FREE ESSAY ON FORTINBRAS IN HAMLET

FORTINBRAS IN HAMLET

Fortinbras: An Important Character in Hamlet
Oftentimes, the minor characters in a play can be vital and, among other things, function
to further the action of the play or to reveal and illuminate the personalities of other
characters. In Hamlet, Fortinbras, the Norwegian Prince, serves as the most important
foil of Hamlet and provides us with the actions and emotions in which we can compare to
those of Hamlet and better reveal Hamlet's own character. Because Hamlet and Fortinbras
both lost their fathers and have sworn to avenge their deaths, Fortinbras is a perfect
parallel of Hamlet. He was also very crucial to the play's ending and to bring a remedy
to the corruption that has plagued Denmark.
Fortinbras father, King of Norway, was killed during battle for control of "a little
patch of ground"(4.4, 19). Fortinbras' uncle claims the throne of Norway just as Hamlet's
uncle takes the throne at Denmark. The deaths of Hamlet Sr. and Fortinbras Sr. directly
link the common destiny of Fortinbras to that of Hamlet, to avenge the death of his
father. It is because of this that the two young soldiers can be compared to each other.
Fortinbras' taking action after his reasoning is contrasting to Hamlet's continual
lackadaisical steps towards revenge. Hamlet realizes this and comtrasts himself to
Fortinbras in his "How stand I then"(4.4, 59) speech and labels Fortinbras as a man of
action and labels himself as a procrastinator whose words lead to no action. Hamlet calls
him "a tender prince"(4.4, 51) after speaking with a captain in his army and hearing of
Fortinbras' progress. It is inspiring to Hamlet and it pushes him forward in carrying out
his plan to kill Claudius. Hamlet's last lines, "How all occasions...my thoughts be
bloody or be nothing worth!"(4.5, 34-69) say that Fortinbras has won him over from any
further doubts and Hamlet, too, wishes to become a man of action who is ready to take his
revenge at any cost.
It can be said that Fortinbras is an energetic leader and soldier with clear intentions
from the way he can quickly assemble his men to attack Poland. Although Fortinbras says
that Hamlet was a soldier, too, "and for his passage, the soldier's music..."(5.2,
444-445), the reader sees Hamlet only as a scholar because he seems to only think things
out rather than take action. Though, Fortinbras' statement helps us understand that
Hamlet was once indeed a good soldier. Scene two of the last act of Hamlet reveals the
true character of Fortinbras. After arriving at Elsinore, he immediately acts upon seeing
the disturbing scene, much like he acts in battle, "Let four captains bear Hamlet like a
soldier..."(5.2, 441-450). 
Fortinbras is necessary to the storyline and he is important to the resolution of the
corruption in Elsinore Castle, "Something rotten in Demark"(1.5, 100). He is needed to
correct the corruptness, as he is the only noble left to claim the throne, the task he
had ironically set out for, and because he desires to fight for glory and to expand his
empire, he is fitted by character to inherit the Kingdom of Sr. Hamlet. This action
completes the play and brings all loose ends together.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Mowat, Barbara A. Hamlet. Washington Square Press of Pocket Books. New York, NY: 1992.