Often times, authors include in their writing the comparison between the protagonist and other characters. These comparisons are used to further add to the literary meaning of a particular piece of work. A foil is one type of comparison that authors tend to use in their genre of writing. Foil is a technique that is used when a character, who, through striking differences, similarities, and strong contrast, underscores the protagonist's distinctive characteristics. In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the "foil" technique where the characters of Fortinbras and Laertes serve as ones to Hamlet.
To understand how Shakespeare intends to use this technique, first it is important have an in-depth comprehension of the characters that are used in this method. Regardless of the fact that this technique presents a strong contrast between the characters used; in this case, Shakespeare also illustrates Hamlet's crucial flaw that later leads to his death. First of all, Hamlet is a bitter, mourning, resentful and cynical prince and he ahs been criticized for it by his uncle, King. "Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father; But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his; and the survivor bound, In filial obligation, for some term To do obsequious sorrow: but to persevere In obstinate condolement is a course Of impious stubbornness. Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried, From the first corse till he that died to-day, This must be so."" (1.2.90-109) This quote shows how Hamlet's uncle wants to open his arms with a kind of fatherly love, yet he criticizes his grief by calling him obsequious, unmanly, stubborn, weak, unfortified, simple, unschooled and obstinate. .
Due to the death of his father and the lack of sensitivity of his mother and uncle, Hamlet has become a suicidal and incestuous person. Hamlet attempts to obtain revenge from his uncle Claudius who murdered his father have been lacking action and his overlooks his plans repeatedly throughout the first four acts of the play.
Hamlet Hamlet is a young man who's father dies and his life is turned upside down. ... Hamlet is battling his conscience. ... Hamlet is extremely indecisive. ... Hamlet wants to kill his uncle because he killed hamlets father. ... Hamlet only trusts Horatio. ...
The old king Hamlet is murder by Claudius and therefore Hamlet must take his revenge. ... Hamlet begins to doubt the ghost. ... Hamlet is contradicts himself. ... Hamlet's next problem is that of morality. ... Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. ... Laertes is decisive and Hamlet is not. ... Fortinbras acts as Hamlet's inspiration; he motivates Hamlet to go forward with his plan to kill Claudius, which in the end leads to Hamlet's downfall. ... Horatio is Hamlet's friend and solid rock on whom Hamlet can trust and depend. ... Horatio cared for Hamlet greatly, and so Hamlet cared greatly for Horatio. ...
KING Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? HAMLET At supper. ... If Claudius does not stand on one side of a titanic conflict, his betrayal of Hamlet's father and Marriage to Hamlet's mother, do ignite one: Hamlet's conflict with himself. ... In the end Hamlet dies along with most of the principle characters whether they were duplicities against Hamlet or not. ... By the end of the play Hamlet has thoroughly explored the question but like Hamlet, it remains an enigma. ...
Hamlet The study of Shakespeare's Hamlet has been one that is very extensive as well as enormous. ... A critic of Hamlet once said, "a man set out to read all the books about Hamlet would have time to read nothing else, not even Hamlet." ... "Hamlet is the tragedy of reflection. ... For where Hamlet saw that "the time is out of joint," Hamlet himself was "out of joint." ... (Mack. 64) Hamlet begins his questioning with the death of elder Hamlet. ...
Hamlet 1 Throughout Hamlet, Hamlet expresses his thoughts via several soliloquies. ... In this scene, Hamlet is being "set up" by Ophelia, Polonius, and Claudius. ... This is quite different than the "emotional Hamlet" seen in 1.2, or the "vengeful Hamlet" seen in 1.5. ... The three claim to be concerned for Hamlet's mental state of mind. This is ironic, because as the characters within the play see Hamlet mentally deteriorating, readers see Hamlet mentally developing. ...
Hamlet Tania Kozie-Slobodzian Hamlet is categorized as one of Shakespeare's tragedies. ... Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. ... The Ghost of Hamlet's father appears in front of Hamlet. The ghost is in fact Hamlet's late father. ... Now that Hamlet is said to be crazy, Polonius goes to the King and tells him about Hamlet's strange behavior concerning Ophelia. ...
