The Fatal Opposition Of Hamlet And Laertes - 1035 Words

Lauryn Bryan ENG 102-08 2 May 2016 Ms. Benns The Fatal Opposition of Hamlet and Laertes Newton s Third Law states that to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (â€Å"Centripetal†). Many people have found this to not only be true in science but also in different situations, everyday life, and even in literature. In literature, when a character is equal but opposite to the protagonist, that character is called the foil. In the drama Hamlet by William Shakespeare, one character that is said to function as Hamlet’s foil is Laertes. Laertes is shown to be Hamlet’s foil throughout the play based on both of their opinions about Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship, their motives for revenge, and how they carry out their vengeance. At the beginning of the play, Ophelia’s and Hamlet’s feelings towards each other are made clear. Ophelia is head over heels in love with Hamlet. She believes that Hamlet sincerely loves her, and it is possible that she and Hamlet will one day get married. Hamlet feels the same way about Ophelia. Hamlet loves Ophelia very much and he even writes a letter to her that declares how much he loves her. â€Å"†¦I am ill at these numbers. I have not art to reckon my groans, but I love thee best†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare, 2.2.119-120). Even though Hamlet claims to have strong feelings for Ophelia, Laertes disagrees. For most of the play, Laertes makes it known to Ophelia that he does not believe Hamlet truly loves her. Laertes believes that Hamlet is using OpheliaShow MoreRelated A Comparison of the Character of Brutus in Julius Caesar and Hamlet in Hamlet2791 Words   |  12 PagesThe Characters of   Brutus and Hamlet in Hamlet and Julius Caesar  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Written one year apart from the other, one cannot fail to recognize the parallels between William Shakespeares tragedies Julius Caesar and Hamlet. To begin, they are both stories of assassinations gone horribly wrong. Although the details of the plays are different, the two assassins (Brutus and Hamlet) provide interesting comparison. Through these two killers, Shakespeare reveals the different levels of justice; one’sRead More Importance of Thinking in Troilus and Criseyde and Hamlet Essay3509 Words   |  15 PagesImportance of Thinking in Troilus and Criseyde and Hamlet Troilus and Hamlet have much in common. Both have represented the quintessential tragic heroes of two literary periods. Both lovers, Troilus and Hamlet lose what they love despite their earth-shaking groans. Both are surrounded by traitors and are traitorous in kind. Both are embattled and--this is no secret--both die. But somewhere on that mortal coil on which they are both strung, they confront a similar question, a question which