hamlet
...madness” is back in him. He forced down the poison down the mouth of Claudius which is iron in many ways. One is that Claudius is killed in the same way that he used to kill many other people. Another way it is ironic is that everyone is killed by poison except for Ophelia. She is killed by drowning herself which can be seen in different ways. One way is that she is killed by water which shows purity and that she was killed differently from everyone else. The fact that everyone else is killed by poison shows that she dies in a different way and the way she dies was more pure. Foils are also shown through Laertes and Horatio to the tragic figure of Hamlet. Because Hamlet’s character is in contrast with these figures, he becomes more vivid towards the reader. In the poisonous "un-weeded garden" of Denmark, it seems to Prince Hamlet that an educated, thoughtful, morally upright person can set things right only by sacrificing his own life. In order to rescue his country from the evil caused by his stepfather, Claudius, Hamlet is willing to take extreme measures to provide safety for his country. Laertes, Polonius's son and Ophelia’s brother, has returned after he has heard the rumour of his father's death. He feels very depressed about that. Accompanied by his followers, he breaks into the castle, and sees the King. At the time, in Laertes' mind, there is nothing more important than his concern for his father's death. Impulsively, he rushes to the King addresses Claudius to a "vile king" , takes out his sword and points it threateningly at the King, demanding of him where his father's corpse is. Also he immediately declares that nothing can stop his "will, not all the world" and he is ready to take revenge at any cost. We can see that it is a disrespectful way to confront the King. On the other hand, although Laertes acts rudely and in a poor manner, he only wants to revenge his father's death and his sister's insanity. To approach the King in like he did, although rude and hasty, shows that Laertes is courageous. This is a contrast with Hamlet who has repeatedly delayed his revenge for his father's murder. There is no question that Hamlet is also brave, but throughout the play in contrast to Laertes, Hamlet procrastinates, considers, and waits. Perhaps Hamlet has achieved moral dignity in overcoming evil and righting the wrongs, but the innocent people of Ophelia, Polonius, Laertes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern died in his course. Horatio is an intelligent scholar and the best friend of Hamlet. They have studied together a...