HamletHamlet andand thethe HistoryHistory ofof DenmarkDenmark According to William Shakespeare TwoTwo KingsKings Norway:Norway: OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras OneOne son:son: FortinbrasFortinbras OneOne (younger)(younger) brotherbrother KilledKilled byby KingKing HamletHamlet HisHis brotherbrother takestakes over,over, notnot hishis sonson andand rightfulrightful heirheir Denmark:Denmark: OldOld HamletHamlet OneOne son:son: HamletHamlet OneOne youngeryounger brother:brother: ClaudiusClaudius KilledKilled byby hishis brotherbrother HisHis brotherbrother takestakes over,over, notnot hishis sonson andand rightfulrightful heirheir TwoTwo PrincesPrinces NorwayNorway FortinbrasFortinbras becomesbecomes angryangry GathersGathers aa groupgroup ofof thugsthugs andand criminalscriminals behindbehind hishis uncle’suncle’s backback ThreatensThreatens toto invadeinvade DenmarkDenmark IsIs toldtold offoff byby hishis uncleuncle GoesGoes againstagainst PolandPoland insteadinstead DenmarkDenmark HamletHamlet becomesbecomes angryangry DecidesDecides toto killkill hishis uncleuncle ThenThen doesdoes nothingnothing forfor aa veryvery longlong timetime exceptexcept getget aa lotlot ofof innocentinnocent peoplepeople killedkilled TheThe DanishDanish RoyalRoyal FamilyFamily GhostGhost == OldOld Hamlet,Hamlet, KingKing ofof DenmarkDenmark GertrudeGertrude HamletHamlet Claudius,Claudius, KingKing ofof DenmarkDenmark TheThe PoloniusPolonius FamilyFamily Polonius,Polonius, advisoradvisor toto thethe DanishDanish KingKing LaertesLaertes OpheliaOphelia TheThe FriendsFriends HoratioHoratio RosencranzRosencranz GuildensternGuildenstern SoldiersSoldiers MarcellusMarcellus BernardoBernardo FranciscoFrancisco CourtiersCourtiers VoltimandVoltimand CorneliusCornelius OsricOsric TheThe NorwegiansNorwegians FortinbrasFortinbras CaptainCaptain OthersOthers Grave-diggersGrave-diggers (clowns)(clowns) ReynaldoReynaldo PlayersPlayers AmbassadorsAmbassadors AA priestpriest AA gentlemangentleman PeoplePeople WhoWho Don'tDon't SaySay AnythingAnything == spearspear carrierscarriers LordsLords SailorsSailors LadiesLadies MessengersMessengers OfficersOfficers AttendantsAttendants SoldiersSoldiers TheThe StoryStory SoSo FarFar -- 11 OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras ofof NorwayNorway challengeschallenges OldOld HamletHamlet ofof DenmarkDenmark toto dodo battlebattle TheyThey makemake anan agreementagreement ofof landslands thethe victorvictor shouldshould receivereceive afterafter thethe battlebattle OldOld HamletHamlet killskills OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras inin battlebattle andand getsgets thethe landslands promisedpromised byby himhim Fortinbras’sFortinbras’s brotherbrother takestakes powerpower inin NorwayNorway TheThe StoryStory SoSo FarFar -- 22 YoungYoung FortinbrasFortinbras gathersgathers aa groupgroup ofof thugsthugs behindbehind thethe king’sking’s (his(his uncle’s)uncle’s) backback andand threatensthreatens toto taketake backback thethe landslands hishis fatherfather lostlost OldOld HamletHamlet decidesdecides toto dodo battlebattle andand preparesprepares forfor warwar ClaudiusClaudius decidesdecides hehe cancan dodo better,better, killskills hishis brotherbrother andand takestakes powerpower inin Denmark.Denmark. ClaudiusClaudius marriesmarries hishis brother’sbrother’s wife.wife. AndAnd thethe PlayPlay BeginsBegins Claudius’sClaudius’s firstfirst officialofficial actact isis toto telltell thethe kingking ofof NorwayNorway whatwhat FortinbrasFortinbras isis upup toto TheThe kingking ofof NorwayNorway tellstells FortinbrasFortinbras notnot toto attackattack DenmarkDenmark andand allowsallows himhim toto attackattack PolandPoland FortinbrasFortinbras movesmoves hishis armiesarmies throughthrough DenmarkDenmark toto getget toto PolandPoland TheThe GeographyGeography ShakespeareShakespeare hadhad absolutelyabsolutely nono ideaidea ofof howhow Denmark,Denmark, NorwayNorway andand PolandPoland areare arranged.arranged. TheThe GeographyGeography ShakespeareShakespeare hadhad absolutelyabsolutely nono ideaidea ofof howhow Denmark,Denmark, NorwayNorway andand PolandPoland areare arranged.arranged. AccordingAccording toto him,him, thethe shortestshortest wayway fromfrom NorwayNorway toto PolandPoland isis throughthrough DenmarkDenmark.