In many plays there is a central character who believes that something rightfully belongs to him. In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the character Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, is portrayed as the central character who hopes to reclaim the land of Denmark that his father lost in battle against Hamlet. Fortinbras is also characterized as Hamlet's enemy and throughout the play he tries to gain an advantage over Hamlet. In the film version of Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet, Fortinbras is not present in the film at all. Since Zeffirelli did not include the scenes with Fortinbras, the question that begs viewers is why this character was so carelessly left out of the film. By leaving Fortinbras out of the film Hamlet, an element of contention and confrontation between him and Hamlet that is present in the play is absent. In the play, the background stories of Fortinbras and Hamlet are similar. Both of their uncles are kings, when the rightful throne should be theirs; however, the two principles address consequences differently. While Fortinbras traffics in conquering other countries, Hamlet distracts himself by thinking and plotting against Claudius. In Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 4, he compares and contrasts the differences between himself and Fortinbras. Hamlet explains that he would be more like Fortinbras with his actions. Witness this army of such mass and charge/ Led by a delicate and tender prince,/ Whose spirit swollen with divine ambition/ Mouths the invisible event,/ Exposing what is mortal and uncertain/ To all that fortune, death and danger dare,/ Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great/ It is not to move without great arguments,/ But much to find a quarrel in a straw/ When honor is at stake. BLOCK QUOTEHamlet a...... middle of paper...... believes is rightfully his. Fortinbras also serves as Hamlet's equal and whose actions are compared to Hamlet's as Hamlet should behave. The young prince of Norway is known for his conquests in countries and also for what he hopes to achieve in the end. At the end of the play, when the royal family collapses and Hamlet dies, Fortinbras is the character who receives the crown. Without this element in the film, who could take over a defenseless land, hold it together, and successfully rule the kingdom? Only Fortinbras is the primary choice to rule this kingdom due to his clear motivations, direction, and will to succeed. Works Cited Hamlet. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. Mel Gibson and Glenn Close. 1990. Warner Bros., 2004. DVD.Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. AR Braunmuller. New York: Penguin Group Inc.,2001. Press.