Fortinbras
Character Profile – At a Glance
- Role: Prince of Norway, nephew to the ailing King of Norway, and the ultimate successor to the Danish throne.
- Key Traits: Militaristic, ambitious, decisive, and bound by a strict code of honour.
- The Core Conflict: Driven by a desire to reclaim the lands lost by his father to Denmark, he must navigate international diplomacy and military strategy to achieve his ends.
- Key Actions: Musters a rogue army to attack Denmark; is redirected to Poland; marches his army across Danish territory; arrives at Elsinore to claim the vacant throne.
- Famous Quote: "Let four captains
Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have proved most royally..."
(Act 5, Scene 2) - The Outcome: Unscathed by the tragedy that consumes Elsinore, Fortinbras walks into a political vacuum and becomes the new King of Denmark, restoring order.
The Perfect Foil to the Prince
Fortinbras serves as a vital psychological mirror and the ultimate foil to Hamlet. Both are young princes named after their slain fathers, and both are tasked with avenging their fathers' defeats. However, where Hamlet is paralysed by philosophical doubt and hesitation, Fortinbras is a creature of pure, unadulterated action. He does not overthink the moral implications of war; he simply acts.
Original
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...
(Act 4, Scene 4)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
Look at this massive and expensive army
That’s led by such a young and tender prince,
Who’s driven by his own pretentious ego,
Just laughing in face of unseen danger...
When Hamlet observes Fortinbras marching his army towards Poland for a worthless patch of land, it acts as a profound catalyst. Fortinbras is willing to sacrifice thousands of lives for an "eggshell" simply because his honour is at stake. This contrast highlights Hamlet’s own failure to act on a much more deeply personal and justified mandate for revenge, cementing Fortinbras as the embodiment of martial virtue in the play.
The Politics of Vengeance
While Laertes pursues a passionate, chaotic form of revenge, and Hamlet pursues an intellectualised one, Fortinbras approaches vengeance purely as a matter of political and territorial reclamation. He is not haunted by supernatural apparitions like The Ghost, nor does he seek personal bloodshed; his initial focus is on the restoration of his family's name and estate.
Original
Now, sir, young Fortinbras,
Of unimproved mettle hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there
Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes...
(Act 1, Scene 1)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
But then, young Fortinbras,
Hot-headed, inexperienced but bold,
Scoured the distant hinterlands of Norway,
Gathering a rough-cut bag of thugs...
As Horatio's exposition reveals, Fortinbras's early strategy relies on raw, aggressive ambition. However, he quickly proves to possess a shrewd political mind. Unlike the manipulative Claudius, Fortinbras operates in the open daylight of military formality. He accepts his uncle's rebuke and redirects his aggression to Poland, showing that he can balance his aggressive ambition with pragmatic obedience.
The Restoration of Order
Fortinbras frames the narrative of the play. He is introduced as an external threat in the very first scene, creating a sense of urgency that hangs over Elsinore, and he is the final character to speak. By the time he arrives in the final scene, the Danish court has been entirely eradicated by its own internal corruption.
Original
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence.
(Act 5, Scene 2)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
But I predict the crown from this election
For Fortinbras: he has my dying vote.
So, give him the account, as best you can,
Of what has happened here. The rest is silence.
Hamlet’s dying endorsement of Fortinbras solidifies the Norwegian prince's legitimacy. Fortinbras steps into the void not as a conqueror, but as an opportunistic saviour. His arrival signals the end of the psychological and political sickness that has plagued Denmark. With his militaristic, straightforward worldview, he cleanses the state, proving that while contemplation and poetry may belong to the tragic heroes, the world is ultimately inherited by those who take decisive action.
"Fortinbras, like Laertes, is a man of action, and both serve as foils to the meditative Prince... he provides the martial standard by which Hamlet judges his own delay."
— A.C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy, 1904
Key Quotes by Fortinbras
Quote 1
Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king;
Tell him that, by his licence, Fortinbras
Craves the conveyance of a promised march
Over his kingdom.
(Act 4, Scene 4)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
Go greet the Danish king for me now, Captain.
Say that, with his permission, Fortinbras
Desires to march his men, as he had promised,
Across his land.
Quote Analysis: This highlights Fortinbras’s adherence to military protocol and diplomacy. Even when marching a lethal army, he operates within the bounds of honour and legal agreements, contrasting with the deceitful plotting inside Elsinore.
