Hamlet and Fortinbras
In Hamlet the character of Fortinbras, a young Norwegian prince, has been used to contrast the main character Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark. Hamlet and Fortinbras have both lost their fathers to untimely deaths, and are both at roughly the same stations in life. Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, was killed by his uncle Claudius and Fortinbras' father was killed by King Hamlet. Both Hamlet and Fortinbras have vowed to take revenge on the death of their fathers, however, their means of revenge reflect their particular personalities. Fortinbras' quick, determined action is a dynamic opposite to Hamlet's inaction and provides a mirror for Hamlet showing his thoughts and weaknesses to himself and to the audience. Hamlet, after learning that his father's death was a murder and promising to take revenge, waits to corroborate the absolute truth before he even attempts to take revenge on Claudius. Even after the play within the play confirms Claudius is the murderer, Hamlet hesitates to kill him. Fortinbras, on the other hand, has been taking action even before the play begins to avenge his father's death. As the play opens, we learn that Denmark is in a state of alert on Fortinbras' account. The audience learns
Hamlet is very internal, contemplative in his nature, but recognizes the need to act and interact in the external realm. Hamlet is shamed, he has not fought for honor, and somehow inspired, because his last statement is "O, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!" (lines 66-67). " This on the heels of speaking of Fortinbras marching on Poland for a worthlessly small piece of land, presumably the straw of which Hamlet speaks. " (line 47) we see he is not pleased with. The differences between them are further underscored in Hamlet's last soliloquy, (Hamlet IV. In this reflection, Hamlet admires Fortinbras' determination to go against the Polish army for honor over a trifling matter while he himself is taking such a long time in avenging the murder of his father and the disgrace of his mother. The soliloquy begins with Hamlet's thoughts on how time is running by and he still has taken no action. He says: "How all occasions do inform against me,And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,If his chief good and market of his timeBe but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Fortinbras, through his courage, both shaming and inspiring Hamlet, provides the means to that inner resolve that Hamlet needs to breakthrough and avenge his father's murder. Honor is the answer, Hamlet sees Fortinbras willing to fight for honor, even though the land is worthless, the honor is the thing, and Hamlet sees that his honor, and his father and mother's honor is worth so much more than the trite fears he has about the outcome of his charge. Here we see a stark contrast in the action of Fortinbras, and the inaction of Hamlet. " he knows that this is his destiny, this is what has been laid before him and he has no choice to avoid it. 32-35)Hamlet clearly is stating the value of action against the setting of his personal struggle.
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