Due Thursday, October 31st - "Hamlet" Foil Essays to Turnitin.com

Overview and directions: You will compose a comprehensive literary analysis of Hamlet by William Shakespeare.  Read the instructions below.  Good luck!

Hamlet says, "I love essays!"

Essay prompt:  In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a FOIL CHARACTER, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast and/or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses and/or strengths of the main character. William Shakespeare's Hamlet offers fascinating comparisons in which a minor character serves as a foil for the main character, Hamlet. Choose a foil character to compare and contrast with Hamlet, our main character. Compose an essay in which you analyze how the relationship between the minor character and Hamlet illuminates the meaning of the work on the whole. In other words, show us the development of these two characters from Act I through Act V. Possible foil characters: Fortinbras, Laetres, Ophelia, Claudius, Gertrude, or Polonius. You may also choose two foil characters, if you wish (For example, Using Laertes AND Fortinbras to compare to Hamlet).

Suggested Outline

Preliminary work:  Reread your last blog post (as well as your other posts!) and peruse the posts of your fellow classmates.   Create a Google Doc/Word Document for your Hamlet essay.  Cut and paste your blog response into the document to provide yourself a starting in point.  Return to the text and gather evidence.  Cut and paste all direct quotations into the document.

Paragraph 1:  Introduction.  It should contain at least 2-3 sentences detailing your statement of purpose regarding Hamlet and his relationship with the foil character(s) of choice.  The last sentence should a firm thesis statement detailing the point you wish to make in comparing and contrasting Hamlet with your chosen foil character(s).

Paragraph 2:  First body paragraph.  Here, you establish the staring point, or exposition of Hamlet and the foil character(s).  This may be taken from your blog response. You are more than likely in Act I, at this time.  Provide a quotation for Hamlet and one for your foil character(s).  The quotations need not be said by the characters; it may be said about them.  End the paragraph with a detailed analysis of your point in beginning, here, and provide a transition to lead us into the next paragraph.

Paragraph 3:  Second body paragraph.  Here, you will be establishing another moment between Hamlet and your foil character(s).  You should be preparing to make a point here.  This may be in Act 2, just before things go horribly wrong for Hamlet. As before, provide a quotation for Hamlet and one for your foil character(s).  I remind you that the quotations need not be said by the characters; it may be said about them.  Remember to end the paragraph with a detailed analysis of your point and provide a transition to lead us into the next paragraph.

Paragraph 4: Third body paragraph.  Here, you should be establishing the key moment between Hamlet and your foil character(s).  You should be making a point about how the characters diverge, or go in opposite directions.  This may be in Act 3, as things go things go horribly wrong for Hamlet, after the death of Polonius, and Hamlet chastises his mother.  He also sees the ghost of his father once more. As before, provide a quotation for Hamlet and one for your foil character(s).  I remind you that the quotations need not be said by the characters; it may be said about them.  Remember to end the paragraph with a detailed analysis of your point and provide a transition to lead us into the next paragraph.

Paragraph 5: Fourth body paragraph.  Here, you should be establishing the key moment between Hamlet and your foil character(s).  You should be making a point about how the characters continue to diverge, or go in opposite directions.  This may be in Act 4, where Hamlet sees Fortinbras, Hamlet gives his Fortinbras soliloquy, Laetres returns, Ophelia goes insane/commits suicide, and Hamlet returns from England.  You may be commenting on Act V, scene i, where Hamlet discusses life and death with Yorick's skull.   As before, provide a quotation for Hamlet and one for your foil character(s).  I remind you that the quotations need not be said by the characters; it may be said about them.  Remember to end the paragraph with a detailed analysis of your point and provide a transition to lead us into the next paragraph.

Paragraph 6:  Fifth body paragraph.  Here, you should be wrapping things up by discussing how things turn out for Hamlet and the foil characters of choice.  You should be making a point, comparing and contrasting the outcomes of Hamlet and the foil character.  What did they initially set out to do?  How did things turn out?  What is your opinion on these events? This will more than likely involve Act V, scene 2:  the final duel between Laetres, the death of major characters, and Fortinbras taking the throne. As before, provide a quotation for Hamlet and one for your foil character(s).  I remind you that the quotations need not be said by the characters; it may be said about them.  Remember to end the paragraph with a detailed analysis of your final point, preparing us for closure.  Provide a transition to lead us into the conclusion.

Paragraph 7:  This is your conclusion.  Reflect on what you have written and give the audience your final thoughts on the events.  Why is your argument correct?  What should you leave your audience to ponder and explore further?

Final Steps:  If possible, give yourself a day away from the essay before giving it your final edit.  Give your essay a title that captures the essence of your piece in a specific way (avoid "Hamlet Essay" or something general).  Make sure to format your essay properly.  Look at the sample body paragraph below:

         Act I of Romeo and Juliet is meant to be the root for all of the other events in the play. Lord

Capulet is throwing a party in scene v, and invites Paris, the man who he would like to marry his 

daughter, Juliet, who is unsure. He hopes that Juliet and Paris will meet and fall in love. Romeo 

Montague, who is still mourning over the rejection he received from Rosaline (who remains chaste)

learns about the party from his cousin, Benvolio. Romeo is skeptical of attending the party since

Rosaline has broken his heart, but Benvolio tells him to go and look for other beauties at the event.

 Romeo fears that “Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,/Shall bitterly begin his fearful date” 

and only cause him more heart ache; although Romeo feels this way, he is able to let “he that hath the

steerage of [his] course/Direct [his] sail!”(I.iv.117-123). Despite his doubts, Romeo will end up 

falling in love with Juliet, for as the prologue stated, it’s just a matter of when they will meet. 

Again, this is made true in the text, and is connected with the aforementioned fears of Romeo.  It 

states: 

                                          The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
                                          And the continuance of their parents' rage,
                                          Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
                                          Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage (prologue.1)

          Fate and freewill affect his decision to go to the party. Freewill is only a small portion of these 

lines, but it was an important decision for him to make because his future will now be in the hands of 

fate. The audience can look at the dramatic irony of these lines and see that Romeo will fall in love.

Fate will be the ignition of the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, and all events that follow will

stem back to Romeo’s decision to follow his fate.

Post your completed essay to Turnitin.com

Classroom ID:  22103951

Enrollment Key: princehamlet