FOIL (LITERATURE)

A 'foil' is a secondary character who contrasts with a major character and, in so doing, highlights various facets of the main character's personality. The author may use the foil to set up situations in which the protagonist can show his or her character traits. The term refers to the practice of putting polished foil underneath a gemstone to make it shine more brightly ^[1]. It is also likely that widespread use of the word "foil" in literature comes from the play Hamlet by Shakespeare, in which Hamlet says that "I'll be your foil, Laertes: in mine ignorance / Your skill shall, like a star i' the darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed." (Act 5 Scene 2)
A foil's role, as a contrast to the hero, may be emphasized by physical contrasts. Dreamy and impractical Don Quixote is thin; realistic, practical Sancho Panza is fat. Sherlock Holmes is tall and lean; Doctor Watson, although at first, on his return from Afghanistan, described as lean, is later described as "middle-sized, strongly built".
In some cases, a subplot can be used as a foil to the main plot. This is especially true in the case of metafiction. One example of a plot being used as a foil can be seen in the graphic novel ''Watchmen'', in which a comic book within the Watchmen universe presents a story similar to that of one of the main characters.
The "straight man" in a comedy duo is a comic foil. While the straight man portrays a reasonable and serious character, the other portrays a funny, dumb, or simply unorthodox one. The humor in these partnerships derives from the interactions between these drastically different personalities.

Contents

Examples

Classical literature

Pop culture

References

Examples

Classical literature

★ In ''Jane Eyre'', St. John Rivers is a foil for Rochester.

★ In ''Hamlet'', Laertes and Fortinbras, whose fathers have been killed, are foils for Hamlet.

★ In ''Macbeth'', Banquo is a foil for Macbeth because they both met with the "weird sisters" yet Banquo remains loyal to Duncan.

★ In ''Othello'', Emilia is a foil for Desdemona.

★ In ''Romeo and Juliet'', Tybalt is a foil for Romeo.

★ In Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night'', Olivia contrasts to Viola, the main character, because, although both lost their father and brother (even though Viola does not know that her brother is actually alive), Viola is willing to move on while Olivia shuts herself from the presence of any man for seven years. This is just one of the many cases in which Viola and Olivia contrast.

★ In ''The Crucible'' by Arthur Miller, Abby and Elizabeth Proctor are foils.

★ In Dostoyevsky's ''Crime and Punishment'', Svidrigailov is a foil to Raskolnikov, as are Sonya, Luzhin, Razumihin, and Marmeladov, arguably.

★ In ''Antigone'', Ismene, being thoughtful and calm, serves as a foil to irrational, impulsive Antigone.

★ In ''Of Mice and Men'' by John Steinbeck, the character of Lennie is a foil to the character of George, both in physical appearance and in character.

★ In ''A Doll's House'' by Henrik Ibsen, Kristine Linde serves as a foil for the main Female protagonist Nora.

★ In ''Great Expectations'' by Charles Dickens, Biddy serves as a foil for Estella.

★ In ''Pride and Prejudice'' by Jane Austen, Mr Collins serves as a foil for Mr Darcy.

★ In ''Cold Mountain'', by Charles Frazier, Ruby can be considered a foil for Ada Monroe.

★ In ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'', by Mark Twain, obedient Sid can be considered a foil for disobedient Tom.

Pop culture

The foil is a common literary device that continues to be used in modern storytelling regardless of the medium. A few of the more noteworthy examples include:

★ In the American TV series ''Lost'', a number of characters and their beliefs parallel John Locke and his ideologies. Jack, being rational and logical, is a foil to Locke, who believes the island has a connection to destiny and the supernatural (as explicitly addressed in "Man of Science, Man of Faith". Mr. Eko is also a foil to Locke, as while he shares John's strong faith, he serves primarily to reaffirm that sense of belief within Locke. Series antagonist Ben may also be considered another of Locke's foils, as he too shares the belief in the supernatural properties of the Island, but is one of the "Others," - while he shares a connection to the enigmatic "Jacob", sees visions and at one point uses a wheelchair like Locke, he differs in that he seeks darker ends through means such as casual and extensive deception, manipulation and even murder.

★ In '', the gritty Han Solo stands in stark contrast to the more idealistic Luke Skywalker.

★ In DC's World's Finest Comics line and subsequent appearances of Batman and Superman together, each serves as a foil to the other. In some adaptations, Robin also serves as a foil to Batman.

★ In ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', the violent and hot-tempered Raphael serves as a foil to his easy-going and cheerful youngest brother, Michelangelo.

★ In hip hop culture, Flavor Flav serves as a comic foil to Chuck D in the political rap group Public Enemy.

★ In ''House'', recurrent character Michael Tritter was used as a foil for the main character, Gregory House. There were many similarities that they share exactly — such as the belief that everybody lies and their bullyish natures — while also distinct differences emphasized through their confrontations. The regular characters of Wilson and Cuddy, mostly, also foil House in different aspects, by being more human and commonsensical than he is, and then bringing up House's sadistic sarcasm and other prominent, antagonistic traits.

★ On ''Desperate Housewives'' the character Edie Britt may be viewed as a foil for Susan Mayer (and, perhaps, vice versa).

★ On ''Veronica Mars'' the character Tim Foyle is a foil for the show's title character; the two share a rivalry, an interest in criminal investigation, and a mentor (Criminology professor Landry).

★ On ''Heroes'', Sylar is a foil for Peter Petrelli, in that they can both obtain other heroes' powers, to very different ends.

★ In British sci-fi series ''Torchwood'', the character of Gwen Cooper finds her dramatic foil in Suzie Costello, a recurring villain.

★ In the American thriller series, ''Prison Break'', FBI Agent Alexander Mahone is a foil for Michael Scofield; both are extremely intelligent, and both will go to great lengths - and break whatever rules they must - to protect their families.

★ In ''Hellsing'', The character ''Alexander Anderson'' is a foil of ''Alucard'' as can be seen through the rivalry and the extraordinary powers the two share.

★ In ''Siddhartha'' by German writer Hermann Hesse, the character Govinda, who follows his friend Siddhartha to find enlightenment, acts as a foil to his companion. This is so because whilst Govinda does not attain a state of Nirvana while following a religious path, Siddhartha abandons religion and discovers for himself that to find Nirvana, one must experience both the religious and material world, and that no one man can be wholly good or evil.

★ In the ''Harry Potter'' series by J. K. Rowling, both Draco Malfoy and Ronald Weasley can be considered foils to Harry Potter.

★ Throughout ''Doctor Who's run on television and in spin-off media, the various Companions have always served as foils for the various incarnations of the Doctor. Examples from the revived series include the enthusiastic Rose Tyler and the heroic, libido-driven Captain Jack as foils for the brooding Ninth Doctor, and the intelligent and inquisitive Martha Jones as foil for the easy-going, light-hearted Tenth Doctor.

★ Eddie Brock a.k.a. Venom is a foil to Peter Parker in the Spider-Man comics and media. Both are photographers and succumb to the same alien symbiote, although they differ in personality.

★ In the anime and manga series ''Fullmetal Alchemist'', Alphonse Elric, very rational and mature for his age, is a foil of his hotheaded, immature, and vertically-challenged brother, Edward Elric.

References

1. foil. ''Online Etymology Dictionary.'' Douglas Harper, Historian. (accessed: August 08, 2007)