The Importance of Polonius and Laertes in Hamlet In his play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses various foils to make the play more complex. These foils involve numerous characters that help to develop different relationships and conflicts. Without these foils, the relationships and conflicts would not happen, and the play could not develop. They help us to understand Hamlets actions and bring diversity to the play. Polonius and Laertes are the main foils for Hamlet. Polonius shows how irrational Hamlet thinks, and Laertes shows that Hamlet must pay for his actions, even if he is royalty. This plot and conflict develop from the similarities and differences between Hamlet and the foils. Why are foils required to understand and develop the play? A foil is a minor character used to help develop or understand a major character. The foil must have some similarities with the major character in order to create a link with him. A foil must also be different in order to show or distinguish something about the major character. The foil does not always have an active role. Sometimes the foil is just someone for the major character to talk to. This allows his ideas to come through to the audience without a narrator; therefore, the foil is a kind of prop to help develop the role of the major character. Without a foil, there is no one to help develop or understand the major character; thus his ideas cannot be revealed to the audience. Polonius was an important foil for Hamlet. Polonius and Hamlet were similar in that they both loved Ophelia and tried to protect her. While Polonius died trying, Hamlet encouraged her to go to a nunnery. Unfortunately, she died anyway. Also, Hamlet and Polonius both died trying to protect a woman. Polonius was trying to protect Ophelia from Hamlet, just as Hamlet was trying to protect his mother from Claudius. Both men were also loyal to a king--Polonius to Claudius, and Hamlet to his father. Here again, both kings were killed. Polonius and Hamlet also had their differences. While Polonius was loyal to Claudius, Hamlet was not loyal or even respectful to him. Hamlet knew Claudius was a murderer and Polonius was not even suspicious of King Hamlet's death. Although they both died, Polonius and Hamlets murders were different. Hamlet's death was planned. Claudius unsuccessfully attempted to have Hamlet drink poison. Laertes effort to kill Hamlet was successful by poisoning the unblunted tip of his foil. Polonius's death was an accident, since Hamlet thought he was killing Claudius behind the arras. Polonius also helped to develop and carry the plot that Hamlet was "mad". After talking with Ophelia, Polonius discussed Hamlet's "madness" with Claudius several times. Without Polonius, Claudius would not have been so sure that Hamlet was "mad". [Nice] Also, Ophelia would not have had anyone to confide in about Hamlet's strange behavior. If Polonius were not present in the play, Laertes' loyalty to family would not have been so strong. [Nice point] Also, Ophelia would not have become so distraught over her father's death and therefore, would not have drowned. Polonius' death would not have created any conflict between Laertes and Hamlet. Laertes would have had no reason to revenge his father's death; thus, he would not need to return to kill Hamlet. This conflict makes Laertes a foil also. Laertes and Hamlet were similar, in that both of their fathers had been killed. They were both looking to revenge the murders. Both men loved their families and were loyal to them, as shown by their need for revenge. Also, at the end of the play, before Hamlet dies, they both know that Claudius has killed the king. [What evidence is there that Laertes knew that Claudius killed his brother?] Hamlet differed from Laertes in that he did much plotting and scheming to seek his revenge. He almost drove himself mad plotting revenge. [You need a transition here.] Hamlet wanted Claudius dead and purposely killed him without any regret. Although Laertes' plan was simple, and he killed Hamlet, he regretted it in the end. The most important difference here was Laertes lived while Hamlet died. [Ouch! Laertes doesn't live.] This is the most important difference because it is what makes Laertes a necessary foil. Without him, Hamlet would live. He may have eventually died at Claudius's hand, but he may never have learned that his father was really murdered. Hamlet would not have been punished for the murder of Polonius, because he was royalty. Without the duel with Laertes, the poison would not have been available for Gertrude to drink, and she may have lived also. [Nice point, but it doesn't depend on Laertes living.] In turn, Hamlet would not have realized that Claudius was planning to kill him or that Claudius had killed his father. All of these events were related to Laertes "the foil". Without Laertes as a foil, this play would have been entirely different. As foils, Polonius and Laertes were major assets to this play. Without them, the play would lack diversity, since they are the keystones to this play. Foils are required to help develop a major character, in order to show the audience what he is really like. The foil of a play must do the work of a narrator of a story, because a play has no one to tell the audience what the character is thinking or what his ideas are. [But Shakespeare also uses soliloquies.] Polonius and Laertes help reveal what Hamlet is thinking and why he is doing what he is doing. They also make the play more realistic than someone standing on stage explaining what the character is doing and why. Without these two foils, this play would have had less conflict and less excitement; consequently, it would be less memorable. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet". Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Barnet, S.; Berman, M.; Burto, W.; Stubbs, M. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. 628-735.
King makes good use of Aristotle's three argumentative appeals. Though, he does not use strong facts in his logical appeals. This is reasonable, as he was in jail. He did not have any way to get evidence, which would be necessary to provide proof. Nonetheless, this would have made King a much more reliable source. King's letter is mostly an ethical piece. And it has to be, because the letter is a reply to criticisms pointed to King. For whatever reasons, the cultural effects of the letter are great. King used the letter to explain what his logic, reasons, and purposes were.
