In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras and Hamlet find themselves in similar situations. While Hamlet waits for the right time to avenge his father's death, Laertes learns of his father's death and immediately wants revenge, and Fortinbras awaits his chance to regain the land that belonged to his father. Laertes and Fortinbras get their wishes very differently than Hamlet. While Hamlet acts slowly and carefully, Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge quickly. Although Laertes and Fortinbras are minor characters, Shakespeare shapes them to contrast them with Hamlet. Fortinbras and, to a greater extent, Laertes act as obstacles to Hamlet with respect to their motives for revenge, the execution of their plans, and behavior during the implementation of their plans. Although each character plots to avenge his father in the play, the motivations of Laertes and Fortinbras differ greatly from that of Hamlet. Fortinbras, who plans to rebuild his father's kingdom, leads thousands of men into battle, attempting to capture a small and useless piece of Poland. After his uncle warned him against attacking Denmark. The added land will do little to benefit Norway's prosperity, but this campaign could cost "two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats" (4.4.26). This shows that pride is a driving factor behind Fortinbras' plan because he is willing to risk the lives of his countrymen for minimal gain. Laertes, on the other hand, is forced to seek revenge as he loses his father and eventually his sister. The root of Laertes' vengeance appears to be love for his family as he proclaims that "he will be avenged / most completely for [his] father" (4.5... middle of folio... side Shakespeare Essays in Criticism Ed. Leonard F. Dean New York: Oxford University P., 1967. Rosenberg, "Laertes: An Impulsive Young Aristocrat" Ed Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masques of Hamlet, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P ., 1992. Shakespeare, William The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 1995. //www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.htmlWard & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1907-21 New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 http https://www.bartleby.com/215/0816.html