Character foils

A foil is a character whose contrasting traits highlight the qualities of another character, usually the protagonist. Foils often share something important, a situation, goal, or background, so that their different choices stand out. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes is a foil to Hamlet: both sons want to avenge a murdered father, but Laertes rushes to act while Hamlet hesitates and questions, which makes Hamlet's indecision more visible. Authors use foils to sharpen characterization, to reveal a character's strengths or flaws, and to develop theme by showing different responses to the same problem. When analyzing a foil, ask what the two characters have in common, how they differ, and what the contrast reveals.

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