Hamlet and Laertes

        Similarly, Laertes reveals his anger against Claudius for the death of Polonius, his father. He wants revenge not only for his father, but also for his sister, Ophelia. His response to grief is in direct contrast to the response to grief of Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes is prompt to act as he literally mobs the castle upon receiving news of the death of his father, threatening the King while the Queen observes with worry. King Claudius cleverly draws and lures Laertes, eventually influencing him into becoming an ally to kill Hamlet. Laertes is secure in his ability to regain honour by avenging his families untimely death, stating, “my revenge will come” (Act I, scene ii, line 78). Another important aspect to note is the fact that Laertes is so bent on getting revenge that he is willing to be damned to hell. He states that he would be willing “to cut [Hamlet’s] throat i' th’ church” (Act IV, scene vii, line 140).

        Clearly, the only similarity between Hamlet and Laertes as avengers is their desires are rash in anger. However, Hamlet chooses to complain. Long stretches of time pass before Hamlet actually decides to take action against Claudius. It seems that his personality (too much thinking) causes him to lose his desire for revenge. On the opposite side, Laertes “literally” mobs the castle over his father's death. He marches right up to Claudius in his anger and threatens to kill him. Hamlet and Laertes represent the two extremes of revenge: procrastination over circumstances, and impulse acting without reasoning. Revenge is the powerful force behind these character’s actions, and this led to their ruin. As illustrated, the characters of Hamlet and Laertes are developed as foils through Hamlet. The two characters compare and contrast largely in the area of avengers to seek the vengeance and honour of their families. Truly, Shakespeare’s text develops Hamlet and Laertes into tainted mirror images of each other, highlighting Hamlet’s personality and actions.