Robinson 1
Alix Robinson
Mrs. Berry
ENG 3U0
14 December 2015
The Success of Laertes and the Failure of Hamlet
In the words of Theodore Roosevelt “In any moment of decision, the best thing is to do the right thing, the next best thing is to do the wrong thing, and the worst thing to do is nothing.” In the play Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet are contrasting characters as they both experience hardship but are faced with different results based on their decision making. Laertes experiences success where Hamlet experiences failure due to the fact that he had greater conviction than Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes knew how he felt about Ophelia, he wanted to avenge the death of his father and he was very focused and firm.
Laertes was succesful in determining …show more content…
Due to Laertes love for his dear sister he made it a point of warning her by using the words “For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth of primy nature, Forward, not permenant, sweet, not lasting, The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more.” (Hamlet, 1.3.5) Laertes was aware of the fact that Hamlet is in line for the throne and he must chose his country over his love thus meaning he can not be distracted from his real duties. Ophelia puts love above all else and consequently, Hamlet would not be able to give Ophelia what she really desired. Laertes looking out for his sisters wellbeing is a prime example of how he cared for her and he continued caring throughout the whole play unlike Hamlet. During the play Hamlet …show more content…
The difference between the two is that Laertes was succesful in avenging his father because he took immediate action while Hamlet failed due to the fact that he procrastinated and looked for sympathy from those around him. Once Laertes discovers that Hamlet murdered Polonius he forms an alliance with the king to “be the organ” (Hamlet, 4.7.75) this means Laertes wants to be the tool of death and be the one to kill Hamlet, the man who killed his father. Laertes was a man of action and Laertes acted very quickly by planning a fencing match where they planned to poison Hamlet. He had a very thought out plan as he was ready to do anything to bring peace to his father and was not going to rest until he did what was supposed to be done. Just like Laertes, Hamlet was very angry by his fathers death but his course of action was much different. Hamlet promised the ghost of his father that he would “make a ghost of him” (Hamlet, 1.4.91) but everytime he thought of a plan he would not act on it. Hamlet channelled his anger into thoughts and was trapped in his mind by his own thoughts and this prevented him from acting on his anger. Laertes was the only one succesful in avenging the death of his father even though almost everyone died in the end, his main goal was to kill Hamlet himself and he achieved it. The goal for Hamlet was to kill Claudius and he did not, Claudius died
Alix Robinson
Mrs. Berry
ENG 3U0
14 December 2015
The Success of Laertes and the Failure of Hamlet
In the words of Theodore Roosevelt “In any moment of decision, the best thing is to do the right thing, the next best thing is to do the wrong thing, and the worst thing to do is nothing.” In the play Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet are contrasting characters as they both experience hardship but are faced with different results based on their decision making. Laertes experiences success where Hamlet experiences failure due to the fact that he had greater conviction than Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes knew how he felt about Ophelia, he wanted to avenge the death of his father and he was very focused and firm.
Laertes was succesful in determining …show more content…
Due to Laertes love for his dear sister he made it a point of warning her by using the words “For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth of primy nature, Forward, not permenant, sweet, not lasting, The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more.” (Hamlet, 1.3.5) Laertes was aware of the fact that Hamlet is in line for the throne and he must chose his country over his love thus meaning he can not be distracted from his real duties. Ophelia puts love above all else and consequently, Hamlet would not be able to give Ophelia what she really desired. Laertes looking out for his sisters wellbeing is a prime example of how he cared for her and he continued caring throughout the whole play unlike Hamlet. During the play Hamlet …show more content…
The difference between the two is that Laertes was succesful in avenging his father because he took immediate action while Hamlet failed due to the fact that he procrastinated and looked for sympathy from those around him. Once Laertes discovers that Hamlet murdered Polonius he forms an alliance with the king to “be the organ” (Hamlet, 4.7.75) this means Laertes wants to be the tool of death and be the one to kill Hamlet, the man who killed his father. Laertes was a man of action and Laertes acted very quickly by planning a fencing match where they planned to poison Hamlet. He had a very thought out plan as he was ready to do anything to bring peace to his father and was not going to rest until he did what was supposed to be done. Just like Laertes, Hamlet was very angry by his fathers death but his course of action was much different. Hamlet promised the ghost of his father that he would “make a ghost of him” (Hamlet, 1.4.91) but everytime he thought of a plan he would not act on it. Hamlet channelled his anger into thoughts and was trapped in his mind by his own thoughts and this prevented him from acting on his anger. Laertes was the only one succesful in avenging the death of his father even though almost everyone died in the end, his main goal was to kill Hamlet himself and he achieved it. The goal for Hamlet was to kill Claudius and he did not, Claudius died