Similarities Between Hamlet And Fortinbras In Hamlet

Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is a tragic story of a protagonist seeking revenge that is unable to quickly carry out the actual act. Hamlet's delay in avenging the murder of his father, the King of Denmark, is the primary plot that has a theme of revenge. Additionally, the theme of revenge is also apparent in other instances because Hamlet is not the only one that has a desire to seek revenge. Laertes and Fortinbras are two other characters that also try to plot revenge against the killers of their fathers.

King Fortinbras is slain in the play's prelude battle by King Hamlet, the King of Norway. Prince Fortinbras, is similar to Hamlet in many ways: like Hamlet, Fortinbras is the first example in the play of a son that seeks revenge and

it is motivated by the death of his father, whose name he also bears (as Hamlet does his), and both serve as princes of their respective countries. However while Hamlet is deliberate, calculating and slow to act out, the Norwegian prince is impulsive and hot-headed, and determined to avenge his slain father at any cost and sets to travel abroad to do so.
Meanwhile, at the beginning of the play, Hamlet is devastated over his own father's death and is the second of the three characters that promises to take revenge after he learns that his uncle, Claudius, is responsible.

What makes matters worse is that Claudius marries Gertrude - Hamlet's mother, the King/Father's wife. Hamlet receives proof of Claudius' involvement when the ghost of his father visits him and says "The serpent that did sting the father's life now wears the crown." (Hamlet. Act 1, Scene 5, Pg.2). Now that Hamlet knows the truth and ordered to seek vengence by his father's ghost, he develops tremendous feelings of hatred and rage towards the uncle and begins to plan his murder. Even though Hamlet carries this weight of anger around with him and is seen by his peers and family as mad and crazy, he still manages to keep his wit and remains calm and patient in executing his plan. Unfortunately, the delay in his vengence did not come without additional tragedy as the story unfolds and other characters in the story end up perishing to include: his only love, Ophelia; the king's chief counselor, Polonius; his mother, Gertrude; and Opehlia's brother,

Laertes.
The third example of revenge in the play occurs when Hamlet tries to avenge his father's death.

While trying to execute his plan, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius. Hamlet thinks it is Claudius talking to Gertrude behind the curtain, so he stabs the figure behind the curtain, but discovers it was Polonius. Once Laertes, learns of his father's death at the hands of Hamlet, he then desires to seek revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet appears crazier than ever due to his guilt and anger, and his lover becomes so saddened by the tragedies, that she commits suicide. Claudius then relies on Laertes and his extreme hatred for Hamlet. Due to the deaths of his father and his sister, Claudius coaxes Laertes into plotting Hamlet's death, and they plan a fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet to settle the fued. Laertes' sword is tainted with poison on the end, and if he doesn't win, Hamlet's victory wine goblet is filled with poison. As the fencing match commences, Hamlet appears to be the victor. Before the match ends, Hamlet's mother, Gertrude, the Queen, mistakenly takes a celebratory drink from the goblet of wine. Meanwhile, Hamlet is mildly cut with the poisonous sword edge but continues to fight. During the scuffle, the swords are switched, and Laertes is also wounded by the poisonous sword. The Queen falls to the ground to die. Soon Laertes feels the effects of the posion and tells Hamlet what Claudius was plotting and about the poisoned swords. At that point, Hamlet impulsively

stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and forces him to also drink the poisoned wine and Claudius dies. Before Laertes dies, he says "He (the king) is justly served / It is a poisoned tempered by himself / Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet / Mine and my father's death come not upon thee / Nor thine on me.” (Ham. Act 5, Scene 1, Pg. 16)
At the very end of the story and all this tragedy and death, now Hamlet is also dying from the poison. Finally, after long travels, Fortinbras arrives in Denmark ready to seek his revenge but Hamlet tells him right before he dies that he wants him to become the new King of Denmark. Fortinbras is eager to embrace his new fortune, but before doing so, he rescinds his vengence and declares that Hamlet "to have proved most royal." (Act 5, Scene 2, Pg. 19)
It is possible that Shakespeare wanted to use the theme of revenge to show that seeking revenge can start a viscious cycle that only leads to more tragedy and anguish. Perhaps, by remaining rational, rather then acting on impulse, one truly does become the most honorable person in the end.