Who Is Laertes A Foil In Hamlet

Laertes serves as an important foil character of Hamlet’s throughout the entire play. The things that happen to Laertes resemble the events that happened to Hamlet, however, they mostly vary in the way that they handle things. Laertes and Hamlet both have fathers who have been murdered. Both of their fathers were important people; Hamlet’s father, was the king; and Laertes’s father, was Lord Chamberlain of the royal court. They both seek revenge for their fathers’ deaths. Laertes and Hamlet’s consciences change throughout the play. Along with their shared hate for one another they also share a common love for Ophelia. Laertes’ actions after the death of Polonius is more justified than the actions of Hamlet. In the beginning of the play Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet, is murdered. Hamlet is told by his father’s ghost that Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, is the one who murdered him. After getting this news, he immediately wants to avenge his father’s death and get back at Claudius.
“Haste me to know’t, that I with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge.” (1.5, 33-35).
Hamlet procrastinates with seeking revenge and does not take action to bring Claudius to justice right away. Before doing anything too serious, Hamlet makes everyone think he is gone mad and puts together a play about a man who kills
Both their fathers were of the higher class and their deaths each rooted from political conflicts. Laertes act of a foil character to Hamlet emphasizes his cowardly actions. His actions after the death of his father are more justified than Hamlets. He took action right away in order to seek revenge. Unlike Hamlet who waited too long to get the revenge his father had wanted him to get. Hamlet mostly waited for karma to take its place and do what was right. He cowardly thought about suicide a few times during the play. “to be or not to be, that is the question”