In William’s Shakespeare’s Hamlet, characters are utilized to highlight the flaws and discrepancies of others. Through familial duty, actions, and vengeances of the two subplots of Hamlet and Fortinbras, it is evident that both characters are parallel to one another. Fortinbras serves as a foil to emphasize aspects of Hamlet’s personality, which enhances plot and character development. Fortinbras’ purpose of a foil to Hamlet, highlighting his traits, becomes evident in their intuitive to act upon a decision. Unlike Hamlet, Fortinbras is a man who makes a definite decision and quickly spurs into action. According to Hamlet, Fortinbras is a, “… spirit with divine ambition” and will go to lengths as far as, “…death and danger dare/ even for
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Hamlet, being a tragic hero, obtains the tragic flaw of indecisiveness and a lack of action. Different from Fortinbras, Hamlet abuses time, “… of thinking too precisely on [an] event” only leading to a delay in his revenge (4.4.43). As opportunities continue to arise, Hamlet is constantly overthinking to the point where he does not act on any chances he is presented with. In doing so, it enhances the plot as it allows for the rising action to occur and suspense to build up to the climax. The prominent actions of Fortinbras, directs readers to focus on Hamlet’s hamartia because it ultimately is the cause of his downfall. The readers are able to use Fortinbras to compare with Hamlet and be able to dictate the important personality traits of Hamlet, which Shakespeare tries to highlight. In short, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras is used as a foil to illustrate Hamlet’s traits and not as a valuable character of his own right. Fortinbras mirrors Hamlet’s personality through, familial duty, actions, and vengeances. The plot would not have been noteworthy if Hamlet had not struggled with his tragic flaw: his lack of action, which Fortinbras highlights. Therefore, the plot and character development are enhanced due to the foil characters Shakespeare
Hamlet, being a tragic hero, obtains the tragic flaw of indecisiveness and a lack of action. Different from Fortinbras, Hamlet abuses time, “… of thinking too precisely on [an] event” only leading to a delay in his revenge (4.4.43). As opportunities continue to arise, Hamlet is constantly overthinking to the point where he does not act on any chances he is presented with. In doing so, it enhances the plot as it allows for the rising action to occur and suspense to build up to the climax. The prominent actions of Fortinbras, directs readers to focus on Hamlet’s hamartia because it ultimately is the cause of his downfall. The readers are able to use Fortinbras to compare with Hamlet and be able to dictate the important personality traits of Hamlet, which Shakespeare tries to highlight. In short, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras is used as a foil to illustrate Hamlet’s traits and not as a valuable character of his own right. Fortinbras mirrors Hamlet’s personality through, familial duty, actions, and vengeances. The plot would not have been noteworthy if Hamlet had not struggled with his tragic flaw: his lack of action, which Fortinbras highlights. Therefore, the plot and character development are enhanced due to the foil characters Shakespeare