Foil In Hamlet Research Paper

In many of Shakespeare’s plays, there is a major character, and a lesser character whose character traits directly contrast those of the major character. This literary device is called a foil. One example of this exists in the play Romeo and Juliet, in which Mercutrio foils Romeo’s character with his disdain for love and belief in man making his own destiny. Another example of foil exists in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. The character of Lady Macduff foils Lady Macbeth in her lack ambition, her genuine love of family life and her devotion to her husband.

     The final way a character can be a foil for another character is that they are there to talk to the important character. This helps the character show his or her feelings about conflicts in the play. In Act 3, Scene 1 (p. 672-677) [Citation] Ophelia is used by the king, Gertrude, and Polonius to set up Hamlet to see if his madness is because of Ophelia's rejection of his love. [Nice point! They use Ophelia precisely as a foil to see what

A foil character contrasts the personalities of another character, which particularly enlightens certain characteristics of the individual. This element portrays these characteristics in an obvious manner, as it benefits the reader or audience. By showing the characteristics of one, it directly heightens the character traits of the other, creating a foil illustration of an individual. Nowhere is this element of literature more prudent than in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as he effectively engages the use of foil characters. In the play, two lovers from opposing, and hateful families fall in love, but the hatred between households lead to their downfall. Characters in the immoral city of Verona are set to represent key themes and

Foil characters are defined as characters that are used to contrast another character. This character in most cases is the protagonist. Moreover, foil characters tend to be based on the protagonist’s hubris, wherein contrasting the fatal flaw shows how it has ballooned out of control. Foil characters further themes by highlighting the characteristics of certain characters that will help enhance the theme. The role of foil characters in Shakespearean tragedies is to show what could have happened if the protagonist made a different choice. Likewise, this idea is prevalent within Romeo and Juliet. Furthermore, this play portrays two children from warring families who meet and fall in love, but eventually kill themselves as their love is not

A foil is a minor character that helps the audience better understand a major character. A foil may exist as a comparison character, with similarities between the two, as well as differences that bring to light an important contrast between the foil and the main character. A foil may also just be someone for the main character to talk to, so we can know and understand their thoughts and feelings. Foils help us understand the obvious as well as the arcane. In the classic tragedy Hamlet, we see William Shakespeare employ foils to illustrate both examples. They become important literary tools that help the reader rationalize the concurrent theme of the play -

Decisions In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare incorporates the theme that an individual’s decisions, whether conscious or unconscious, which are made on earth will foreshadow their outcome in the afterlife. Shakespeare establishes this theme through the contrast of the character foils, Hamlet and Laertes. While both characters do act upon their decisions, Shakespeare clearly shows the difference between the influences of their actions. Hamlet commits his actions in an unconscious states as he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which occurs when an individual has, “exposure to trauma involving death” (Canadian Mental Health Association, para. 1).

Foiled by foils Hamlet was very influenced by others he was surrounded by. The affected his course of him doing things. Hamlet was affected a lot by Fortinbras and his ways and wanted to be like him. His foils changed the way everything played out and unfolded. It made him do things he most likely wouldn't do otherwise.

The Foils are secondary characters that have differences or mutual things with the main characters, and they also help to give more protagonist to the principal character. Hamlet has different foils, and one of them is Laertes. Laertes is put in the play as the antagonist of the play. Laertes and Hamlet have a mutual feeling, revenge. Both of them want to take revenge for the death of their respective fathers.

In most plays and short stories there are characters that help distinguish other main characters. The characters that create these distinctions are commonly known as foils. A foil is a minor character that contrasts the characteristics of a more important character. The foils in Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, help the reader understand the struggles that Hamlet went through to find out what happened to his father.

In his plays, Shakespeare often uses characters to contrast other characters for the purpose of emphasizing certain qualities between these characters. These characters are called foils. In, “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare uses the character Lady Capulet to contrast the Nurse,who is another character in the play.

Foil. A character that possesses traits that emphasize distinctive characteristics and qualities of a different character. For example, William Shakespeare uses foil characters such as Don John, a illegitimate brother to the prince of Aragon, Don Pedro, in Much Ado About Nothing. In the play, Don Pedro arranged Claudio and Hero’s wedding while Don John tries to destroy it. Seeing that, Don John and Don Pedro are foil characters helps clarify the meaning of the play; deception can be hurtful or helpful if used with the appropriate intentions.

In literature, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character —usually the protagonist— to highlight particular qualities of the other character. In Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Peter Van Pels serves as a character foil to Anne’s spoken mind. The characteristics of a tragic hero like being doomed from the start, having a fate greater than deserved, and attracting empathy illuminates the fact that loneliness can create strong bonds.

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, there are characters here that are obvious foils for Hamlet. These foils have caused Hamlet a fortune. The young prince has to deal with the death of his father and his mother’s incestuous behavior and also his uncle’s corruption. Hamlet is a man who is driven by his deceased father, the king, to avenge his death and kill his uncle. But Hamlet seems to be indecisive about it, probably because he does not want to kill his uncle, Claudius, or because he is schemed against by various characters, who do not want him to succeed. These foils have caused Hamlet a fortune.

Hamlet and Claudius are foils in a more basic way. Hamlet hates deception; Claudius is really good at it. Hamlet values honesty and truthfulness and fidelity; Claudius is one of the biggest —and most successful —fakers ever. Claudius is good at politics and managing people; Hamlet doesn't seem to be very good at this at all. Claudius doesn't make a bad king, minus the brother-killing thing; Hamlet may have actually made the worst king ever.

Shakespeare had a talent for creating perfect foils in his plays; one of his best foils is his character Claudius. Claudius is an ideal protagonist, and Hamlet's perfect foil in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Claudius’s character is a perfect example of the protagonist in the play, you see this through both his hostile actions, and his devious characteristics like jealousy, spite, sneakiness, and selfish ways. Claudius allows his selfishness to take control of him in the play, and this results in the murder of king,