ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Laertes is a foil to Hamlet because he is distracting Hamlet from his final goal. Hamlet and Laertes both want to avenge their father’s death. Hamlet lets his opponent know that he is coming after them and Laertes is more unagitated about it.

Detailed explanation-2: -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. Where Hamlet is verbal, Laertes is physical; where Hamlet broods, Laertes blusters.

Detailed explanation-3: -A foil in literature is a secondary character who contrasts with the story’s protagonist. They usually serve as the antagonists and are meant to give context to the actions and traits of the main character. Hamlet’s foils are Claudius, Laertes, Horatio, Polonius, Ophelia, and Fortinbras.

Detailed explanation-4: -When Hamlet says that he is Laertes foil, what possible meaning could this have? Foils= fencing swords. A foil is also a character whose qualities are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to highlight the traits of the other character. Laertes is a foil for Hamlet.

Detailed explanation-5: -In Hamlet, Shakespeare utilizes several foil characters to help readers better comprehend Hamlet’s character. One such foil is Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, who killed King Hamlet and married his wife to become a king.