It is interesting that a story may contain two foiled characters existing in such a bleak contrast to each other and yet sharing similar events. In William Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece of Hamlet, the foils are played by Hamlet and Laertes. Hamlet is the contemplative one, and would often think rather than act; Laertes is quite the contrary, having his inhibitions guide him to acting rather than thinking, the impulse buyer of Shakespearean literature. While these characters may differ significantly, their actions and reactions to the death of their fathers, their ultimate downfall, and their alternative methods of action and contemplation prove that while different, much of their character is parallel. The simplest comparison to make is
This is also shown with Polonius’s un-trust worthiness for Hamlet. As to with Laertes who feels the exact same way as his father. Paolo Feliciano Mr. McCarthy A.P. Lit Examination Act 2 Open Ended Questions 1. After the slow transition from Hamlet’s mournful state, to his ever growing state of madness, does his madness itself become his primary mode of communication with the other characters?
At the start of the play, Shakespeare introduces Claudius as a wise and confidant ruler with no apparent flaw. He portrays himself to be mourning for the recent loss of his brother the prior king. As the play goes on, Hamlet learns of his father’s murder which causes him to act unusually. Claudius, sensing Hamlet’s change in character, employs his servants to spy on his nephew. His suspicion of Hamlet is only minor until he watches the play written by Hamlet.
Hamlet was trying to be clever with Polonius as he kept asking him questions that he already knew the answers to such as “…have you a daughter” pretending that he does not know that Ophelia is his daughter. Hamlet was trying to confuse Polonius, making him think he was mad and trying to make Polonius look like a fool in front of the audience. Polonius then asks “…what do you read my lord?” and Hamlets response was “words, words, words.” Then he completes later on saying “Slanders sir, for the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging think amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit…for yourself sir should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward”, here we see Hamlets cleverness in insulting Polonius as he calls him old and he has a lack of understanding. Hamlet seems to be scaring the Polonius as Polonius starts stepping back as Hamlets steps near him. Then at the end, Hamlets says “These tedious old fools” which is calling Polonius directly an old fool without trying to hide it as he did before.
Smangaliso Simelane Gertrude’s actions change Hamlet’s view on love, life and women for ever. Would you agree? Throughout my studies of the play Hamlet it occurred to me that perhaps Gertrude played a bigger role in the development of the character Hamlet (son of King Hamlet) than meets the eye. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Gertrude’s actions changed Hamlet’s view on love, life and women forever. The following literary essay will argue in favour of the idea that Gertrude played a role in turning Hamlet into a somewhat misogynistic man with a rather shallow opinion and view on women by drawing on examples and quotes from the actual play.
Hamlet Essay Shakespeare uses many different scenarios to set the mood and feel of the play. He uses spying in Hamlet to control how Hamlet changes his personality and thoughts towards others because of spying. For example when Hamlet tells Horatio “thou art e’en as just a man as e’er my conversation coped withal” (III.ii.56-57). This shows how Hamlet is grateful and truly likes his best friend Horatio for not spying on him. Although Hamlet’s thoughts and moods only got better with Horatio for other characters such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Ophelia, and for Polonius and Gertrude, Hamlet’s mood and thoughts were drastically changed due to their spying.
A foil to Hamlet is Laertes. Laertes who likes Hamlet [a sloppy error which sends the reader into wondering about homosexuality in the play] has returned to Elsinor because of King Hamlet’s death. Laertes is a young man whose good instincts have been somewhat unclear by the concern of his superficial [?????? ], which he has learned from his father, Polonius. Such is
As stated in the following quote “You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo, before you visit him, to make inquire of his behaviour” (2.1.3-5). Polonius was ordering the servant Reynaldo to spy on Laertes, and to secretly look after him. This type of logic that Polonius is using shows the distrust and fake appearance that he portrays to his own son. Another method of deception used by Polonius would be concealment. After Hamlet had staged the play, and noticed Claudius’s reaction, Gertrude was willing to speak to Hamlet about the play, and how Claudius is furious about it.
His mother’s quick marriage to Claudius, his father’s brother, leaves him bitter and disillusioned. In the first act of Hamlet that Hamlet’s state of mind is explored and his quest for the meaning of life begins. The soliloquy “Oh that this too too solid flesh would melt…” is a dramatic technique used by Shakespeare to reveal Hamlet’s true emotions and marks the beginning of Hamlet’s philosophical journey. The dominant imagery used in this soliloquy is one of corruption and disease. His disgust at his mother’s “incestuous” marriage is also revealed in this soliloquy.
“Look Here…” In Hamlet, one of the most famous works of all time, written by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period, dramatic monologues and soliloquys are used to delve into the livid thoughts of Hamlet about his family situation. Hamlet spends a majority of the play trying to avenge his ghostly father’s wishes, which are to avenge his murder done by the king’s own brother, Claudius. Hamlet also tussles with concepts of incest and betrayal due to his mother marrying her brother-in-law Claudius after King Hamlet is murdered. In Act 3 Scene IV, Hamlet uses his “Look here” monologue in order to depict to Gertrude the horrors she has committed, and while doing so, portrays major theme elements in betrayal and incest. One quintessential part of the plot deals with Hamlet’s struggling with his mother’s incestuous betrayal to his father until he finally confronts her, which is embodied in his dramatic monologue in Act 3 Scene IV.