Young Fortinbras wants to raise an army to regain the lands his father lost to King Hamlet and restore his family’s honor, and by the end of the play he also moves to claim the Danish throne.

Quick Scoop: What does young Fortinbras want to do?

1. His main goal in the play

  • Fortinbras wants to reclaim the territories Norway lost when his father (old Fortinbras) was defeated by Hamlet’s father, the late King of Denmark.
  • This is about more than land: he’s driven to restore his family’s honor and reputation as warrior‑kings.

2. How he goes about it

  • At the start, he secretly gathers troops on the edges of Norway, planning a military strike to get those lands back.
  • When his uncle (the current Norwegian king) stops him from attacking Denmark, Fortinbras redirects his soldiers toward a minor campaign in Poland, still showing he is a man of decisive action.

3. What he ends up doing by the end

  • By the final scene, after the Danish royal family is dead, Fortinbras arrives with his army and claims a right to the Danish crown, stepping into the power vacuum.
  • He effectively becomes the new ruler of Denmark, suggesting a future of restored order under a strong, action‑oriented leader.

4. Why this matters in Hamlet

  • Fortinbras is often seen as a foil to Hamlet: where Hamlet hesitates and overthinks, Fortinbras acts quickly and boldly for clear political and military aims.
  • His “divine ambition” and readiness to fight even for a small piece of land highlight how far Hamlet is from that kind of straightforward resolve until very late in the play.

In short, when you ask “what does young Fortinbras want to do?”, the answer is:
reclaim lost land, restore his family’s honor, and ultimately position himself to rule Denmark once fate opens the door.

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