In the play Hamlet, three characters are confronted with the death of a father. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet all deal with the loss of their father. In addition, the three of them are confronted with men they consider enemies of their fathers. All three men seek revenge against those they believe have killed their fathers. However, the similarities between Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet only serve to highlight the differences between the three men. Each of them approaches death and revenge in a decidedly different manner. Fortinbras treats the actions against his father as acts of war and seeks the return of those lands taken from his father. Laertes reacts immediately to the murder of his father, seeking his revenge against Hamlet immediately and rashly. In contrast, Hamlet delays seeking revenge for his father. These three different approaches to the death of a father and a son"s responsibility to avenge those deaths combine to form the unique tragedy that is Hamlet. .

             The audience is first introduced to Fortinbras by Claudius, who indicates that Fortinbras is pressuring Denmark for the return of land taken by King Hamlet from Fortinbras" father. Fortinbras believes that Hamlet"s father is responsible for the humiliation of Fortinbras" father and the loss of their land. However, Fortinbras does not bring his army to Denmark for war. Instead, Fortinbras seeks "the conveyance of a promis"d march" over Claudius" kingdom in order to bring his army against Poland (Hamlet IV.iv). The audience does not see Fortinbras again until the conclusion of the play, after Hamlet and everyone else has died. It is at this time that Fortinbras seeks to claim his vantage and take over Denmark. Although he believed that his father had been disadvantaged by King Hamlet, Fortinbras did not bring his forces against Denmark or King Hamlet. Instead, he waited until he could take his vengeance with a minimum cost.