It is often said that characters who are in constant conflict are different in nature. Although this is often true, it does not apply to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as characters who are very similar to each other are also involved in constant conflict. While some may argue that Hamlet and Laertes have distinct differences, it is evident that there are noticeable similarities between them. These similarities are evident when looking at their deep love for Ophelia, their desire to leave Denmark, and their domineering attitude towards females throughout the play.
Some may argue that Hamlet and Laertes are nothing alike, pointing to the different lengths of time they take to act. After Hamlet sees the ghost for the first time and discovers that his father was murdered, he says "haste me to know 't; that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge" (1.5.29-31). Hamlet wants the ghost to hurry and tell him what happened, so that he may take his revenge right away. This suggests that Hamlet is determined to kill Claudius as soon as he can, but weeks later when Hamlet watches the play in the castle, Hamlet thinks “yet I, a dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause” (2.2.562-564). Earlier, Hamlet seemed determined to take action, but is now dull-spirited and without any plans for revenge. Laertes, on the other hand, is willing to take action right away. After discovering that his father, Polonius, has been murdered, Laertes rushes to
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When Hamlet firsts sees Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for the first time since school, Hamlet asks them “what have you […] deserved at the hands of Fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?” (2.2.239-241). Hamlet considers Denmark to be a prison with “many confines, wards, and dungeons” (2.2.245-246). Hamlet clearly does not have much respect for Denmark as he is comparing it to a
A major difference between Laertes and Hamlet is that Laertes didn't procrastinate in his attempt at revenge. He went right to it with the encouragement of Claudius. His hastiness is what gets him killed in the end. Because Laertes doesn't think long about getting his revenge gives the reader reason to compare Laertes to and think about Hamlets' struggle to decide weather [H-50] revenge is the right thing to do. [SS -1] He contemplates through the whole play on weather [H-50] to kill Claudius or not, leaving the reader with the sense that Hamlet is very careful when making decisions. [Doesn't this point deserve more discussion?
...e story. Indeed, if Hamlet acts quickly, there would be only one act of Hamlet. Laertes, upon hearing of his father’s demise wants swift and fervent justice. Although he is the more impassioned of the two, it is this incisiveness that leads to Laertes’ demise. He allows himself to be manipulated, enamored by the king’s rhetoric. Laertes, suddenly realizing the plot at hand, repents for his killing of Hamlet, true to his character even in the face of death. Hamlet seeks to blame his "madness" for the death of Polonius, and never admits fault for the fate of his schoolmates.
Hamlet questions what may or may not happen however Laertes just wants the revenge fast and effective. Although these characters have different standards when it comes to revenge, they both immediately blamed and directed their anger towards Claudius when they found out their father’s were dead. Hamlet’s reason to blame Claudius is simply because he is his father’s murderer. In 1.5 while Hamlet is talking to the ghost of his father he says, “Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift/As meditation or the thoughts of love/May sweep to my revenge” (Shakespeare 1.5.31-33). At first is seems as if Hamlet would seek revenge right away because he seems eager to find out who the killer is and when he does find out he says he knew it was Claudius all along. He is furious and after this part in the play, Hamlet’s anger is mainly focused on Claudius. On the other hand when Laertes found out Polonius is dead he went straight to Claudius assuming it was him. By doing this he shows that he is controlled by his impulses unlike Hamlet who waited until he got proof to act on his fury. Laertes also blamed Claudius for not giving his father a proper burial, which can relate to Hamlet’s anger too because Hamlet felt as if there was not enough mourning for his father death. Not only did they both lose their fathers, but they both lost Ophelia, a female figure in their lives that they both loved.
Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 May 2014. Shmoop Editorial Team. "Laertes in Hamlet."
In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the titular character of Hamlet’s character traits and characteristics are emphasized by the other characters within the play that act as a foil to him. One of Hamlet’s most prominent foils is Laertes, the son of Polymious, whom Hamlet has killed, and the brother of Ophelia, Hamlet’s love interest throughout the story. Laertes’ position as a foil to Hamlet means that as the audience begins to understand how Laertes’ would respond to the situations he is presented with; they can reevaluate how they perceive Hamlet and the actions he chooses to take. Hamlet and Laertes both respond to their grief, with differing approaches to revenge with one favoring violence and another favoring deep planning,
Acting and thinking about acting are very different; in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet are complete opposites when it comes to the matter. Inadvertently, Laertes is a literary foil to Hamlet, acting brashly and boldly when need be. It seems to stutter Hamlet’s conscience when Laertes is quarrelsome in regards to the death of his father and sister. Laertes is the cause of Hamlets dismay, Laertes’ anger is what drives Hamlet to finally do something and act, to kill and acquire revenge, equal revenge.
