father's death, avenge father's, act iv scene, avenge father's death, act iv, scene ii lines, death killing, vii lines, scene vii, laertes kill hamlet, ii scene, father's death killing, ii lines, scene ii,
Approximate Word count = 993
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
