Hamlet Essay In the play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare three characters experience the death of each of their fathers. Laertes, Fortinbras, and Hamlet handle these losses in different ways. This is directly related to how successful they are and what determines their fates. Fortinbras and Laertes are similar because they take immediate action in response to the death of their fathers. Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, is trying to take over Denmark to avenge his father who was murdered by Hamlet. Horatio says Fortinbras is "Of unimproved mettle hot and full" (1.1.108). Fortinbras wants immediate action by seizing the land his father lost. Laertes is similar to Fortinbras because he takes immediate action in response to his fathers death. When Laertes hears of his Fathers murder he quickly travels home from France and proclaims to King Claudius, "To this point I stand, That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged Most thoroughly for my father" (4.5.154).
Laertes is willing to kill anyone who stands in his way in order for his father to be avenged. The spontaneous actions of these characters are similar, although they have very different fates. Unlike Fortinbras and Laertes, Hamlet is indecisive and slow acting in response to his fathers death resulting in his tragic downfall. After Hamlets first confrontation with The Ghost, he tells Horatio that hes going to act mad. Hamlet does this to distract the people around him while he collects proof that Claudius killed his father. He shouldn't have spent so much time waiting to kill Claudius. Furthermore, Hamlet had a perfect opportunity to kill Claudius himself in the church. "And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for...