Purpose of the Different Foils in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses foils to enhance the characters namely to enhance Hamlet. A foil is a minor character who with their similarities and differences reveals character traits, that of another character opposite to them. The character may also be put in place by the author to give the main character a person to talk to, through this conversation useful information can be received about either the main character or the plot in general. This can be shown through Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, also the Ghost of King Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are foils to Hamlet. The two are introduced as friends to Hamlet. But also they are like messengers for the king. Hamlet learns of their†¦show more content†¦The men are very easy going about the theory of death; they have faith and are open to its coming. Hamlets uncle gives them a letter which they accidentally open, they learn of the plan that Hamlet is to be beheaded. What they do not know however is that Hamlet switches the letters, thus the demise of the two men is the outcome. Ophelia is also put forth as a foil to Lord Hamlet. Before the events of the play unravel Ophelia, whom is the daughter of Polonius and sister of Laertes, gives us traits of Hamlet She reveals that he was a model courtier and scholar, â€Å"The glass of fashion and the mould of form, Th’ observed of all observers.† Ophelia also offers another dimension to the story, the love interest. They both love each other, even though it may seem that this love is not a legitimate one too many seeing as how Hamlet was going crazy. Or so it seemed, yet again she brings out information to us, that Hamlet was not nuts but just enraged. The Ghost of Hamlets father is a foil for Hamlet. The ghost is introduced so to reveal information that is not blatantly revealed to us yet. The king gives us some explanation of why Hamlet wants revenge. The king tells us of his death and introduces the fact that it was a murder and tells that the murder was committed by his brother. Through the conversation with the ghost he gains more fuel for the anger he has about his mother’s marriage. In the discussion with Hamlet and theShow MoreRelated The Character Horatio in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesThe Character Horatio in Shakespeares Hamlet In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the confidant Horatio is created to serve a number of different purposes. Horatio is a flat character. He is a loyal, obedient, and trustworthy companion to Hamlet. His character does not undergo any significant transformation throughout the play, except that he serves as a witness of the death of Hamlet, Claudius, and Gertrude. Horatios role in the play seems to be as a utilitarian character that ShakespeareRead MoreA Compare/Contrast of Hamlet through his foils - Laertes, Fortinbras and Horatio.1702 Words   |  7 PagesIt is without doubt that William Shakespeare has created many unique, thought - provoking characters. Hamlet is by far Shakespeares most compelling character. In Shakespeares play Hamlet, various character traits, exhibited by Hamlet, can be seen through his foils. Similarities with Hamlet and Horatios education, as well as their levels, can be drawn. However, Hamlets character is in constant change and even philosophical . Fortinbras, without question encompasses many of Hamlets qualities. TheyRead MoreDifferences in the Tragedies of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet by William Shakespeare1621 Words   |  7 Pagesintellect while also having physical strength. Shakespeare’s tragedies of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet illustrate two very different conceptions of tragedy. Hamlet is a story about revenge, with a need for the truth to be reveled at all costs. Romeo and Juliet centers around innocence, soiled by prejudice of family conflict. The story surrounds the main characters, but the minor foils of each play give a deeper meaning to the actions of Romeo, Juliet and Hamlet. Benvolio and Tybalt are each trying to serveRead MoreLaertes And Hamlet Foils In Shakespeares Hamlet958 Words   |  4 Pagespersonality and characteristics. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Laertes serves as a foil for Hamlet in which their contrast presents pivotal themes that reveal Hamlet’s character. While the play has many themes, morality, revenge, and honor specifically relate to the contrast between Laertes and Hamlet, consequently resulting in Laertes purpose as a foil for Hamlet. Hamlet’s religion shapes his view on morality, ultimately guiding many of his actions regarding death. Hamlet is a afraid of life after deathRead MoreFortinbras in Hamlet by William Shakespeare691 Words   |  3 PagesShakespeare creates has some kind of purpose to fulfill, important even when they are background characters with few lines or appearances. Sometimes, even though the characters have no major role in Shakespeare’s plays, they have some type of significance. In Hamlet, one of these characters is Fortinbras. The character of Fortinbras is someone with an extremely similar background to the protagonist of the play, Hamlet. One might say that Fortinbras and Hamlet are parallel versions of each other,Read MoreEssay Ambivalence and Death in Shakespeares Hamlet1200 Words   |  5 Pagesone and the same in the end of life. Hamlet speaks in an eccentric riddle form but there are underlying messages communicated through Hamlet’s craziness and Claudiusâ₠¬â„¢ confusion. The ideas are conversed through Claudius and Hamlet and convey the morals of the drama, Hamlet. Shakespeare also takes the liberty in this section to show how diverse and opposite the characters of Claudius and Hamlet are by differentiating their literary devices. Although Hamlet and Claudius are related to one anotherRead MoreHamlet And Laertes By William Shakespeare1469 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s characters Hamlet and Laertes, in the play Hamlet, attempt to attain revenge for their fathers, but contrast in their approaches to achieving revenge, and their view of life as a whole, their failures revealing the inevitability of fate. Just as Hamlet’s inaction hinders him from achieving his goal of killing Claudius, Laertes’s impetuosity similarly leads him astray from his goal their inability to achieve these goals. The power of fate is thereby revealed through the futility of humanRead MoreA Renaissance Man Suffering During A Medieval Society Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstood to the furthest extent possible. In the early 17th century, one of the most famous pieces of literature was written during the Renaissance, 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 withRead MoreThe Theme of Knowledge in Hamlet Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesKnowledge in Hamlet What may be true to one person is not always true to another. There are huge factors to take into account like a difference in opinion, secrets, or lies. Another important aspect of information is what is done with it, since knowledge is power. The need to verify information is always as great as the need for it in the first place. These are all central pieces to consider when evaluating a theme of knowledge. This theme is especially noteworthy in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a playRead MoreEssay The Ghost Of Hamlet’s Father1607 Words   |  7 PagesOf Hamlet’s Father  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   What would Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, be like without the character of the Ghost? The drama simply wouldn’t BE! The Ghost, though not a human character in most senses of the word, is crucial for the development of the play. This essay will analyze this interesting character.    The ghost’s apparition has deep significance. It touches the very spiritual underpinnings of the Denmark state. Frank Kermode in â€Å"Hamlet† explores the spiritual dimension of this spectral