LC Hamlet Help !?

missiiss

hi .. so today in my English class we were reading Hamlet. now we are on act 4 scene 7 and i am a bit lost. and for tomorrow the teacher gave us 3 questions and i would like some help with it. we have to write like a short paragraph on the following 3 questions.


1)What are the difference between Hamlets reaction to his father`s dead and Laertes reaction to Polonius dead ?

2) Basing your answer on what you have read so far describe Laertes character ?

3)What impression of Danish courtly life do you get ?

points to be considered

-kingship,
-prince`s role
-duty.. etc

I would be very grateful if you could just give me point to write in my answer ?


Thank you

DaveMur1

missiiss wrote: »

1)What are the difference between Hamlets reaction to his father`s dead and Laertes reaction to Polonius dead ?

2) Basing your answer on what you have read so far describe Laertes character ?

3)What impression of Danish courtly life do you get ?

1)
This answer discusses how the differences in the two characters can be seen in their roles as avengers in the play, how they deal with this role, their personal characteristics, their ability to react spontaneously and their relationships with Ophelia.

From the Answer:
"One of the major similarities between Laertes and Hamlet is in their role as avengers in the play. Laertes takes revenge against his father Polonius' death, where he immediately assumes Claudius is responsible and returns from France immediately to revenge the death. Hamlet also has a role as an avenger, where his father's ghost speaks to him, telling him Claudius is responsible for his death and asking him to "revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (I,iv).
The major difference between Laertes and Hamlet is how they deal with their role as avengers. Laertes on learning of his father's death reacts immediately, by speaking of revenge, "I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father" (IV,v). In contrast, Hamlet, on learning of his father's murder is asked by the ghost of his father to revenge the death. He hesitates and procrastinates, wishing he had not been asked to complete such a task, "the time is out of joint. O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right!" (I,iv). It is ultimately this indecision and hesitation of Hamlet's that leads to the tragedy of the play."

2)
Hamlet recognizes what Shakespeare has made abundantly clear throughout the play, that Laertes is Hamlet's foil. He mirrors Hamlet but behaves in the opposite manner. Where Hamlet is verbal, Laertes is physical; where Hamlet broods, Laertes blusters. Laertes' love for Ophelia and duty to Polonius drive him to passionate action, while Hamlet's love for Gertrude and duty to King Hamlet drive him to passionate inaction. In Laertes resides the picture of what Hamlet could be if the sound of his own words did not mesmerize him.

3)

Decay and Corruption: Among the most powerful images of the play are those which reveal disintegrating situations,
n political terms for Denmark.

missiiss

thank you very much