In the Play Hamlet by William Shakespeare the character Hamlet has many foils. One of Hamlets biggest foils is the character Laertes. Laertes and Hamlet are known adversaries. They both loose a father by a sudden and unnatural death. Both characters struggle to deal with the loss of their fathers and Ophelia and deal with it in different ways illuminating the theme of dealing with loss.
Hamlet and Laertes share the same irrational state of being when angered. However, when Hamlet finds out about the death of his father his reaction is outrage, but he expresses this outrage by retreating into his thoughts. King Hamlet’s ghost asks of hamlet to, “Revenge this foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.31-37). Prince Hamlet …show more content…
Prince Hamlet who unlike Laertes, keeps his plan of revenge to himself. Laertes does not hide his rage from anyone. When Laertes hears of his father Polonius’ death he is furious quoting, "To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father." (4.5.128-134). Laertes immediately seeks revenge for his father’s death. Unlike Hamlet who hesitates to go in the direction of violence, Laertes immediately bursts into the castle with a band of people crying, “Choose we! Laertes shall be king!” (4.5.105-109). Laertes demands, "O thou vile king, give me my father!" (4.5.119-20). Due to Laertes’ anger he loses all his rational thought, and he acts with only emotions. When Laertes discovers that Hamlet kills his beloved father, he goes along with king Claudius’s plan to murder Hamlet, "To cut his throat in the church and requite him for Laertes father" (4.7.127, 140). Laertes inability to manage his rage ends up killing himself in the …show more content…
When Laertes learns of his sister Ophelia’s death, he is angry and torn with loss because he just lost his father as well. Hamlet is also shocked and angered over the loss of her. Hamlet was obsessed with Ophelia and this can be seen through his steady anguish over her. This causes him to suffer greatly with the loss of her. Laertes, unlike Hamlet shared a brotherly love for Ophelia. During Ophelia’s funeral, in his already unstable emotional state, Laertes jumps into her grave. He is not ready to permanently accept the loss of his sister. He wanted the gravediggers to, “Hold off the earth awhile til I have caught her once more in mine arms” (5.1.222-226). Hamlet and Laertes then break out in a battle arguing who loved Ophelia more. Hamlet claims that, “forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love, make up my sum” (v.i.254-256). Hamlet even claims that he would, “eat a crocodile? I’ll do ’t.”(5.1.255-256). Hamlet seems to be going mad again to prove his love for Ophelia was greater than Laertes’. Basically the death of Ophelia gave Hamlet and Laertes more grief and more loss to deal with. They both have different reasons for reacting the way they did but both struggle to deal with the loss of Ophelia who they both
Hamlet and Laertes share the same irrational state of being when angered. However, when Hamlet finds out about the death of his father his reaction is outrage, but he expresses this outrage by retreating into his thoughts. King Hamlet’s ghost asks of hamlet to, “Revenge this foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.31-37). Prince Hamlet …show more content…
Prince Hamlet who unlike Laertes, keeps his plan of revenge to himself. Laertes does not hide his rage from anyone. When Laertes hears of his father Polonius’ death he is furious quoting, "To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father." (4.5.128-134). Laertes immediately seeks revenge for his father’s death. Unlike Hamlet who hesitates to go in the direction of violence, Laertes immediately bursts into the castle with a band of people crying, “Choose we! Laertes shall be king!” (4.5.105-109). Laertes demands, "O thou vile king, give me my father!" (4.5.119-20). Due to Laertes’ anger he loses all his rational thought, and he acts with only emotions. When Laertes discovers that Hamlet kills his beloved father, he goes along with king Claudius’s plan to murder Hamlet, "To cut his throat in the church and requite him for Laertes father" (4.7.127, 140). Laertes inability to manage his rage ends up killing himself in the …show more content…
When Laertes learns of his sister Ophelia’s death, he is angry and torn with loss because he just lost his father as well. Hamlet is also shocked and angered over the loss of her. Hamlet was obsessed with Ophelia and this can be seen through his steady anguish over her. This causes him to suffer greatly with the loss of her. Laertes, unlike Hamlet shared a brotherly love for Ophelia. During Ophelia’s funeral, in his already unstable emotional state, Laertes jumps into her grave. He is not ready to permanently accept the loss of his sister. He wanted the gravediggers to, “Hold off the earth awhile til I have caught her once more in mine arms” (5.1.222-226). Hamlet and Laertes then break out in a battle arguing who loved Ophelia more. Hamlet claims that, “forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love, make up my sum” (v.i.254-256). Hamlet even claims that he would, “eat a crocodile? I’ll do ’t.”(5.1.255-256). Hamlet seems to be going mad again to prove his love for Ophelia was greater than Laertes’. Basically the death of Ophelia gave Hamlet and Laertes more grief and more loss to deal with. They both have different reasons for reacting the way they did but both struggle to deal with the loss of Ophelia who they both