Is Fortinbras right in his assessment of Hamlet at the end of the play, Act 5, scene 2, lines 425 - 433?
Fortinbras enters from Poland and is elected heir to Hamlet who then dies himself. The pay ends with praise of Hamlet by Horatio and Fortinbras.
I think that Fortinbras assesment of Hamlet at the end of the play is right because he says: 'Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage.' this is true because even though Hamlet didn't kill Claudius when he had the chance, he still came back to get revenge. And he succeeded but it resulted to him loosing his life, which is what soldiers do, they risk their life's for their countries which is kind of what Hamlet done although he don't it for his father.
Fortinbras also says 'The soldiers music and the rite of war speak loudly for him' meaning that the soldiers are proud of him for standing up and getting revenge, even if it was a life taking plan.
The entry of Fortinbras reinforces this sense of a new future; his final words praise for Hamlet as the bodies are carried off the stage form a final and moving climax to the end of the play. Which leaves the readers or the audience think whats going to happen next although the play then ends.
'Take up the bodies, such a sight as this becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.'
I agree with what you are saying about Hamlet deserving the burial of a soldier now. But he did not act very soldier like at first, as he did not follow his farthers (true kings) orders. So can he be given this right with this taken into acount?
ReplyDeleteI suppose H eventually acts bravely and acts like a soldier. I like the way you talk about F as representing the future. Isn't H too modern for Elsinore? In a sense he is also the future. So, F and H have something in common?
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