The World Chafing Against Hamlet's Nerves

1/13/2017

In the following speech, Claudius seemingly comforts Hamlet by saying that we all share the "common theme" which is the "death of fathers." In his line of argument, excessive mourning is vulgar and unnatural because everybody is to go through the death of the beloved at one time or another. In reality, Claudius seeks to manipulate Hamlet by dispersing his gloomy thoughts and desire to rebel against the new king.

Yet, Claudius in spite of himself reveals an ironic truth that the underlying theme of this play is the filial duty of a son to honor his dead father. There are three young men and a young woman in similar circumstances who have to contend with the death of their fathers: Hamlet, Fortinbras, Laertes, and Ophelia. These literary foils provide a contrast that helps illustrate Hamlet's struggles and agony.

16 Comments

Luis Villanueva 1-2A

1/15/2017 20:27:17

Fortinbras, Hamlet, and Laertes are all three similar because all there fathers have been killed. They each want to seek revenge for their fathers murder and are all in the wrong state of mind. The three of them are foils because Fortinbras wants revenge on Hamlet because his father was killed by Hamlets dad. Hamlet due to his fathers death kills Polonius because his mind is in the wrong place (Laertes Father) and now Laertes wants to kill Hamlet because he caused the downfall of his sister as well as his father. All three of them know what its like to lose their father.

Yomeini Alfaro

1/19/2017 16:52:57

Shakespeare introduces ambiguity to the play a specialty of Shakespeare master peaces, likes to play and engage the reader to get emotions and connects to the story and its characters in a very deep way. For example hamlet's father the king of Denmark death by hamlet not knowing if his uncle is the one who killed his father makes the character hamlet to get in shock and make him do decisions his not too sure about that would make future problems in the story that would affects other characters life's.

Karla Olivares

1/28/2017 17:10:04

I extremely agree with Luis response towards Hamlet, Fortinbras and Laertes similarities on the play. Hamlet has impact the other two characters after the death of his own father which Hamlet declares revenge because he has not concluded who was the responsible of his father death. Hamlet was immensely in love with Ophelia but it turns out that he was guilty of the assassination of Ophelia's father therefore, his brother Laertes comes back from his vacations in Europe after he found about the two horrific news and wanted revenge. Meanwhile,Fortinbras wanted revenge towards Hamlet because Hamlet's father killed Fortinbra's father.

Frizia Lei A Ramos

2/6/2017 21:47:23

All three of them are a foil but there are differences on how they approached their revenge. Fortinbras who had constantly tried and never stop trying to get the Denmark back as to get what his father owned. In Laertes situation, as soon as he knew about his Father he already took action going back to Denmark and seek revenge. Unlike Hamlet who overthinks about seeking revenge and delays when he will take action until later in Act 4, he realizes that he should take action already to gain worth of his death

Adaylin Alvarez

2/17/2017 00:34:16

Fortinbras, Hamlet, and Laertes are foils because they have similar stories throughout Hamlet. All of their fathers have been brutally murdered and they all decide to avenge them in order to maintain their honor. Although they all want to avenge their fathers, they have different ways of going forth with their revenge.

Roxanne Flores

2/17/2017 09:43:20

Laertus and Fortinbras both have lost a father, that is one of the main connections both of these characters/foils have towards Hamlet. They are also seeking revenge for the death of their father which is the major them of this play. They both want to honor their fathers by doing what they think will contempt their honor.

Carlos Ramírez Jr

2/23/2017 20:38:08

I agree with you Roxanne each of their goals are similar In task and difficulty. I'm order to honor each of their fathers they need to beat one and eachother to it. Then we Will see who gets to complete their task and take revenge for their fathers.

Edoardo Munoz

2/18/2017 21:12:52

The death of a father, and a thirst for revenge. This is what Hamlet, Laertus, and Fortinbras all have in common. They have all lost their fathers through foul play, and will stop at nothing until vengeance is gotten. This is what makes this trio so similar.

Jorge Gonzalez

2/18/2017 22:11:54

As everyone knows, Laertes, Hamlet, and Fortinbras, all have parents that have been killed. This is important since the premise of Hamlet is all about Hamlet's father death, so basically, the main problem is shared between three characters and it shows the three different perspectives. From these three perspectives, all of them are correct, they should honor their father's death and in the end they all do take action to take revenge against their parent's deaths.

Chris Bautista

2/22/2017 13:53:00

I agree with jorge because all three do have the same problem and overall like jorge said they should honor their father's death. The reason why they should is because basically that is the right thing to do and well they do end up seeking revenge.

Pedro Polanco

2/22/2017 00:09:19

Fortinbras and Laertes are organically connected to Hamlet because both Fortinbras' and Laertes' fathers were killed by the hands of both, king and prince Hamlet. The problem was that now two more people wanted to kill Hamlet. The connection of deaths all lead to either Hamlet or King Hamlet; the circle is continuous due to the fact that Laertes's sister commits suicide because of Hamlet's actions.

Carlos Ramírez Jr

2/23/2017 19:21:49

I have to agree with your statement peter because it becomes an ongoing dilemma between the three characters plus leads to a chain of events that led to laertes's sisters death.

Alondra

2/22/2017 19:04:31

Fortinbras and Laertes are organically related to Hamlet because all three are seeking for revenge on their father's death. Both of them want to kill Hamlet. It all started when Hamlet's father killed Fortinbra's father but since Hamlet's fathers is dead, Fortinbras wants to get revenge by killing Hamlet. Laertes wants to seek revenge on whoever killed his father which was Hamlet in an accident by Hamlet accidentally confusing Polonius for rats behind the curtains. And Hamlet wants to kill Claudius for murdering his father the king.

antuan jimenez

2/22/2017 23:50:53

Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes has contradiction with each other and each of them goes as a cycle where Hamlets father kills Fortinbras, Hamlet the younger one kills Polonius and Laertes wants to kill Hamlet because he cause a downfall with his sister.

Carlos Ramírez Jr

2/23/2017 00:30:05

Hamlets foil having to be fortínbras because of the differences and similares they both share. Shake spear even puts it in a way that hamlet and fortinbras almost go through a similar situation to see how each one would end up. Both of them a long with laertes are connected because each of their fathers were murdered leaving them want to fulfill their own fathers desires or revenge.

Carlos Ramírez Jr

2/23/2017 19:18:33

Both fortinbras and laertes are more closely related to the character Hamlet because of the similarities of each if they're situations, almost like they're opposites hence the term FOIL. All three seek the same revenge for the murders of their fathers.

The World Chafing Against Hamlet's Nerves

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