Character in Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

grammatical case in settlement - Essay ExampleFor instance, hamlets relationship with Ophelia and her untimely death Claudiuss plot to get Hamlet scratch offed through the two minor contributions Rosencratz and Guildenstern Poloniuss accidental death and so on. Among these minor characters Poloniuss son, Laertes, performs a vital role in the play. Over time, Hamlets character has come to be symbolic of indecision and postponement of action. In contrast to this is Laertes who is, in several ways, the arrogate opposite of Hamlet. This paper allow explore what function Laertes serves in Hamlet and how this affects the readers cognition of him. In the play, Laertes embodies quick decision-making and action and has been deliberately created to serve as a foil to Prince Hamlet, but is lastly the more sympathetic character. Laertes is introduced in Act I, Scene II where Claudius with almost fatherly affection asks him of his news. Laertes reveals that he is about to return to France . The figure of Laertes then, is introduced at the beginning of the play but just to have him digress soon. His introduction, therefore, must be of some importance as it could easily have been postponed in the play. It is likewise large that he is introduced before Hamlet himself. It is only after speaking to Laertes that Claudius turns to Hamlet But now, my cousin, Hamlet, and my son-. This turning from Laertes to Hamlet establishes right at the beginning, some degree of opposition between the two. It is as if Shakespeare, right from the start, deliberately and subtly positions Laertes in contrast to Hamlet. It is also significant to our argument that Laertes too is opposed, to some extent, to Hamlet from the beginning. He advises Ophelia to non take Hamlets profession of love for her too seriously For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour, study it a fashion and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth of primy temperament, Forward, non permanent, sweet, not lasting, The perf ume and suppliance of a minute No more (I.iii.6-10). He also cautions her in no uncertain terms Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister that Hamlets affections may change. Laertes believes that his will is not his own. Laertes, therefore, is the first character in the play to recognize Hamlets indecisive nature and notably, is the first to criticize or oppose Hamlet in any way. Structurally then, Laertes is cleverly presented in clear contrast to the main protagonist of the play. But Laertes is also quite different from Hamlet in behavior and action. Hamlet is crippled by the death of his father and is unable to act. His paralysis is so foreclose for him that he turns near suicidal, wishing that his too too solid flesh would melt. Whereas, the death of his father only spurs Laertes into further action. He vows that he shall be revengd and immediately sets upon taking his revenge upon first, Claudius, and then, Hamlet. He is also successful in killing Hamlet, although not withou t getting himself killed in the process. It is significant to our argument that Hamlet and Laertes kill each new(prenominal) with the same poisoned sword. It is symbolic of their dependent opposition that one cannot die without killing the other in the process. We see then, that in terms of plot action Laertes is clearly established as Hamlets polar opposite right from the beginnin