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
Despite his inability to act, Hamlet can see through himself and make a statement in reference to Fortinbras that articulates where he, Hamlet, would like to be. Hamlet is at once inspired as much as challenged by Fortinbras, he says in lines 54-57 "Rightly to be great is not to stir without great argument, but greatly to find quarrel in a straw when honor's at the stake." 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. He goes on to ask how he stands then with these great offenses to himself and his family while Fortinbras marches thousands of men for seemingly less. 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. 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). In this soliloquy, Hamlet admires Fortinbras ability to interact with external events, as compared to his own inability to act. Hamlet is very internal, contemplative in his nature, but recognizes the need to act and interact in the external realm. Hamlet calls himself a coward in lines 41 to 45, he begins by referring to all men in general who think too much on the outcome of events, and calls them cowards, but includes himself in that group by continuing on in discourse about his particular event. Hamlet, the noble character, is keenly aware of honor, but demonstrates in his words here that honor hinges upon action, and action is not his strength. Rather, Hamlet has let life dictate to him, watching others take
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Approximate Word count = 1250
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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