Horatio and Laertes as foils in HamletHamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare is a play about a man's revenge for the murder of his father and all the tragedy that ensues. 'accompanied. The play takes us through the emotions and doubts that Prince Hamlet feels after speaking with the alleged ghost of his father, the former king of Denmark. Through Hamlet, we meet Horatio, Hamlet's friend and classmate. Reading the conversations between Hamlet and Horatio, we clearly understand how Hamlet feels about his father's murder and his plans to avenge this murder. We also meet Laertes, son of Polonius and sister of Ophelia. Through interactions with Laertes, we see another side of Hamlet. The similarities and differences between them help to show more of Hamlet's personality and his feelings regarding revenge. Through Horatio and Laertes, we see not only Hamlet's plan for revenge, but also some of his feelings of doubt and confusion between what he thought he wanted and what he was actually capable of. A foil is a minor character in a play or novel who shows the feelings and thoughts of the main character. This is done not only through the dialogue between the two characters but also through their similarities and differences. As a foil, Horatio can be seen as a window into what Hamlet feels and does. Horatio is one of the first to see King Hamlet's ghost and he also informs Hamlet of this sighting. This is something they have in common because not all characters can see the ghost. The queen, for example, couldn't see this when she was talking to Hamlet in her ...... middle of paper ...... tries to eliminate Hamlet from the start. The only thing slowing him down is that Claudius wants the right time and place to not only make sure Hamlet is dead, but also to save him from any repercussions that might come from Hamlet. Through different minor characters, the true feelings and personality of the main character of a novel or play come out. Hamlet's weaknesses and strengths, thoughts and desires emerged because of his relationships with others. Without Horatio or Laertes, the small aspects of Hamlet's personality would not be clear. This is true for all relationships, whether real or fictional. People, real or fake, need others around them. These characters in Hamlet are Horatio and Laertes, and without these two essential characters, the play would be less than great..