All animals know how to live, eat, and kill, but what sets humans apart is God’s gift of thought. A human’s actions are influenced by their thoughts that go on through their brain. The thought system can trigger an inaction or action of a situation. Throughout the Shakespearean Tragedy Hamlet, the protagonist Hamlet demonstrates his thought process where he is sometimes in conflict with carrying out initiatives. Hamlet is trapped in a situation where he must determine how he should avenge his father’s death. Vengeance for a father’s death was a common theme throughout the tragedy and characters such as Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras embody this. Three of the characters face the same situation, but approach it several different ways. Laertes …show more content…
Fortinbras, a Norway prince, was calm and spirited, while using his thought processes to avenge his father’s death, relating to the importance of not falling down to anger and use of thought processes. The Norway prince, shared the same tragic event of losing his father as Laertes and Hamlet, though Fortinbras has proven the most successful character because he is the last one living. Hamlet’s bold words spoke of Fortinbras after meeting with the captain of Fortinbras’s army, “Look at this massive army led by a delicate and tender prince whose so puffed up with divine ambition” (Shakespeare 108). The wording is extremely substantial because Hamlet brings up that he is brought by divine ambition, a desire to reach a goal. Fortinbras is composed, in control of his body, and of course not controlled by anger, but a goal. The prince of Norway devised several plans by reclaiming land once lost, and waiting until it was the right time to strike. He was more strategic than Hamlet and Laertes, and did not allow anger to consume him. When he arrives in Denmark, he comes at the right time because chaos occurs leaving everyone dead. His action of attack was not so sudden, but put within a process under the control of his brain and not anger. Fortinbras is the character that Shakespeare wants human’s to be, strong enough to control anger and use thought …show more content…
As a matter of fact, Shakespearean Critic, Kenneth Chan states, “We must keep two things in mind. First, Shakespeare makes it clear that Hamlet is acutely aware of a delay. Second, Shakespeare also makes it clear that Hamlet himself is not sure why he delays” (Chan). With regards to this, it demonstrates the strength of anger on someone’s initiatives. His anger confuses Hamlet on why he has not killed Claudius, it fuels him to do it and he is confused on why he does not. T.S Eliot in her critical essay states, “The intense feeling, ecstatic or terrible, without an object or exceeding its object, is something which every person of sensibility has known; it is doubtless a study to pathologists” (Eliot), explains the significance of anger and what it can do to a human being. It is something that an every human being feels, no matter how strong or how weak, no matter what rank one is in a society. The only importance is how that person will face the feeling. Hamlet and Fortinbras, both princes, are equal rank, but Hamlet falls to anger, killing Polonius. Through a Shakespearean critics’ view, the author had the message about anger and thought processes in mind while writing the
The relation between these two characters is a lot like the juxtaposition with Hamlet and Laertes. Just like Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras’ father, King Fortinbras, was also killed but the way he died was in a battle with King Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras’ circumstances are almost identical. Their fathers were both murdered, both their uncles are on the throne and they are both princes of their countries. Revenge is the motive for both of these princes because of their dead fathers, but the way and the reason they seek it is extremely different. Hamlet wants revenge because the ghost of his father told him to and Fortinbras wants revenge to reclaim the land that his father lost when he died. Fortinbras is more focused on the honour of his country, Norway, but all Hamlet cares about is killing his fathers murderer. Hamlet’s morals slow down the process of his revenge whereas Fortinbras’ firm attitude makes him act faster. Hamlet later develops some jealously towards Fortinbras, he says, “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” (Shakespeare 4.4.53-56). Hamlet is saying that if Fortinbras is taking such quick action for a little bit of land that means nothing then what does that make Hamlet? He says in order for him to be great like Fortinbras he must take violent action. Hamlet and Fortinbras are both equally rebellious
Hamlet, the major character in the Shakespeare play of the same name, was faced with a decision upon learning that Claudius murdered his father. Should he believe the ghost, and avenge his father's murder? Or is the ghost evil, trying to coerce him into killing Claudius? Throughout the play, we see Hamlet's struggle with this issue. Many opportunities arise for him to kill Claudius, but he is unable to act because he cannot convince himself to believe the Ghost. Shakespeare uses Laertes and Fortinbras as foils to Hamlet, in order to help us understand why Hamlet acts the way he does.
