Comparing Hamlet Foils And Foils In Shakespeare's Hamlet

As the Perl programming motto states, “there is more than one way to do it”. This is seen in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, when Hamlet struggles to kill his uncle, King Claudius because this event is compared as parallel to Laertes’ attempt to kill Hamlet. However, Philip Edward argues about how Laertes is ”more than a foil; he is a main antagonist”. Hamlet’s father was killed by Claudius, which he learned about through a ghost. Laertes’ father was killed by Hamlet in a conformation while talking to his mother. Hamlet and Laertes have gone through alike circumstances that can be argued against the idea of a foil, yet, there are more differences than similarities. Although both Hamlet and Laertes suffer through a similar loss, the major differences

When Hamlet decided that he would finally kill Claudius, he went looking for him and found him in his room. When Hamlet enters the room, Claudius is on the floor vulnerable, yet Hamlet decides to think on how if he were to kill Claudius now, he would be sent to heaven rather than paying for his sins: “And now I’ll do ’t - and so a goes to heaven, / And so am I revenged. That would be scanned” (III.iii.74-75). Hamlet is addressing how his actions to avenge his father would lead Claudius to go to heaven and not do much. Hamlet hesitates in this action and prevents the death of Claudius from being executed. Many scholars argue that his hesitation was solely due to mimick King Hamlet’s death because Hamlet’s mentality still showed hatred toward Claudius. However, Grace Tiffany argues how “Despite Hamlet 's bloodthirsty words and expressed hatred for Claudius, the delay in his vengeance, which allows Claudius time to repent, and his staging of a play ‘to catch the conscience of the king’ rather than to catch the king 's life (2.2.605), suggest the ambiguity of his purpose” (Tiffany). She is describing how Hamlet’s mixed feelings within himself cause an absence of true knowledge on what his goal truly is. This introduces the theme of uncertainty because the introspection

Hamlet was told by the ghost that King Hamlet was killed by Claudius, yet he fails to act on it. When first told, he decides that he will put on an antic disposition and although he does, he does nothing with the idea of it. As a matter of fact, he loses track of it and just waits until he is properly motivated. While watching the player perform, he realizes how the player has “tears in his eyes, distraction in’s aspect / A broken voice, and his whole function suiting / With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing” (II.ii.507-509). Hamlet is confused as to why the player is able to cry for a character who is not real yet Hamlet cannot get revenge for his father’s death. Hamlet is debating his choices and how he has not planned anything successful. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes was able to plan out what he is going to do. Laertes decides that he “will do’t / And for that purpose I’ll anoint my sword [...] And that he calls for drink, I’ll have preferred him / A chalice for the nonce” (IV.vii.138-139,158-159). This is displaying how Laertes has prepared not only a plan, but also a back up plan on how he will kill Hamlet. Laertes has decided that he will stab Hamlet with a poisoned sword during a duel set up by Claudius, and if that fails, a poisoned drink will be prepared.