In the Shakespearean play, Hamlet, the theme of revenge revolves around the story. The play is difficult to understand without the knowledge of the use of foils. In literature, a foil is another character in a story who contrasts with the main character to highlight one of their attributes. Two characters that shares similarities and differences with Hamlet are Fortinbras and Laertes. Hamlet faces a tough decision when he learns King Claudius kills his father. Should he avenge his father’s death or is the ghost a devil trying to tell him something else? This dilemma is presented in similar context for Laertes and Fortinbras. Although their situations are similar, however, each person handles their problem in a different manner. The rage made
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Fortinbras is a foil to Hamlet because he wants to avenge his father, however, his plan to carry it out was different from Hamlet. Fortinbras immediately raises an army to reclaim Norway’s lost territories. He goes out of his way to conquer other countries and plans to take the Danish throne. Unlike Hamlet and Laertes, he acts rationally and plans accordingly, which allows him to stay alive over the other two. Shakespeare uses Fortinbras to show how impulse and contemplation will not lead to results desired. In contrast, Hamlet’s plans to take revenge on his uncle can be interpreted in two ways. He could have held off his plans because he wanted to validate his assumptions about Claudius or he was procrastinating on his actions. In act four, Hamlet’s actions of procrastinating shows his acknowledge of his lack of action which will prove to fatal in later scenes of the play. “How stand I, then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, […] while to my shame I see, the imminent death of twenty thousand men, that for a fantasy and trick of fame, go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot, wherein the numbers cannot try the cause, which is not tomb enough and continent to hide the slain? Oh, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!” (IV.IV. 59-69). In this soliloquy, it shows Hamlet is hesitant about his plan and he rages against his own ability to get revenge as the Ghost has told him. The thought of the soldiers dying for a piece of land makes him think of his own honor. The soliloquy refreshes his purpose in seeking
Fortinbras is a foil to Hamlet because he wants to avenge his father, however, his plan to carry it out was different from Hamlet. Fortinbras immediately raises an army to reclaim Norway’s lost territories. He goes out of his way to conquer other countries and plans to take the Danish throne. Unlike Hamlet and Laertes, he acts rationally and plans accordingly, which allows him to stay alive over the other two. Shakespeare uses Fortinbras to show how impulse and contemplation will not lead to results desired. In contrast, Hamlet’s plans to take revenge on his uncle can be interpreted in two ways. He could have held off his plans because he wanted to validate his assumptions about Claudius or he was procrastinating on his actions. In act four, Hamlet’s actions of procrastinating shows his acknowledge of his lack of action which will prove to fatal in later scenes of the play. “How stand I, then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, […] while to my shame I see, the imminent death of twenty thousand men, that for a fantasy and trick of fame, go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot, wherein the numbers cannot try the cause, which is not tomb enough and continent to hide the slain? Oh, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!” (IV.IV. 59-69). In this soliloquy, it shows Hamlet is hesitant about his plan and he rages against his own ability to get revenge as the Ghost has told him. The thought of the soldiers dying for a piece of land makes him think of his own honor. The soliloquy refreshes his purpose in seeking