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At the beginning of the play, Norway is bedridden, and Fortinbras, acting on his own initiative, is collecting a force of adventurers together to revenge his father by regaining the lands lost to Old Hamlet. This led to the forfeiture of some Norwegian lands to Denmark, and Old Fortinbras’ brother (known simply as ‘Norway’ in the play) was crowned king (a parallel with Claudius).
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Old Fortinbras was killed in single combat by Old King Hamlet on the day Young Hamlet was born. The meaning of his name – ‘strong in arm’ – sums up this minor character, whose situation also parallels Hamlet’s, as another family tree illustrates: Mad for revenge as Laertes is, Claudius is able to manipulate him into taking part in the plot against Hamlet, his father’s killer.įORTINBRAS. After hearing of Polonius’ murder, he returns to Denmark and raises a mob with which he confronts Claudius, witnesses his sister’s madness and later learns of her suicide. He seems to be leading a mildly licentious life away from home. Studying in Paris at the time of Claudius’ accession, Laertes returns to Denmark and is then immediately granted permission to return to France again – unlike Hamlet. Laertes’ importance derives from the fact that his situation comes to parallel Hamlet’s as can be seen from his family tree: It seems appropriate that Horatio is the only major character to survive at the end of the play. It is to Horatio that he returns in Act Five with his new equanimity of mind.