Fortinbras is heir to the throne of Norway. He is a parallel character to Hamlet. He wants to recover the lands that King Hamlet, Prince Hamlet's father, won away from Norway in combat on the day that Prince Hamlet was born. He asks for free passage across Denmark to attack Poland, but that may be a ruse to get his troops on Danish land to force his claim. [This is what has Claudius worried enough to add extra sentries at the start of the play.] At the end of the play, with all of the corpses littering the floor, Fortinbras assumes the throne of Denmark and orders the corpses to be carted away.
Does fortinbras want to pass through?
Claudius wants fortinbras to awnswer him how he decides for himself.
Fortinbras is the son of the former king of Norway. His father died at the hand of Hamlet Sr (Hamlet's father). His uncle took the throne, however it is said that he is on his death bed. Fortinbras is said to be mounting an army throughout the play in order to take back the land his father lost to Denmark. At the end of the play, just before Hamlet dies he announces Fortinbras to be the new king of Denmark.
Hamlet is from Denmark. The play takes place at the castle of Elsinore and it is implied that this is the permanent residence of the court and the Danish Kings. If so, his home "town" is Elsinore Castle, which isn't a town at all. They talk about "the tragedians of the city" who have left the city to come to Elsinore. The play is vague about where this city is, just as it is about Hamlet's home town, since it doesn't matter to the way the play plays out.
Fortinbras uncle is the brother of Old Fortinbras (the father to the Fortinbras in the play), who was killed by Old Hamlet before the play begins. He, Fortinbras uncle, is the current ruler of Norway, and as such is often refered to as "Norway." In Shakespeare's text, all of the action involving this uncle happens off-stage, hence he is not a listed character.
Horatio is the only main character in Hamlet to survive the final scene. However Fortinbras also survives the play, and some might consider his a main character. Though he doesn't appear until the end of the play, he is referenced numerous times, and ultimately becomes the new king of Denmark.
It's been done. In fact, he's more often cut than left in. If you check out any film version of the play (apart from Ken Branagh's) you will seek for Fortinbras in vain. The play plays quite well without Fortinbras, but he does provide some opportunities. Hamlet's meeting with his army on the way to England is the pretext for his soliloquy "How all occasions do inform against me", although that scene is actually only in one of the source texts. If gives us an idea of where Denmark goes after the death of its entire royal family. Depending about how you feel about Fortinbras, that is either disquieting or the end of the rottenness in the country. Fortinbras's position is similar to Laertes' and Hamlet's; he is seeking revenge for the death of a father; that parallel provides an interesting dimension to the play.
Fortinbras is the son of the former king of Norway. His father died at the hand of Hamlet Sr (Hamlet's father). His uncle took the throne, however it is said that he is on his death bed. Fortinbras is said to be mounting an army throughout the play in order to take back the land his father lost to Denmark. At the end of the play, just before Hamlet dies he announces Fortinbras to be the new king of Denmark.
Hamlet is from Denmark. The play takes place at the castle of Elsinore and it is implied that this is the permanent residence of the court and the Danish Kings. If so, his home "town" is Elsinore Castle, which isn't a town at all. They talk about "the tragedians of the city" who have left the city to come to Elsinore. The play is vague about where this city is, just as it is about Hamlet's home town, since it doesn't matter to the way the play plays out.
Nobody saves Denmark. The country falls into the hands of a Norwegian adventurer. Whether Fortinbras might make a good king is by no means clear; he certainly has shown himself to be selfish and treacherous in the past.
Fortinbras uncle is the brother of Old Fortinbras (the father to the Fortinbras in the play), who was killed by Old Hamlet before the play begins. He, Fortinbras uncle, is the current ruler of Norway, and as such is often refered to as "Norway." In Shakespeare's text, all of the action involving this uncle happens off-stage, hence he is not a listed character.
Horatio is the only main character in Hamlet to survive the final scene. However Fortinbras also survives the play, and some might consider his a main character. Though he doesn't appear until the end of the play, he is referenced numerous times, and ultimately becomes the new king of Denmark.
It's been done. In fact, he's more often cut than left in. If you check out any film version of the play (apart from Ken Branagh's) you will seek for Fortinbras in vain. The play plays quite well without Fortinbras, but he does provide some opportunities. Hamlet's meeting with his army on the way to England is the pretext for his soliloquy "How all occasions do inform against me", although that scene is actually only in one of the source texts. If gives us an idea of where Denmark goes after the death of its entire royal family. Depending about how you feel about Fortinbras, that is either disquieting or the end of the rottenness in the country. Fortinbras's position is similar to Laertes' and Hamlet's; he is seeking revenge for the death of a father; that parallel provides an interesting dimension to the play.
Fortinbras is one of a very few characters to survive. He comes in at the end to find almost everyone dead and is confused. Not only does he survive, he gets to be the king of Denmark by default. His father, who shared his name, died long before the play started.
Fortinbras is an important Foild for Hamlet. Hamlet is very thoughtful and philosophical, and has a hard time acting. Right as he is about to act, he stops and ponders about it. Fortinbras however, does things without thinking. When he first attempted to Invade Denmark, he wasn't thinking about the relations the Danes had with the Norwegians. Hamlet looks up to Fortinbras in ways.
Hamlet and Fortinbras do not actually meet. Fortinbras has no grounds for saying that Hamlet might have been a "goodly king". Hamlet does encounter Fortinbras's army in Act 4 Scene 4 and, in some versions of the play at least, goes off on a soliloquy in which he wonders if he is a coward, and yet again vows to complete his revenge.
Denmark doesn't play American football, but they do play soccer.
Hamlet and Fortinbras do not actually meet. Fortinbras has no grounds for saying that Hamlet might have been a "goodly king". Hamlet does encounter Fortinbras's army in Act 4 Scene 4 and, in some versions of the play at least, goes off on a soliloquy in which he wonders if he is a coward, and yet again vows to complete his revenge.
The last line of the play is spoken by Fortinbras: Go bid the soldiers shoot.