... they provide pivotal points on which to contrast and compare the actions and emotions of Hamlet at key points in the play. These characters are crucial plot of the play and to the final resolution that takes place in Hamlet. Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are three young men who face similar circumstances. They are all three on a quest to avenge their father's deaths. The different ways ... that each deals with their grief and how they enact their vengeance is one of the main contrasts between the three characters. Both Fortinbras and Laertes serve as foils to ... line is to make what...

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... , but they end up going about reaching those goals in different ways. This is the case in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras all have the same goal of avenging their fathers" deaths, which leads to some similarities in their actions, but because of each of the men's individual motives, they go about getting their revenge in very different ways. Although the three men go ... tasks. Laertes hears of his father's death and rashly makes his way back to Denmark being followed by an angry mob. He makes no hesitation in taking action to get his revenge. Once King Ham...

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... indecisive, hesitant, and contemplative yet at other times impulsive. In Hamlet, Shakespeare defines some of Hamlet's characteristics through Laertes, Fortinbras, and Horatio's persona and actions. Hamlet begins with Hamlet being 30 years old, King Hamlet dead, Claudius married to Gertuade and the estate of Norwegian in preparation for war against Denmark. Hamlet characteristics are seen at the beginning of Hamlet, we are able to tell he is indecisive, contemplative and ... 's yet some liquor left."(319-320). Horatio's actions and personality helps illustrate Hamlet's ability to think an...

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... his father's death. With Fortinbras being a soldier he is more active than Hamlet in seeking his revenge immediately, but has respect for Hamlet and shows his by giving him a soldiers funeral. "Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage". Fortinbras and Hamlet contrast each other in their emotions and actions. While both princes have lost their fathers and seek revenge, Fortinbras immediately pursues revenge while Hamlet procrastinates. Hamlet himself has been a student ... example the belief that you would either go to Heaven or Hell was widespread. The play ends in a state of catharsis. ...

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... to be a form of murder, the act could be justified only if the revenger died after the revenge was carried out. In William Shakespeare's world-renowned tragedy Hamlet revenge was the driving force behind three of the main characters: Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras. For two of the characters it led to their tragic downfall and for the other it led him to greatness. The ... castle during the mock duel and saw everyone lying on the ground either dead or dieing from poison. Before Hamlet had succumbed to the poison he gave his vote to Fortinbras in the election now to be held, making him t...

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... father had lost. He is mainly seeking his revenge on young Prince Hamlet because of his father's death, but in a way he is seeking revenge on all of Denmark to regain his land. When Fortinbras arrived from Poland, Hamlet expressed his wish, right before dying on the middle of the floor, that Fortinbras should be the new ruler of Norway. This is another plot for ... father. The new ruler of Denmark ordered a proper burial for Hamlet, giving him funeral honors like he is a military general. Hamlet was out to avenge his father's death by killing his uncle, Claudius, Laertes plotted his rev...

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... his uncle, who is aware that the body of Polonius was meant to be his, Hamlet refuses to reveal where he has hidden the body of Polonius. Claudius orders Hamlet to go into exile in England where it will be easy to have Hamlet killed. Before leaving for England, Hamlet encounters Fortinbras, who is crossing Denmark to battle for barren lands. Musing on the futility of ... his actions, Hamlet, who still has to avenge the death of his father and his mother's dishonoring ... , and here is he, to cautious and non-aggressive to avenge the murder of his father. This brief interaction with Fort...

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... grieving for his father, is about to return to his schooling, yet stays as requested by his uncle and mother. He soon learns that there is a ghost in the shape of his father Old Hamlet who appears at nights, so he decides to investigate. He speaks to the ghosts and learns that his father is cursed to purgatory because he was actually ... happening, Laertes, son of Polonius, is about to venture to France. Yet before he leaves he tells his sister Ophelia to ignore the lies Hamlet speaks to her and wait till he becomes king before she agrees to marry him. Claudius learns that Fortinbras ha...

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... his father, just as Hamlet is avenging his own father's death. Fortinbras gets back his fathers land without use of violence or death. Hamlet names him new ruler of Denmark before he dies. The irony in this is that Fortinbras didn't need to do anything to get what he wanted, yet everyone else received brutal consequences. In fact Fortinbras was the only person in Hamlet who received a positive ... outcome. It is ironic that Hamlet and Laertes are both seeking revenge for the ... same thing, only once Laertes discovers his father was murdered he immediately seeks revenge unlike Hamlet wh...

