Essay About Family Of King Fortinbras And Hamlet World Theatre

Hamlet World Theatre 102
Essay Preview: Hamlet World Theatre 102
Report this essay
Revenge. Revenge causes one to act blindly through anger, rather than
through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, but
this principle is not always an intelligent theory to live by. Young
Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of
their fathers. They all acted on emotion, and this led to the downfall of
two, and the rise to power of one. Since the Heads of the three major
families were each murdered, the eldest sons of these families swore
vengeance, and two of the three sons died while exacting their acts of
vengeance, revenge is a major theme in the Tragedy of Hamlet.
There were three major families in the Tragedy of Hamlet. These were the
family of King Fortinbras, the family of Polonius, and the family of King
Hamlet. The heads of each of these families are all slaughtered within the
play. Fortinbras, King of Norway, was killed by King Hamlet; slain by
sword during a man to man battle. “Ðour valiant Hamlet-for so this side of
our known world esteemd him-did slay this Fortinbras.” This entitled King
Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written
in a seald compact. Polonius was an advisor to the King, and father to
Laertes and Ophelia. He was nosy and arrogant, and he did not trust his
children. He was killed by Young Hamlet while he was eves dropping on a
conversation between Hamlet and his mother. “How now! A rat? Dead, for a
ducat, dead!” King Hamlet was the King of Denmark, and Hamlets father.
He had killed King Fortinbras, only to be killed by his brother, Claudius.
“ÐMy offense is rank, it smells to heaven; A brothers murderД Each of
these events effected the sons of the deceased in the same way, it enraged
them.
Every one of the three eldest sons had one thing in common, they all
wanted revenge for a slaughtered father. In the time in which this play is
set, avenging the murder of a father was part of ones honor, and had to be
done. All of the three sons swore vengeance, and then acted towards
getting revenge for the deaths of their fathers.
Young Fortinbras was deeply enraged by the death of his father, and he
wanted revenge against Denmark because of this occurrence. Fortinbras
wanted to, by force, regain the lands that had been lost by his father to
Denmark. “ÐNow sir, young FortinbrasÐas it doth well appear unto our
state-but to recover of us, by strong hand and terms compulsative, those
foresaid lands so by his father lostД Claudius sends messengers to talk
to Fortinbras uncle, the new King of Norway. He forbid Fortinbras to
attack Denmark, and instead convinced him to attack the Poles to vent his
anger. “Ð…His nephews levies, which to him appeard to be a preparation
gainst the Polack; But better lookd into, he truly found it was against
your highnessÐ…On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys, receives rebuke
from Norway, and, in fine, makes vow before his uncle never more to give
the assay of arms against your majesty.”
Laertes found out about his fathers death, and immediately returned
home. He confronted the King and accused him of the murder of his father.
Claudius told Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for his fathers death.
He then decides to kill Hamlet to avenge the death of his father. He and
Claudius concoct a plot to kill Hamlet. Hamlet dies of wounds from the
poisoned tipped sword Laertes used. “Ð…Hamlet, thou art slainÐ…The
treacherous instrument is in thy, unbated and envenomdÐ…”
Hamlet was deeply sorrowed by his fathers death. He spoke to a ghost, and
this ghost stated that his fathers death was a murder, by the hand of his
uncle, Claudius. “The serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears
his crown.” Hamlet was astonished, and then swore vengeance for his
fathers