Hamlet and Fortinbras have similarities and differences to compare and contrast between the two. The real question is, are they more alike than different? Hamlet and Fortinbras have a lot in common; however, the way they handle situations is different. Fortinbras is a foil to Hamlet in many different ways. Fortinbras and Hamlet are going through similar situations but the way they both come about the situations is different. The similarities of Fortinbras and Hamlet includes the death each of their fathers. King Fortinbras was killed by King Hamlet and King Hamlet was killed by King Claudius. Therefore Fortinbras and Hamlet have both lost their father due to someone else killing them. Another similarity is both of Fortinbras and Hamlet’s …show more content…
Fortinbras assembles an army secretly in order for him to claim the land back that his father had lost. King Hamlet murdered King Fortinbras and gained Norway’s land for Denmark right after. Prince Fortinbras wants immediate revenge and is doing whatever he can to gain his land back. Whereas Prince Hamlet knows King Claudius is the one who had murdered his father; however, he is not seeking immediate revenge. Prince Hamlet seems like he is taking his time and waiting for the right time to kill King Claudius. This makes him seem like a coward and that he is overthinking things. Hamlet says he is “Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd Makes mouths at the invisible event” and he is admiring Prince Fortinbras because he is brave and taking a big risk in his life (Hamlet 4.4 49-50). Prince Hamlet is inspired by Prince Fortinbras for his dedication in seeking immediate revenge. Hamlet says that “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” and Hamlet realizes that he should act more like Fortinbras, which is straight to the point and not thinking before he takes action (Hamlet 4.4 53-55). This immediate action seems to be successful for Fortinbras, therefore it should be successful with Hamlet
... and for the betterment of society. King Hamlet was able to be avenged by the killing of Claudius, and Fortinbras was crowned the king of Denmark. In contrast, Claudius, who used his power for personal reasons, did not succeed in the end, but rather died while he still needed to confess his sins, a fate similar to that of his brother.
The corresponding characters shared a number of similarities, but it was the ways in which they were different that determined their fate and that of the kingdom. In Hamlet, the prince is Hamlet. He is deeply grieving his father’s death. He is angry because he believes that everyone has already forgotten how great of a king his father was. Hamlet does not know for sure who is responsible for his father’s death, but he suspects Claudius, who is his uncle and the new king.
In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is infuriated with his mother, Gertrude, for marrying his uncle, Claudius, less than two months after his father’s death. Hamlet, the main protagonist, has two characters who act as foils to him, and they are Fortinbras and Laertes. Not only do they want revenge on their father’s murderers, but they are willing to do so at all costs, even if it means destroying their reputation and independence. They also find different ways to cope with their troubles. These foils enhance the importance of Hamlet’s character throughout the play.
Respectively, Fortinbras fights for land that he knows is worthless, and through his controlled actions, he fights for honor and respect from his subjects so that he can slowly begin to avenge his father’s death. Second of all, Hamlet compares himself to Fortinbras since Fortinbras is an honorable man whose risk may not have the greatest reward. Hamlet says:
Being an ambitious young prince was a similarity in Fortinbras and Hamlet. They are both on a mission of revenge. Also, both Fortinbras and Hamlet lost their fathers'. [no '] Ironically Denmark is a similarity because it was initially controlled by Fortinbras' father, then Hamlet[' H-50]s' father, then Hamlet, and finally returning to Fortinbras. [Nice point] Fortinbras had a family tie with Hamlet's love Ophelia. [This needs a citation from the play -- I don't remember it.
King Hamlet and Hamlet compare in that they are both upset by the Queen’s marriage, they both hate Claudius, they are both brave, and they are both dead by the end of the play. They contrast in that while Hamlet’s father was king, Hamlet will never have the kingship, Hamlet does not leave a legacy and they die differently. Hamlet looked up to his father because he felt that he was a great leader and the bravest man that he knew, as Hamlet mentioned, "so excellent a king” (I. ii.149). He wanted to be so much like him, but couldn't because of a couple of barriers that he had to deal with. He became a lot like his father in the end. Hamlet was very disappointed with his life because he knew that becoming king was one thing that he didn't have in common with his father, because his stepfather was king, “married with my uncle, my father's brother" (I. ii.
Prince Fortinbras and Prince Hamlet have both lost their fathers. Through recent developments, Hamlet was visited by his father's ghost who reveals the truth of his murder and demands Hamlet to avenge his death. Assuring his revenge, he later protests what a “cursed spite that ever [he] was born to set it right” (Shakespeare I.v.210-211). Not only does he put aside what he must do, but compared to Fortinbras, he acts like a coward; perhaps not wanting to murder, perhaps not wanting to get murdered, Hamlet allows for King Claudius to keep wearing a crown that does not belong to him, but rightfully to Hamlet, heir to King Hamlet. Fortinbras, on the other hand, without being told what to do, “hath not failed to pester” Denmark in regards to “the
Hamlet himself even realizes the vast difference between himself and Fortinbras when he goes on to say, “Witness this army of such mass and charge led by a delicate and tender prince, whose spirit with divine ambition makes mouths at the invisible event…” (47-50). In this quote, Hamlet is sharing his thoughts on the driven Fortinbras, almost wishing he could be like him. Unlike Hamlet, Fortinbras has drive and passion behind his quest for revenge. This, in itself, is a great contrast to Hamlet’s
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.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the importance of characters Laertes and Fortinbras have been an issue that's discussed and analyzed by many literary critics. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are parallel characters in the play. Laertes and Fortinbras are often use by Shakespeare to compare the actions and emotions of Hamlet throughout the play. "They are also important in Hamlet as they are imperative to the plot of the play and the final resolution" (Nardo, 88). Shakespeare placed these three men: Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras into similar circumstances, which is, to avenge for their fathers' deaths. The main difference between the three is the way that each of them comes to grief of their fathers' deaths and the way they planned their vengeance.
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.
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. Each characters father had a substantially high social class in their respective countries, which in turn gives them high social class as well. With Hamlet and Fortinbras as sons of kings and Laertes as the son of an aristocrat of high regard in the Danish court, all had a lot to loose if unsuccessful in their ploy. Each of the sons believed that the killers had dishonored their fathers as well as themselves. Each acts in a way that they consider to be an attempt at restoring it to the family, as honor was a significant thing to uphold in this day.
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.
...udius and Hamlet pose various similarities, but they hate each other. They plot to kill one another because of the death of Hamlet’s biological father. Their similarities come from the time period that they are living in, and the fact that Hamlet’s father was king and was involved in war leaving Hamlet with his uncle. His uncle’s behavior had an impact on the man that Hamlet became. They both have similar situations; plotting to kill someone, scheming, etc. They both create similar situations for themselves, for example having advisors or their inability to act, but they do have differences. Hamlet is angry whereas Claudius is just trying to save himself.
In the play, the background stories of Fortinbras and Hamlet are similar. Both of their uncles are king, when the rightful throne should be theirs; however, the two princes deal with the aftermath differently. While Fortinbras deals by going out and conquering other countries, Hamlet distracts himself with thinking and plotting against Claudius. In Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 4, he compares and contrasts the differences between himself and Fortinbras. Hamlet explains that he would be more like Fortinbras with his actions.