Hamlet And King Claudius Foils

Submitted By tbesas

Words: 514

Pages: 3

Open Document

The play Hamlet is a story of vengeance where Prince Hamlet, the son of King Hamlet wants revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who is now king. Prince Hamlet wants to take such action upon Claudius because he knows that Claudius is the reason why his father is dead. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, more than one character has been identified as being a foil to Hamlet. King Claudius is one of the foils for Hamlet. Prince Hamlet and King Claudius are foils to each other because they have opposite personalities. Even though they have different personalities, they both have to purpose of seeking to kill the other. Prince Hamlet wants King Claudius dead because Hamlet knows for a fact that Claudius was the one who poisoned his father. King Claudius wants Hamlet dead because he is afraid of Hamlet revealing the truth of what Claudius did to get his power as king. Despite having the same purpose, their personalities differ because Hamlet is indecisive and Claudius is decisive. When Hamlet has the chance to kill Claudius he is hesitant, but Claudius comes quick to conclusion that he wants Hamlet dead. For example, after the Prince Hamlet’s play that portrayed the events that lead to King Hamlet’s death, Prince Hamlet found King Claudius praying in a room all alone. Hamlet had the chance to kill Claudius right there, but he realized that it is a sin to kill someone especially praying in a religious atmosphere. Hamlet really wanted to kill Claudius, but the results did not follow through as planned. On the other hand, when Claudius spoke with Laertes, Claudius completely put his mind into killing Hamlet. Claudius made a plan to poison a drink that Hamlet would ingest. Claudius wasn’t indecisive of his actions; he would do anything to kill Hamlet just so that he could gain his power as the king. This is how Claudius is a foil to Hamlet. Laertes, the son of Polonius, is also a foil to Hamlet. Laertes and Hamlet are both similar because they both want to avenge the death of

Hamlet Eggs Claudius Essay

Hamlet Prompt The Hamlet written by William Shakespeare is a beautiful yet mysterious piece of work. After reading and watching this piece of work one can see that vengeance is the major theme that runs through this play. Prince Hamlet in the beginning is distraught over the death of his father who was the king of Denmark. He is also saddened because his mother married his uncle shortly after the death of his father. Hamlet is already suspicious and angry at the events that have taken place. He…

Words 409 - Pages 2

Hamlet: Family and Hamlet’s Appearance Essay

with his thoughts on death on humanity. It may seem fitting thus, for Hamlet’s own mother removed herself from the grieving and found a matched level of joy in marrying her dead husband’s brother. Finding a way to cope with the pain of his mother’s betrayal of their family, Hamlet’s subconscious plan for revenge comes to him through a ghost who haunts the halls and he is guided by this vengeance throughout the play. Hamlet’s depression from his father’s death grew tremendously as his mother, Queen…

Words 1571 - Pages 7

Hamlet: Characters in Hamlet and Ghost Essay

Vengeance in Hamlet Throughout history, the idea of vengeance has destroyed large communities, populations and entire civilizations. The problem with man and revenge is that one may be side tracked of why or whom he is avenging. This similar idea is conveyed in the theme of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Vengeance can confuse a man's mind and soul to the point where he may not be sure of whom he is really avenging. Shakespeare uses foils in this play to allow us readers to understand Hamlet…

Words 903 - Pages 4

Hamlet Character Commentary Essay

the young protagonist, Hamlet, with an intimate conflict: Hamlet’s duty of avenging the murder of his father versus his hesitant nature. As Hamlet wrestles with this dilemma, the full spectrum of his character is revealed, along with his gradual progression to what fate has assigned him to do—to kill Claudius as vengeance. The pivotal moment of this is seen in the passage of Act 3, scene 4. Due to the spur of the moment of this scene, Hamlet’s sense of revenge and passivity collide. As portrayed by…

Words 671 - Pages 3

Hamlet Act IV Essay

The Key Importance of Act IV William Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet is about Prince Hamlet’s scheme for vengeance. As the story developed from the first act, it was evident that Hamlet’s profound and contemplative thoughts equivocated him from avenging his father. The selected passage demonstrates an important defining moment in his character, and amplifies curiosity towards the conclusion of the play. When Hamlet discovers the reason for the presence of Fortinbras’ army in Denmark, he…

Words 234 - Pages 1

Hamlet Essay Holly Silm

Where Freudian readings identify Hamlet’s cowardly admiration for his father as misplaced guilt for his Oedipal attraction to Gertrude, it can be contended that Hamlet had in fact, defied his father as a symbol of righteous order in a morally and politically corrupt state – ‘see what a grace was seated on this brow… where every god did seem to set his seal… to give the world assurance of a man.’ Hamlet’s chaste filial love is borne out of his desperation to fulfill an…

Words 1485 - Pages 6

Hamlet: Hamlet and Shakespeare Essay

factors come in between his plan and unnecessary deaths are caused. In the plays tragic end, only one character from the main group of Hamlet survives. Shakespeare utilizes irony to show how the characters of the played out their acts of anger and vengeance, and how in each conquest they each failed. As I read through the story, I picked up on subtle hints of how each character demonstrated their own sense of revenge and how Shakespeare controlled the outcome of each characters experience. Shakespeare…

Words 1516 - Pages 7

Quarto In Hamlet

Hamlet, there are several textual differences between the First Folio and Second Quarto texts, which often affect the reading of a character or the play. One example of this phenomenon is in Hamlet’s first soliloquy. After being confronted by the Ghost of his father and hearing about the circumstances of King Hamlet’s murder, Prince Hamlet laments his own existence. He says that he wishes he could “melt” (Q2, 1.2.129), and then bemoans “Or that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter…

Words 1688 - Pages 7

Essay about Hamlet: Hamlet and Hamlet’s Problem

Asma Bakar1 English 12 Period 4 June 5, 2014 Hamlet’s thinking problem In William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, a mission is given to the young prince: to seek vengeance against his uncle, Claudius, his father’s murderer. Hamlet has a lot of chances to kill the now King of Denmark, Claudius but he misses this opportunity numerous times. Hamlet delays because he’s consumed by this own thoughts about vengeance. Hamlet is obsessed over his mother’s new marriage…

Words 644 - Pages 3

English Practise Essay 1

Which fatal flaw leads to Hamlet's catastrophic downfall? Shakespeare's enduring play Hamlet, revolving around a philosophical protagonist, explores the most complex forces of humanity and takes the concept of revenge to a new dimension. Prince Hamlet's character is many things: a scholar, speaker, actor, prince. He shows greatness in all his activities, save one: his inactivity. Hamlet's one most fatal flaw is his ability to reconcile the differences between his moral sensitivities and his primary…

Words 542 - Pages 3