Fortinbras
| Prince Fortinbras | |
|---|---|
| Hamlet character | |
| Created by | William Shakespeare |
| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | Hamlet (by the end) |
| Family | King Fortinbras (father) |
Fortinbras /ˈfɔːrtɪnbræs/ is a minor fictional character from William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. A Norwegian crown prince with a few brief scenes in the play, he delivers the final lines that represent a hopeful future for the monarchy of Denmark and its subjects. His father, the fictional former king of Norway, is also named Fortinbras and was slain in the play's antecedent action in a duel with King Hamlet. The duel between the two is described by Horatio in Act One, Scene One (I,i) of the play.
His name is not Norwegian in origin, but is a French–English hybrid (fort in bras) meaning "strong in arm."