Among these characters are Hamlet and Laertes, who is quite pivotal because he is in many ways a parallel to Hamlet and provides the readers a strong base for comparison with Hamlet. The figure of Laertes is extremely useful in analyzing the social commentary Shakespeare is trying to make about the "morality of revenge", because he mirrors Hamlet in practically all aspects of life, and is even placed into similar circumstances as Hamlet, namely having the duty of avenging his father's death. ... Shakespeare has made Hamlet and Laertes similar in all aspects except the one crucial charac...

• Word Count: 262
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate