Timeless Themes In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes, And Fortinbras

Today, many people feel that Shakespeare’s plays are outdated and that despite being so forward for their times, they have lost their place in the modern world. Shakespeare’s plays though, touch on timeless themes such as love, friendship, and vengeance such as seen in Shakespeare’s Hamlet as Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras, all fight to achieve a common goal; the goal of avenging their father’s deaths. Hamlet is controlled by his inaction and manic nature, Laertes is consumed by his impulsiveness, and Fortinbras – unlike the others – exercises control in fighting to defend his honor. When we compare these three characters and their motivations we can see that being ruled by our emotions can lead to detrimental circumstances and regrettable

We can see that his actions are both uncalculated and without caution as he begins frantically yelling at the King without even considering the affect that this could have on him in the future. Secondly, because of Laertes’ emotions towards his dead father he can be easily manipulated to give in to other people’s plans. As the King is unfolding his plans to kill Hamlet, he needs to get Laertes on board so he says, “Laertes, was your father dear to you/ Or are you like the painting of a sorrow/ A face without a heart” (4.7.107-109). Wrongly, the King knowingly plays into Laertes’ impulsiveness and emotions as a way to gain control of him and achieve his purpose. Finally, Laertes gives in to his impulses as he has a one-track mind. An example of this is when he says, “Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric/ I am justly kill’d with mine own treachery” (5.2.296-297). Despite the potential harm Laertes could incur he still continues to blind himself from the facts and sadly, this results in his death. Therefore, by letting his impulses and emotions control his actions he has achieved his goal of avenging his father’s death but at the greatest expense one could pay; the expense of his own

He controls his actions and smartly plans everything out when he is fighting for worthless land as he tries to gain honor and respect as well as become King. His father lost Denmark to the old Hamlet and now it is Fortinbras turn to fight for it back in an attempt to gain the publicity he craves. First off, Fortinbras begins to fight for a piece of land that is worthless; the Captain explains this to Hamlet by saying:

We go to gain a little patch of ground

That hath in it no profit but the name.

To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;

Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole

A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee. (4.4.17-22)

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:

Witness this army of such mass and charge,

Led by a delicate and tender prince,

Whose spirit with divine ambition puff’d

Makes mouths at the invisible event,

Exposing what is mortal and unsure

To all that fortune, death, and danger