• Word Count: 1162
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... his father. His father's ghost appears early on in act one to tell Hamlet to avenge his death. The rest of the story is of Hamlets thoughts and actions due to this vision. Other characters in the story show parallel relationships. That includes the relationship between Fortinbras and his father Fortinbras is the king of Norway, or the new king of Norway now that his ... from Denmark that his father lost (along with his life) in battle. Cluadius is able to do away with the trouble Fortinbras brings on, by letting him march into Poland untouched as they hike through Denmark. Fortinbras is...

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... they are used. If one is out of balance then the outcome has dire consequence resulting in chaos and mayhem. In Shakespeare's "Hamlet" this is very apparent through the embodiment of this exact scenario in Hamlet, Laertes, and Prince Fortinbras. All three men have lost their fathers to cold undaunting homicide and all three have been compelled to avenge their father's deaths. Yet the difference lies ... in the course of action each man takes. Hamlet chooses the path of modern man, deeply analyzing the matter yet to the point ... himself for being unable to kill Claudius while the men o...

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... he has yet to take advantage of the opportunity he has had to kill Claudius. The irony lies in that he continues to ponder why he has not done anything, as he concludes that he ponders too much. Hamlet relates to Fortinbras because of the similarities in their situations, but envies him because of the drastically different approach he takes to honor his father ... . Hamlet refers to Fortinbras as a "divine prince" because he respects what Fortinbras is doing to honor his father. However, Hamlet also exhibits self-loathing in the process. Rightly to be great Is not to ... stir without gr...

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... he has yet to take advantage of the opportunity he has had to kill Claudius. The irony lies in that he continues to ponder why he has not done anything, as he concludes that he ponders too much. Hamlet relates to Fortinbras because of the similarities in their situations, but envies him because of the drastically different approach he takes to honor his father ... . Hamlet refers to Fortinbras as a "divine prince" because he respects what Fortinbras is doing to honor his father. However, Hamlet also exhibits self-loathing in the process. Rightly to be great Is not to ... stir without gr...

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... soliloquies support the idea that the play depicts warfare in Hamlet's soul. As Hamlet awaits the performance of the play, watches Claudius at prayer, and then observes Fortinbras and his army march across Denmark, he debates his duty to his father and Denmark, his fate, as well as his conscience. Although he contemplates suicide, and although he refuses ... comes to the conclusion that he must send Claudius to hell in order to fulfill his father's wishes completely. This excuse for delay indicates that he is not ready to commit the deed yet. In Hamlet's final soliloquy, he asks himsel...

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... for revenge. Crying for his father is probably a more natural reaction than the inclination to kill. In the last act, Shakespeare's idea of the nature of revenge is very clear. Hamlet and Laertes had lost their lives by taking revenge into their hands. Fortinbras, who did not avenge his father, gained a kingdom. His actions were rewarded, and his father's ... death was avenged without the tragedy that Hamlet and Laertes experienced. "Fortinbras is the man of the hours, the representative of a restored political stability" (David Bevington). Fortinbras acted commendably and was recompense...

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... he can go forth with his plan to kill him and avenge his father's murder. The second time Hamlet delays in enacting his revenge, occurs just after the play within a play. Hamlet goes to find Claudius, he finds him kneeling in a prayer like state. This causes Hamlet to question himself, if he kills Claudius while he is praying and confessing, his soul will go to ... on to tell the story "Thou livest: report me and my cause aright/ To the unsatisfied " (IV. ii .340-341). Horatio agrees to tell Hamlet's story and to obey his last wish of having Fortinbras crowned king. As Fortinbras enters...

• Word Count: 900
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... being a figment of people's imagination because too many people saw the same thing. In act 1 scene 1 it is revealed that the ghost appeared twice wearing the same armor King Hamlet wore when he fought the ambitious old Fortinbras, King of Norway, and also when he defeated the Poles. Young Fortinbras is determined to get back the land his father lost. This fact brings more ... in depth evidence to the ghost being real. The reason the guards are there on ... watch is a direct relationship to an attack from Fortinbras and the ghost is wearing the armor of the event that started this whole...

