Hamlet and Ophelia1. The plays have films to help the audience understand the important characters in the play. Foils are minor characters who have similarities and differences to a more important character in the play. Sometimes the minor character is just there so the character can talk; This is the basis for being a foil. In the play “Hamlet” [Titles] by William Shakespeare, the character of Ophelia is a foil for Hamlet.2. Similarities are an important part of being a foil. One similarity that Hamlet and Ophelia share is that they are both children of controlling parents. [SV - 1] Hamlet's murdered father[,] returns in the form of a ghost to tell him who his murderer is. This news is his father's way of controlling him from the grave. Hamlet's mother and stepfather also control him by persuading Hamlet not to go to Wittenburg. At that time, men left to get educated. Hamlet didn't need to do this because he was a prince. [As a prince, he might have been even more likely to go abroad for his studies.] Ophelia is also controlled by her father. She tells him how Hamlet tried several times to express his affection for her. Ophelia's father does not believe that Hamlet is sincere and orders her to stay away from him. Ophélie obeys her father's wishes. Women were expected to do what they were told and believed that what they were told was true.3. Another similarity between Hamlet and Ophelia is their feelings for each other. At the beginning of the play, we are led to believe that Hamlet loves Ophelia. This scares Ophelia, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings for him too. It is her father who discourages [encourages] her to repress any feelings she might then experience. Later in the play, Ophelia confesses her love for Hamlet and he then hides his feelings and denies having loved her. He suggests she go to a convent. This makes Ophelia feel worthless and not wanted.4. Finally, the characters' reactions to the death of their fathers are also similar. When Hamlet learns that his father has been murdered and his stepfather is the killer, it's more than he can handle..