It’s an ultimate tragedy in which Hamlet and Laertes never took advantage of their similarities to combine their skills and rule the monarchial kingdom together. Despite their differences, they both were images of each other from the very start as their families displayed similar characteristics. They triggered the same intensity of emotions after learning of their fathers and have the same motives steering them for vengeance. Moreover, their love for Ophelia remained unconditional, despite the decision she made. Although they both couldn’t be there when she was suffering, Hamlet and Laertes fought with each other to prove the amount of love they had towards her. Getting closer to the resolution, the duel between the two of them is where they
Foils are the minor characters in a play that aid in developing the more important characters. By using the similarities and differences between two characters, the audience can get a better understanding of that major character. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses many foils to develop the major characters of his play. Two foils that Shakespeare used to develop Hamlet's character were Laertes and Polonius.
"Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. Shakespeare has made them similar in many aspects to provide a greater base for comparison when avenging their respective fathers' deaths" (Nardo, 90). Both Hamlet and Laertes love Ophelia in different ways. Hamlet wishes Ophelia to become his wife, Laertes loves Ophelia as a sister. Hamlet is a scholar at Wittenberg; Laertes is also a scholar at France. Both were brought up under this royal family of Denmark. And both are admired for their swordsmenship. But most important of all, both of them loved and respected their fathers greatly, and showed great devotion when plotting to avenge their fathers' deaths.
In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras and Hamlet find themselves in similar situations. While Hamlet waits for the right time to avenge his father's death, Laertes learns of his father's death and immediately wants vengeance, and Fortinbras awaits his chance to recapture land that used to belong to his father. Laertes and Fortinbras go about accomplishing their desires quite differently than Hamlet. While Hamlet acts slowly and carefully, Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge with haste. Although Laertes and Fortinbras are minor characters, Shakespeare molds them in order to contrast with Hamlet. Fortinbras and, to a greater extent, Laertes act as foils to Hamlet with respect to their motives for revenge, execution of their plans and behavior while carrying out their plans.
Claudius instructs Laertes to kill Hamlet and further states, “And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe, But even his mother shall uncharge the practice And call it accident” (4.7.73-75). Laertes follows Claudius’ instructions and prepares for the fencing match. Claudius is thrilled; Hamlet will die a slow death to the sword and it will be Laertes who kills him. No blood on Claudius’ hands and his secret will be safe from the people of Denmark. Throughout Act V, Scene II Laertes is performing the kings dirty work without realizing until it's too late. After the fencing match takes a turn for the worse Laertes and Hamlet both fall with a sword to the chest. However, Hamlet stabs Claudius ending his reign as king of Denmark. Realizing the sick truth to Claudius, Laertes proudly says, “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me!” (5.2.350-352). Through it all, Claudius the mastermind, used Laertes anger to kill Hamlet to his own sword and also kill Laertes all in one
Although similar in age, class and ambition to destroy their fathers killers, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras each have characteristics that make them different from each other and show how each acted unlike the others when carrying out their plans. Hamlet seems to be the one who lets things dwell in his mind before taking any action or making an attempt at trying to get on with things. He shows this after the death of his father when he remains in morning and a depressed state for three months without trying to get on with his life. Laertes seems to be the more quick minded of the three as he makes hasty judgements about Hamlet and is quick to force his opinion upon his sister, Ophelia about his fears for her if she stays in the relationship. “For Hamlet and the trifling of his favor, hold it a fashion and a toy in blood, a violet in the youth of primy nature, forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute—No more.
Hamlet is the epitome of indecisiveness and inconsistency. For example, the depth of Hamlet’s love for Ophelia varies drastically throughout the play. First he tells Ophelia that he once loved her, but in the same speech proclaims that he did not (3.1.100-161). When at her funeral, Hamlet fights Ophelia’s brother Laertes, and says to him,“I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers / Could not with all their quantity of love / Make up my sum,” yet he does not grieve again for the remainder of the play (5.1.280-82). In contrast, Horatio remains a loyal friend to Hamlet and logical character throughout the play, never wavering in his support, love, and concern for Hamlet. Horatio’s stability as a character highlights Hamlet’s instability because he is a “normal” person with which the audience can compare to
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.]
Comparing Laertes and Hamlet Laertes and Hamlet both display impulsive reactions when angered. Once Laertes discovers his father has been murdered Laertes immediately assumes the slayer is Claudius. As a result of Laertes's speculation he instinctively moves to avenge Polonius's death. " To hell, allegiance!