Fortinbras As A Parallel Character To Hamlet

            The tragedy of Hamlet provides insight into the human thought processes and behaviors when confronted with a dramatic realization. Although the ghost of his father has confronted Hamlet, accepting the truth and taking action on his behalf drives Hamlet to the point of insanity. Hamlets" mental stability slowly degenerates, leaving him in a fit of passion and disgust for not taking action against his murderous Uncle Claudius. .
             In a meeting with 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, reproaches his own inactivity. First Hamlet condemns his existence by pointing out that a man has little worth if all of his time is spent eating and sleeping, adopting the sole needs of an animal. The attribute that separates humans from animals is the ability to reason and he has been doing nothing but reasoning, or searching for absolute truths before taking action against his uncle. The frustration over how much time he has wasted thinking and not acting is evident when Hamlet refers to his revenge as a "dull revenge". .
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             It is the experience of seeing the great army that Fortinbras commands that causes Hamlet to realize his own inactivity. The army consists of a twenty thousand men willing to lay down their lives for one cause.
             Witness this army of such mass and charge.
             Led by a delicate and tender prince, .
             Whose spirit and divine ambition puff"d.
             Makes mouths at the invisible event (4.4.47-50).
             Hamlet admires Fortinbras for being able to lead this many men into a situation which not one of the many can predict what will happen, and he realizes his own inability to motivate himself to take action against his uncle.