Foils Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay - 1130 Words

A foil is a character who acts as the opposite to another character and consequently highlights important features of that character’s personality . A foil character often contrasts with the features of another character. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , there are obvious foils for the main character, Hamlet. These foils include Horatio, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Laertes. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a an excellent demonstration of character foils. A foil is also known as a literary device that reveals a character s true nature by comparing and contrasting him or her to other characters. A successful character foil consists of both similarities and differences with the foiled characters that are meaningful. The two most obvious foils in this play would be Laertes and Fortinbras. They each possess a multitude of similarities and differences. These similarities and differences serve to create contrast and parallels between the opposing character concepts of Hamlet, Fo rtinbras, and Laertes, ultimately revealing the true nature of Hamlet’s character. Fortinbras has many encounters that are in the same nature of the ones that Hamlet has in his life.. Fortinbras is the Norwegian prince. Hamlet’s father murdered Fortinbras’ father during battle years before. Fortinbras’ wait for the throne is prolonged when his uncle took the throne instead of him.This situation is similar to Hamlet’s, drawing attention to the fact that Fortinbras acts as a foil character to Hamlet. When the stateShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Foil Characters868 Words   |  4 Pagesdo so is by setting up a storyline involving one or more foil characters. A foil character is one who contrasts the main character so greatly that his/her actions point out opposite qualities in the main character. William Shakespeare uses foil characters in his drama, Hamlet. He portrays Hamlet as a vengeful prince who cannot act on his own thoughts and desires. Hamlet’s inability to act becomes more prominent to readers when Shakespe are introduces Laertes and Fortinbras into the play. Both Laertes’Read MoreThe Fatal Opposition Of Hamlet And Laertes1035 Words   |  5 PagesFatal Opposition of Hamlet and Laertes Newton s Third Law states that to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (â€Å"Centripetal†). Many people have found this to not only be true in science but also in different situations, everyday life, and even in literature. In literature, when a character is equal but opposite to the protagonist, that character is called the foil. In the drama Hamlet by William Shakespeare, one character that is said to function as Hamlet’s foil is Laertes. LaertesRead MoreCharacters Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet886 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, some specific characteristics of Hamlet’s peers help to show the character of Hamlet to the audience. Horatio supports every bold decision Hamlet makes, and is an authentic loyal friend. Fortinbras is a foil perceived in the play, and he wants to avenge his father s death. Laertes, Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, is passionate and impulsive, who is also identified as Hamlet’s foil. As Shakespeare reveal Horatio’s, Laertes’, and Fortinbras’ traits he also showsRead MoreSurface, Depth, And A Reflected World Of Hamlet1830 Words   |  8 PagesWorld of Hamlet Although dynamic characters typically develop through solely personal obstacles, William Shakespeare uses the character of Hamlet as a contradiction by illustrating his growth through other characters. In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Shakespeare strategically uses Laertes and Fortinbras in order to foil the character of Hamlet. An extended metaphor of a pond is created and through tangled family ties, internal conflict concerning perfection, and the pursuit of justice, Shakespeare is ableRead MoreThe Profound Impact Of Female Characters Of Shakespeare s Hamlet930 Words   |  4 PagesThe Profound Impact of Female Characters in Hamlet How much of an impact can the women in a man’s life have on his thoughts and actions? A mother is the first woman her son will come into contact with, and can skew her son’s image of women through her actions. A man’s significant other also has the ability to bring out the best in him, but can also become the target for his anger and stray emotions. In William Shakespeare s Hamlet, although there are only two main female characters, both women†¯possessRead MoreA Renaissance Man Suffering During A Medieval Society Essay1125 Words   |  5 PagesRenaissance, William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The play centers upon Hamlet, who is, and is characterized as a misplaced Renaissance man, who lives in the medieval kingdom of Denmark and struggles to understand the purpose and meaning of man while others around him carry out their actions in traditional medieval mannerism. By using allusions and long metaphors, along with Hamlet’s conflict to correct i njustice by embracing a humanist approach as opposed to the medieval chivalry manner, Shakespeare conveysRead MoreWhy Hamlet Is a Hero1484 Words   |  6 PagesWhy Hamlet is a Hero A literary hero is someone who displays feats of nobility along with courage. In William Shakespeare#8217;s Hamlet, young Hamlet is obviously the hero of the play. Stranded in the middle of a court full of corruption, faced with his father#8217;s death and his mother#8217;s almost immediate remarriage, Hamlet somehow comes out of it a hero in the reader#8217;s minds. It is his courageousness and nobility that lead him through his revenge, virtually unscathed by the corruptionRead MoreAnalysis Of The Limerence Of Martha 1170 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween two characters is also common amongst many previous novels, novellas, and short stories. A foil is defined as, by Literary Devices, â€Å"qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character,† but it can also be used as comparisons. A few comparisons, from William Shakespeare, are Macbeth and Banquo in the play The Tragedy of Macbeth and Laertes, Claudius, and Fortinbras in the play Hamlet. In The Tragedy o f Macbeth when the three witches are telling the fortune of Banquo the firstRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1231 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeare is certainly one of the best known playwrighters of the theater history for having written plays such as Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth. A feature of Shakespearean theater is so-called â€Å"theatre within a theatre†, â€Å"drama within a drama† or more generallyâ€Å"a play within a play†, i.e a play where the author stagged, at some time, an other theater play inside this one. Many of his plays can be qualified as â€Å"plays within plays† and espacially Hamlet and A Midsummer Night s Dream. ThereforeRead MoreHamlet As A Nihilism1566 Words   |  7 Pages William Shakespeare s Hamlet portrays as multitude of ideas, meanings and interpretations. In this essay, I will focus on analyzing Hamlet through the post-modern existential lens of nihilism. 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