Hamlet

Act 1, Sc. 2, lines 60-80: How is Fortinbras similar to Hamlet?

King. [Enter Polonius, Voltemand, and Cornelius]

Welcome, my good friends.

Say, Voltemand, what from your brother in Norway?

Voltemand. Most fair return of greetings and desires.

Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

His nephew's levies, which to him appeared

To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;

But better looked into, he truly found

It was against your highness. Whereat grieved,

That so his sickness, age, and impotence

Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests

On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys,

Recieves rebuke from Norway, and, in fine,

Makes vow before his uncle never more

To give th'assay of arms against your Majesty.

And his commission to employ those soldiers

So levied, as before, against the Polack,

With an entreaty, herein further show, [Giving a paper]

That it might please you to give quiet pass...

Asked by
Last updated by Aslan
Answers 1
Add Yours

They are actually quite opposite: they are character foils of each other. I suppose they are both intense about their country and sense of power in their own way.