Set in seventh century Denmark, "Hamlet", written by William Shakespeare, exposes the intricacies of the human mind through his presentation of characters. Shakespeare is able to further the dramatic situation of the play by providing foils to Hamlet in the extreme. Both Laertes and Ophelia mirror Hamlet but behave in opposite manners in reaction to Polonius' death. Meanwhile, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are torn between loyalties just as Hamlet. The difference between Laertes, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and …
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showed last 75 words of 1359 total
…simple minded and naive. Both Laertes and Ophelia serve as catalysts to Hamlet's character development. Lastly, there are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who were more assertive and steadfast in completing their tasks than Hamlet had been. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Hamlet's foil when a decision between loyalties needed to be made. Shakespeare utilized characters such as Laertes, Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to act as counterparts to Hamlet to further emphasize the significance of Hamlet's role.