Hamlet And Laertes Compare And Contrast

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The Parallelism of Foes

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. When enemies are within close proximity, they are vulnerable to observation and to be studied. Upon further reflection of one's enemy, one might be treated to the uncanny resemblance between foes. Few characters in literary history have served the roles of opposing foils quite as well as Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Laertes, in the play Hamlet. Despite the unyielding animosity between Hamlet and Laertes, their underlying similarities classify them as nearly parallel characters. Hamlet and Laertes both posses a powerful nature of love for Ophelia, an innocent and sweet teenage girl. Furthermore, both characters also reveal the distrust and lack of loyalty among each of their families through various acts of espionage. However, the characters do differ when exacting revenge on the murderer of their fathers. Ophelia, being the sweet teenage girl that she is, is subject to an abundance of love from friends and family. The love and affection shown towards Ophelia from Hamlet and
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Hamlet and Laertes both posses a powerful nature of love for Ophelia, an innocent and sweet teenage girl. Furthermore, both characters also reveal the distrust and lack of loyalty among each of their families through various acts of espionage. However, the characters do differ when exacting revenge on the murderer of their fathers. Prior to arriving to conclusions about an adversary, enemy or loathed individual, it is imperative to truly reflect on what makes someone an enemy. As more information is uncovered, the truth can be revealed regarding one's foe and this enemy could directly parallel to the individual. Things are not always as they seem and it is important to reflect upon the similarities between foes prior to passing any set of