Hamlet

Hamlet

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a difficult play to follow. There are many twists and turns throughout the whole story. Shakespeare has also written Hamlet to be a very multifaceted character. The many different traits Hamlet has are shown in his soliloquies and in his actions. Oftentimes, they contradicted the latter. Shakespeare uses the characters Fortinbras and Laertes as foils throughout the play. They help the reader understand Hamlet even better.
The beginning of the play shows Prince Hamlet mourning the death of King Hamlet, his father. King Hamlet died and quickly his mother remarried Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. Hamlet is sulking around. Later, Hamlet is confronted by a ghost who claims to be Hamlet’s dead father. The ghost informs Hamlet that he has been murdered by King Claudius. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (I, 4, 31). The ghost wants his son to get back at the king. Hamlet bravely answers “Haste me to know ‘t, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge.” (I, 5, 35-37). Hamlet tells the ghost that he will kill the king. However throughout the story, Hamlet’s actions seem to contradict what he has promised his father.
Laertes and Hamlet have similar stories. Laertes is the brother of Ophelia, a woman Hamlet claims to love. Laertes is leaving to go to school and warns Ophelia of Hamlet’s love. Laertes believes Hamlet can’t really love her. “Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute, no more.” (I, 3, 6-11). Laertes thinks of Hamlet’s love as short and not long lasting. A short while later, Laertes comes back home to a horrible scenario. Hamlet has killed his father, Polonius, and his sister has gone mad. Laertes is more than ready to take action and proves it with his actions.
Hamlet and Laertes are in very similar situations but act different. Both men say they want vengeance when they hear that their fathers have been killed....