These two men are both noble princes, their fathers were both murdered, and their uncles are now on the throne. Hamlet is the prince of Denmark while Fortinbras is the prince of Norway. Another similarity between the princes is that both of them are seeking to regain the throne and the avenge of their father’s death. However, Hamlet handles the situation in a different manner then Fortinbras. The contrast lies in their motives; Hamlet wishes to kill Claudius for personal revenge while Fortinbras works in the name of Norway and of honor (Humphreys and Si). In act 1 scene 1 it shows Fortinbras does things but with honor and respect. Fortinbras want to own the land his father once lost. Lines 95-99 in act 1 scene 1, Horatio says, “Of unimproved mettle hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there Sharked up a list of lawless resolute for food and diet, to some enterprise That hath a stomach in’t, which is no other.” When it comes to Hamlet, he is doing this for personal issues, he is bound by personal morals, and, hesitates to kill Claudius. One example of this would be when Claudius is praying in the chapel, because he believes killing him then would send him to heaven. In act 3 scene 3 line 77-80 Hamlet says, “Now might I do it now he is a-praying, And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven, and so am I (revenged).” Fortinbras had a different way of handling the situation, his revenge was not out of revenge and he does not debate over any moral
Each one of these young men search for revenge for their father’s death in this play. When both Fortinbras and Hamlet’s uncles take over the throne, the situations are much different. Hamlet is suspicious of his uncle, and must be convinced by the ghost of his father to take action in killing him. Fortinbras is on good terms with his uncle, and chooses to take revenge on his father’s death by “importing the surrender of those lands lost [to Denmark] by his father”. His form of revenge is a levelheaded, blatant response, which proves to be much more of a success than Hamlet’s covert attempts to prove his uncle guilty and murder him for revenge.
Hamlet sees that Fortinbras is willing to risk his own life just to avenge his father and his name. After becoming crowned prince after his father’s death, Fortinbras rallies his forces in Norway and marches off to war and rev...
Many people have seen Hamlet as a play about uncertainty and about Hamlet's failure to act appropriately. It is very interesting to consider that the play shows many uncertainties that lives are built upon, or how many unknown quantities are taken for granted when people act or when they evaluate one another's actions. Hamlet is an especially intriguing production, both on the set and on the screen because of its uniqueness to be different from what most people expect to be in a revenge themed play. Hamlet's cynicism and insane like behavior cause him to seem indecisive, but in reality he is always judging and contemplating his actions in the back of his mind in order to seek revenge for the murder of his father.
The theme of vengeance is apparent within the tragedy before the tragedy even begins. King Fortinbras is defeated by King Hamlet, leaving Prince Fortinbras orphaned. This naturally brings about bitterness between Prince Fortinbras and King Hamlet. Prince Fortinbras is angry, within reason. His father was just killed, his lands stolen, and now he is the person to whom all of the duty is left. These feelings lead Fortinbras to a state of angered reactions. He prepares an army to march into Poland and Denmark to recover the lands that his father had lost. He takes action, leaving the rest of his life behind, and marching over to get retaliation against the man who killed his father. He sets his mind on what he has to do, and sets off, away from his home, in a strong, purposeful manner. When Fortinbras prepares to march through Denmark, his address to King Claudius is direct, purposeful, and unemotional.
In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character of Fortinbras, has been used as a foil for the main character, Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras have lost their fathers to untimely deaths. Claudius killed Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, and King Hamlet killed Fortinbras' father. Both Hamlet and Fortinbras have vowed to seek revenge for the deaths of their fathers. Since the revenge tactics of Hamlet and Fortinbras are completely different, Hamlet perceives the actions of Fortinbras as better than his own and the actions of Fortinbras, then, encourage Hamlet to act without hesitating.
Fortinbras marches his army to Poland, in order to fight for a worthless piece of land. By doing this, Fortinbras believes he is reclaiming his father’s name and restoring his family’s honor. Hamlet, on the other side, does the complete opposite. He does not take immediate action for any cause and he is portrayed as a great procrastinator in the play itself. Hamlet does think of plans and actions, but he does not put them into the works. Hamlet does get side tracked by his own thoughts, which eventually force him to talk himself out to taking action for revenge.
