frustration. Hamlet and Laertes: Pawns of the King 1 In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet [Titles] the actions of Laertes and Hamlet are the focal point of the play. His father is killed during the action of the play. The main characters in the play include Claudius (king of Denmark), Hamlet (also known as prince Hamlet and the son of the deceased king Hamlet and Queen Gertrude), Gertrude (queen of Denmark), Polonius (Lord Chamberlain), and Laertes (Polonius’ son). Hamlet is a very moody character while Laertes is very passionate about everything he does. Hamlet and Laertes: Pawns of the King 1052 Words | 5 Pages. Laertes chooses a way for revenge different from Hamlet’s. He tells her of his concerns for Hamlet’s true intentions and wishes that she be very careful. 10 Must-Watch TED Talks That Have the Power to Change Your Life. • Hamlet publicly apologizes for everything he did to Laertes. He is driven by emotions. • Both Hamlet and Laertesare impulsive characters, but Hamlet is more of a thinker while Laertes is more of a straightaway doer. Because Laertes is able to quickly gather a small army of supporters, the implication is that Hamlet (who is so popular) could have unseated Claudius. Hamlet, who acts slowly and with much contemplation, and Laertes, who acts with reckless anger, represent polar opposites. Hamlet and Laertes: Pawns of the King 1 In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet [Titles] the actions of Laertes and Hamlet are the focal point of the play. Enough to make an attempt to wreak revenge upon their fathers murderers at the risk of their own reputation, freedom, and souls. Hamlet and Laertes share a different but deep love and concern for Ophelia. After Hamlet kills Polonius, Laertes faces the same problem that Hamlet does —a murdered father. As you know, Laertes and Fortinbras are two characters in Shakespeare’s play that serve as foils for Hamlet. Where Hamlet is contemplative and frozen by emotions, Laertes is reactive and quick to action. 2. This key difference is most obvious from their responses to the deaths of their fathers. Laertes is a man of action, filled with impulse. Laertes is also suffering through the accidental death of his father and a perfidy of a close person. As Hamlet lies dying at the end of the play, Horatio considers suicide, but Hamlet convinces him to live on to tell the story. He storms home from France as soon as he hears the news, raises a crowd of followers, and invades the palace. It is referred to as one of the most powerful tragedies in English literature and as the longest play written by William Shakespeare.The prime source of Hamletis the legend Ameith found in the 13th century chronicles and Hamlet is woven on the theme hero-as-fool. Laertes comes from a noble family which has a good status and reputation in society. Act 1, scene 4. And that's where the similarities end. A perfect example of the dangers of honor is in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in which Shakespeare presents the audience with three different examples of how characters respond to the duty of honor. Meanwhile, Laertes is absent for much of the play and spends the majority of his time in France. While hamlet and Laertes are both honor bound to avenge the murder of their father they go about it in different ways. Horatio . After Hamlet kills Polonius, Laertes faces the same problem that Hamlet does —a murdered father. Laertes is the son of Polonius, who is basically the king’s, or Hamlet’s uncle’s, right-hand man. Laertes . The setting of this play is in Denmark. Before leaving for France, he asks Ophelia to doubt Hamlet’s will. Hamlet recognizes what Shakespeare has made abundantly clear throughout the play, that Laertes is Hamlet's foil. He mirrors Hamlet but behaves in the opposite manner. Hamlet’s brooding over the morality of the act of revenge stands apart from that of the other two men because he represents the coming of a more enlightened … • Both Hamlet and Laertesare impulsive characters, but Hamlet is more of a thinker while Laertes is more of a straightaway doer. Hamlet and Laertes are both simular, because, in the book they both have the endurance to keep standing up and trying again. Like Hamlet’s father, Polonius was also killed by a close person to family. How does each figure expose or highlight certain traits in Hamlet’s character, and how does each character’s behavior in the play relate to the themes of advice and duty, action versus inaction, and sanity versus madness? Laertes is a character in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. He is cautious, scholarly, and a good man, known for giving sound advice. However, apart from the use of Laertes as a foil, his presence in the play provides great theatrical moments filled with violence, passion and action – all things that audiences love. How does Hamlet feel about his mother and why? for Ophelia. He provided advice to Ophelia pertaining to her relationship with Hamlet. Hamlet even pretends to be mad, But Ophelia is truly driven insane. Since the story of Hamlet is very popular and a subject of interest in English literature, it can be very useful to know the difference between Hamlet and Laertes for the students of English literature. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles to avenge his father’s deaths and under quick impulsion he causes a number of deaths including Laertes, King C laudius, his lover Ophelia, and his mother Queen Gertrude. 317). Claudius manages to get Laertes and Hamlet in a fencing match but the fate worked differently and Gertrude is killed by mistake when she sips wine supposedly poisoned for Hamlet. 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