Throughout history, the concept of “Bad Bosses” has been displayed in various types of literature. These various types of literature range from plays, to poems, and even short stories. Although the literature stated above may be different types, they all have potential to share the same aspect. The aspect that is similar to all the literary works we have reviewed over the course of the semester was bad bosses and how bad bosses have changed for the better or for the worst as time progressed.
Shakespear uses contrast to highlight the qualities of the characters in Hamlet; this contrast shows up in the minor characters. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, false friends of Hamlet who succumb to Claudius' corruptness, serve as a distinct contrast to the loyal friendship that Horatio shares with Hamlet. Voltimand is used to contrast Polonius' often comic verbosity. While Polonius dresses up all his speeches with the language of the court, Voltimand is able to give his entire report on Fortinbras in a matter of seconds. The most powerful foil in the play is between Laertes and Hamlet. Upon hearing of the death of his father, Laertes becomes enraged, and seeks immediate vengeance; he does not delay, and acts instantaneously. When the ghost tells Hamlet of Claudius' crimes, Hamlet is unable to act. He procrastinates, missing many opportunities to avenge his father, and acts when it is already too late.
4. Polonius and Hamlet also had their differences. While Polonius was loyal to Claudius, Hamlet was not loyal or even respectful to him. Hamlet knew Claudius was a murderer and Polonius was not even suspicious of King Hamlet’s death. Although they both died, Polonius and Hamlet[']s murders were different.
Another character used as a foil to Hamlet was Laertes. Both Hamlet and Laertes had endured the lose [loss] of their fathers at the hands of a murderer. Both character[s] sought revenge for these murders. Laertes immediately wanted to kill Hamlet for his crime, expressing how he would cut his throat in the church.
1. Plays have foils to help the audience understand important characters in the play. Foils are minor characters that have similarities and differences with a more important character in the play. Sometimes the minor character is just there for the character to talk to; this is the basis for being a foil. In the play "Hamlet," [Titles] by William Shakespeare, the character Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet.
Following the performance of “The Mousetrap”, Hamlet is summoned to his mother's chamber. Upon arguing with Gertrude over the intentions of his play, and his reasons for wanting to distress the king so openly, Hamlet kills Polonius. “How now? A rat? Dead for a ducat, dead (III.iv.27-28)! Perhaps Hamlet did not know whom he was killing. “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! / I took thee for thy better”(III.iv.38-39)! Perhaps Hamlet thought he was killing the king.
...aying edge. Four to five individuals would stretch the wet skin over the drum head to apply tautness at the same time fasteners were driven into the basin. The reduction of the skin while it dried then applied adequate extra tension for the skin to resonate. Factory-made Djembe drums, use a comparable system. However, instead of using vertical ropes, the top circle is pulled against the skin ring by motorized lugs that are fastened with a wrench.
Each man deals with grief in extremely distinct manners, when looking at Laertes in comparison to Hamlet you can swiftly see their great contrast to one another. Hamlet would rather create reason before madness; he is the type to use his brain before his fist. Whereas Laertes is always caught up in his anger that he sees no means to absolve the actions of others.
Many playwrights utilize foils to assist the audience in understanding the meaning of a play or the motivations of the characters . Foils are minor characters that have similarities or differences with a major character. Sometime the minor character is in the play so the major character has someone to speak with. The similarities between the foil and the major may include gender, same social class, or may be in the same situation. The differences between the two may be an important aspect in their character. The foils in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet are the Ghost, Laertes, and Ophelia.
...ooms Laertes as it did Hamlet, because it clouds his judgment. His rashness causes him to be easily played by Claudius. Regardless of the fact that Hamlet killed Polonius, Claudius never specified that it was an accident, which could have played a major role in Laertes’ decision to go along with the King’s plan.
(1) In many short stories and plays there are persons involved which [who] help characterize other main characters. This process of characterization is called a foil. [A foil is not a process.] "A foil is a minor character, who by similarities and differences, reveals characteristics of a more important character, and who, as an element of plot, is there for the more important character to talk to" (Vavra). The foils in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, help the reader understand the main character; [, not ;] Hamlet.
While spying on Hamlet and the queen Polonius is detected and consequently killed by Hamlet. Hamlet believed him to be Claudius for he should be the only other person to step foot in that room. For his actions Hamlet was declared mad and sent to England. This whole situation did not bode well for Polonius’ family.
The focus on wind energy will become the end of the world’s economy, electricity, and survivability if we continue to only focus on this source of power. Governments should decrease production of wind energy alone, and instead formulate a plan that consists of all “green” energy sources, which in turn will provide maximum power outage.
TOM was to arrive early in the afternoon, and there was another fluttering heart besides Maggie's when it was late enough for the sound of the gig wheels to be expected; for if Mrs Tulliver had a strong feeling, it was fondness for her boy. At last the sound came - that quick light bowling of the gig wheels - and in spite of the wind which was blowing the clouds about, and was not likely to respect Mrs Tulliver's curls and cap-strings, she came outside the door, and even held her hand on Maggie's offending head, forgetting all the griefs of the morning.