In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras and Hamlet find themselves in similar situations. While Hamlet waits for the right time to avenge his father's death, Laertes learns of his father's death and immediately wants vengeance, and Fortinbras awaits his chance to recapture land that used to belong to his father. Laertes and Fortinbras go about accomplishing their desires quite differently than Hamlet. While Hamlet acts slowly and carefully, Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge with haste. Although Laertes and Fortinbras are minor characters, Shakespeare molds them in order to contrast with Hamlet. Fortinbras and, to a greater extent, Laertes act as foils to Hamlet with respect to their motives for revenge, execution of their plans and behavior while carrying out their plans.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, many themes are explored that allow the audience to analyze into their deeper meanings. One example of such is the theme of revenge and its connection with one’s loyalty towards their father. This is seen clearly in the characters of Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras. Laertes is the son of Polonius, a nobleman of Denmark, while Fortinbras is the son of Fortinbras Sr., the deceased king of Norway. In regards to the structure of the play, both Laertes and Fortinbras serve as foils to oppose Hamlet. It remains true that the expectations one has for Hamlet can be found in the traits of the other two. The fundamental truth found in the characters on Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras is their passion on revenge for the crimes
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is very palpable as the reader examines the characters of Hamlet himself, as well as Laertes, son of Polonius, and Fortinbras, prince of Norway and son of the late King Fortinbras. Each of these young characters felt the need to avenge the deaths of their fathers who they felt were untimely killed at the bloody hands of their murderers. However, the way each chose to go about this varies greatly and gives insight into their characters and how they progress throughout the play. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are similar in the fact that each had love, or at least respect, their fathers. Enough to make an attempt to wreak revenge upon their fathers murderers at the risk of their own reputation, freedom, and souls.
Revenge has caused the downfall of many a person. Its consuming nature causes one to act recklessly through anger rather than reason. Revenge is an emotion easily rationalized; one turn deserves another. However, this is a very dangerous theory to live by. Throughout Hamlet, revenge is a dominant theme. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet all seek to avenge the deaths of their fathers. But in so doing, all three rely more on emotion than thought, and take a very big gamble, a gamble which eventually leads to the downfall and death of all but one of them. King Fortinbras was slain by King Hamlet in a sword battle. This entitled King Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written in a seal'd compact. "…our valiant Hamlet-for so this side of our known world esteem'd him-did slay this Fortinbras." Young Fortinbras was enraged by his father’s murder and sought revenge against Denmark. He wanted to reclaim the land that had been lost to Denmark when his father was killed. "…Now sir, young Fortinbras…as it doth well appear unto our state-but to recover of us, by strong hand and terms compulsative, those foresaid lands so by his father lost…" Claudius becomes aware of Fortinbras’ plans, and in an evasive move, sends a message to the new King of Norway, Fortinbras’ uncle.
In Hamlet, Shakespeare introduces us to Fortinbras and Hamlet. Both characters are bent on avenging the death of their fathers who were murdered. In Act I, two different revenge plots by these two men are revealed, and while Fortinbras is very open and bold about killing Claudius, Hamlet is sly and quiet about his plan. Fortinbras is also dead set on attacking Denmark no matter what but Hamlet is indecisive about killing Claudius. Fortinbras plans to lead an army to attack Denmark while Hamlet’s plan of attack is to act crazy.
As illustrated through his speeches and soliloquies Hamlet has the mind of a true thinker. Reinacting the death of his father in front of Claudius was in itself a wonderful idea. Although he may have conceived shcemes such as this, his mind was holding him back at the same time. His need to analyze and prove everythin certain drew his time of action farther and farther away. Hamlet continuously doubted himself and whether or not the action that he wanted to take was justifiable. The visit that Hamlet recieves from his dead father makes the reader think that it is Hamlet's time to go and seek revenge. This is notthe case. Hamlet does seem eager to try and take the life of Claudius in the name of his father, but before he can do so he has a notion, what if that was not my father, but an evil apparition sending me on the wrong path? This shows that even with substantial evidence of Claudius' deeds, Hamlet's mind is not content.