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In Hamlet the character of Fortinbras, a young Norwegian prince, has been used as a foil for the main character Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark. Hamlet and Fortinbras have lost their fathers to untimely deaths. 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, how they go about doing this is the complete opposite of each other.
Hamlet, after learning that his father's death was a murder and promising to take revenge, waits and makes sure that what he knows is the absolute truth before he even attempts to take revenge on Claudius. Even after Hamlet is sure beyond any doubts that Claudius is the murderer, he hesitates to kill him. Fortinbras, on the other hand, has been taking action even before the play begins. As the play opens, we learn that Denmark is in a state of alert. The audience learns that the country has been preparing for a war, and from Horatio, the audience also learns that the young Fortinbras is getting ready his "lawless resolute's" for action against Denmark for the killing of his father and for the return of lands previously owned by Norway, (Hamlet I. i. 79 - 107) These differences between Hamlet's and Fortinbras' action are further mentioned in Hamlet's last soliloquy, (Hamlet IV.
iv. 32 - 66) Before the soliloquy begins, Hamlet has been informed by one of Fortinbras's Captains that Norway is preparing to fight Poland over a "little patch of land", and that twenty thousand men are willing to fight for this worthless piece of land just for honour's sake. This begins Hamlet's last soliloquy. In it Hamlet is reflecting upon Fortinbras' determination to go against the Polish army for the honor over a trifling matter while he himself is taking such a long time in avenging the murder of his father and the disgracing of his mother's name. The soliloquy begins with Hamlet's thoughts on how time is running by and he still hasn't done anything. 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 time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. " (Hamlet IV. iv. 32 - 35) In these lines Hamlet is thinking about all the time he has wasted in not taking action. He sees how everything around him is taking shape, all except his own actions. He goes on to say "Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not that capability and god-like reason to first in us unu's'd " (36 - 39) Here Hamlet is saying that every man has reason, and that reason should be put to good use. He also expresses the thought that he has ."..
cause and will and strength and means to do't" (45 - 46) but still waits and thinks of taking action instead of taking action. Next Hamlet goes on to describes Fortinbras. He asks the audience to: "Witness this army of such mass and charge Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition pm'd Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death and danger dare, Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great Is not to stir without great argument, But greatly to find quarrel in a straw When honour's at the stake. " (47 - 56) These lines are describing Fortinbras. The audience learns that Fortinbras is this young, driven, and ambitious prince who is willing to risk everything for what he must do and achieve, even if it's for an "egg-shell." He is willing to risk so much for so little just for his honor. This is a great contrast to Hamlet's own character.
Hamlet then finishes of the soliloquy with a comparison to his situation and action to that of Fortinbras and the army of twenty-thousand men. After learning of Fortinbras' plan against Poland, Hamlet is disgusted with his inability to avenge his father's murder. He wonders how he has just "let all sleep" even after the killing of his father and the moral death of his mother, (56 - 59). He is even more ashamed when he thinks of the twenty-thousand men who are willing to go to their deaths for a valueless piece of land that's not even big enough for their graves, (59 - 65).
All of this is going on while he is still thinking about his revenge. This was enough to set his mind once and for all. At the end he decides that from that moment on, all he will think about is his revenge against anyone that has done injustice towards him. He says "O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing more " (65 - 66) In this soliloquy Hamlet's personality is, for the last time in the play, clear to the reader. He is shown against another Prince who is the exact opposite of him in the same situation. By this the reader learns more about Hamlet's characteristics and the way he thinks.
Also, here Hamlet has finally made a decision on what to do. He has made up his mind to have only bloody thoughts instead of ones that are well thought out. Fortinbras' pursuit of his goal has given Hamlet the example on how to act if an opportunity presents itself. Hamlet is so determined to do something he does not wish to think about the consequences anymore.
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Research essay sample on Character Analysis Of Fortinbras From Hamlet