• Word Count: 459
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... opening scene. As the play opens in the cool, black night, Barnardo and Francisco are high atop the looming walls of Elsinore, keeping watch for the impending revenge of enemy Fortinbras (I.1). Midnight strikes and Barnardo notes, subtly referring to the sentiment of Denmark, that "tis bitter cold, and I am sick at heart" (I.1.8). Since the beloved King Hamlet has died and the Queen remarried ... an image of the ill events to come. Even future events are drearily portrayed to the reader, a sense of the power of Fortune. This force was also referred to earlier, in Hamlet's soliloquy of t...

• Word Count: 1339
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... . The ghost tells him to remember his purpose. Gertrude thinks Hamlet is mad as the ghost is only visible to Hamlet. He denies his madness "I essentially am not in madness, But mad in craft". Hamlet readily agrees to go to England perhaps it is his way of escaping the guilt of idleness. When he meets with Fortinbras's army it reminds him that his task is incomplete ... . Fortinbras who is "strong of arm" takes action when honour is at stake and does not let scruples get in the way. Hamlet questions his delay "Now whether it be bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking ... befo...

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... aware that soon enough, he must murder Claudius for causing the death of his father as well as putting Hamlet through the pain he has been in. Hamlet refers to King Claudius as a "bloody, bawdy villain" (2.2.580). However, despite all of this, Hamlet decides that instead of taking revenge right away, he would find out if the Ghost was telling the truth ... simply take action in killing the King and believes that perhaps his reasoning is, "Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple/ Of thinking too precisely on the event" (4.4.40-41). He has "Cause, and will, and strength, and means,/ To d...

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... occupations the owners of these skulls served in life. Ophelia's body arrives, Hamlet is not yet aware about Ophelia's death. He wonders who has died, and soon after he realizes it was Ophelia who has died. ACT 5 SCENE 2 Characters: Hamlet, Heratio, Osric, Lord, King, Laertes, Queen, Fortinbras. Setting: A hall in the castle. Summary: Hamlet tells Horatio how he plotted to overcome ... Claudius's plan to have him murdered in England. He replaced the sealed letter carried by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which called for ... Hamlet's execution, with one calling for the execution of the b...

• Word Count: 1180
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... ghost triggers the whole tragedy in revealing the circumstances of his death to Hamlet. On the other side the ghost symbolises the old structures and values of medieval society. Old King Hamlet was a warrior king who risked his life and fought for his country on the battleground. This is shown when Horatio describes the Old King's fight against Old Fortinbras, the King of Norway ... , whom he killed in a single fight on the battlefield and took parts of his lands. "That can ... of nature are burnt and purg?d away" (I. 5.14-17). The soul enters a cleansing stage, and thus, lies unrest fo...

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... deadly blow to Hamlet; but in a scuffle, the swords exchanged hands and Hamlet also landed a vital blow. Laertes died there after a moment, but just before Hamlet died with Laertes, he stabbed the King with the cursed sword. Hamlet also made Claudius drink the poisoned wine. Before Hamlet spoke his last word, he asked Horatio to tell people what happened and give the throne to Fortinbras, a neighboring leader ... . Just after Hamlet ... died, Horatio had these words to say of Hamlet, Now cracks a noble heart, good night sweet prince,/ And flights of ... ...

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... Among these, some of the key aspects are the themes of the play comprised of a mystery story, ghost story, and story of revenge. In the story of Hamlet there is a great deal of mystery which never really ends. The first mystery that we encounter is the question of whether or not the ... this he puts on a play in which his father's death is acted out to get Claudius" reaction. Hamlet gets to avenge his father's death, but not before he is struck with a poisoned tip by Laertes who got his revenge on Hamlet for taking his father's life, Polonius. Fortinbras wants revenge on Denmark to aveng...

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Readers do not tend to notice the importance of minor characters and how they help the main character through the story in multiple ways. In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, the actions and words of the minor characters, such as the Ghost, Horatio, and the gravedigger, play a crucial ... For example, he offers to commit suicide when Hamlet is dying in his arms. Horatio is the only important character that survived the many murders that happened. As a result, he will play an important role of telling the story of those who have fallen and telling Fortinbras that he will be the...

• Word Count: 553
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• Grade Level: High School