This quarry cries on havoc. O proud death,
What feast is toward in thine eternal cell,
That thou so many princes at a shot
So bloodily hast struck?
(Act 5, Scene 2)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
These corpses imply havoc. Oh proud Death,
What feast are you preparing down in hell
That you have gone and shot so many princes
In one fell, bloody swoop?
Quote Analysis: Arriving at the blood-soaked court, Fortinbras personifies death as a gluttonous entity. As a soldier, he is accustomed to battlefield casualties, but the sheer concentration of royal corpses deeply shocks his martial sensibilities.
For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune:
I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.
(Act 5, Scene 2)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse)
For me, with sorrow, I’ll take my good luck:
I have traditional rites upon this kingdom;
Fortuitous circumstance now grants it mine.
Quote Analysis: Fortinbras proves to be an astute politician. He appropriately acknowledges the tragedy of the situation ("with sorrow"), yet instantly pivots to assert his historical claim to the throne, taking swift advantage of the power vacuum.
Key Takeaways
- The Ultimate Foil: Fortinbras’s swift, decisive actions provide a stark contrast to Hamlet’s philosophical hesitation, acting as a mirror that exacerbates Hamlet's guilt.
- Political Pragmatism: He represents the shift from a world governed by personal passion and supernatural revenge to one governed by pragmatic politics and military strength.
- Structural Bookend: Introduced as a threat in Act 1 and arriving as a saviour in Act 5, Fortinbras provides a framing device that contains the domestic tragedy of Elsinore.
- The Survivor: Because he acts rather than thinks, and operates on the battlefield rather than in the shadows of the court, Fortinbras is the only Prince to survive the play.
Study Questions and Analysis
How does Fortinbras act as a foil to Hamlet? +
While Hamlet and Fortinbras share similar circumstances—both are princes who have lost their fathers and their immediate paths to the throne—their reactions are entirely opposite. Hamlet becomes trapped in introspection and moral paralysis. Fortinbras, conversely, immediately raises an army to reclaim lost territory. Fortinbras proves that action, even for a trivial cause, is a powerful force, highlighting Hamlet's inability to act for a profound cause.
What is the significance of Fortinbras's name? +
"Fortinbras" derives from French words meaning "strong in arm" (fort in bras). This literal translation perfectly encapsulates his character. He is not a man of strong intellect or deep philosophy like Hamlet; he is a man of physical power, military might, and martial action, serving as the physical counterpart to Hamlet's mental prowess.
Why does Shakespeare delay Fortinbras's physical appearance until Act 4? +
By keeping Fortinbras off-stage for the majority of the play, Shakespeare builds him up as a looming, abstract threat of political instability. When he finally appears in Act 4, it is at the exact moment Hamlet reaches his lowest point of inaction. Fortinbras’s sudden physical presence on stage forces a visual and immediate comparison for the audience, perfectly timing the catalyst for Hamlet's final soliloquy.
How does Fortinbras's approach to revenge differ from Laertes's? +
Laertes's revenge is driven by fiery, unthinking emotion; he is willing to cut Hamlet's throat in a church and use poison to get his way. Fortinbras’s revenge is political and structured. He raises an army, obeys his uncle when commanded to stand down, and channels his aggression into a legally sanctioned war. Fortinbras adheres to rules and honour, whereas Laertes abandons them.
What does Fortinbras's succession mean for the future of Denmark? +
Fortinbras’s succession implies a return to stability, but of a different kind. The intellectual, artistic court of Hamlet's era is dead. Fortinbras represents a return to the martial, warring era of Old King Hamlet. While he cleanses the corruption of Claudius's reign, the future of Denmark will likely be one of military campaigns rather than philosophical enlightenment.
Why does Hamlet admire Fortinbras? +
Hamlet admires Fortinbras because Fortinbras possesses the exact quality Hamlet lacks: the ability to act decisively without overanalysing the consequences. Hamlet is envious of a man who can find honour in a seemingly meaningless conflict over a tiny patch of ground, viewing this unhesitating commitment as the hallmark of true greatness.
How does Fortinbras's final speech reframe Hamlet's tragedy? +
By ordering a military funeral for Hamlet, Fortinbras treats the Prince not as a madman or a scheming courtier, but as a fallen soldier. He reframes Hamlet's internal, psychological struggle as a heroic, external battle. This final speech ensures that Hamlet's legacy is one of nobility and royalty, rather than madness and failure.
