The final moments of William Shakespeare's Hamlet present a striking tableau: the Danish court lies strewn with bodies, and the Norwegian prince Fortinbras arrives to claim a kingdom in disarray. His immediate, and perhaps most poignant, act is to order a military funeral for the deceased Prince Hamlet. This decision, far from being a mere perfunctory gesture, serves multiple crucial functions. Fortinbras’s order signifies the re-establishment of political order after a period of chaos, offers a profound expression of respect for Hamlet's princely status and his martial prowess, and ultimately provides a thematic resolution to the play's exploration of death, honour, and the responsibilities of leadership.
Upon Fortinbras’s arrival, Denmark has descended into a state of profound political and social breakdown. The king is dead by murder, the queen poisoned, the heir apparent (Hamlet) has just killed the king and then died himself, and the court is littered with corpses. This scene of utter devastation demands a strong, decisive hand to restore stability. Fortinbras, a prince who has himself been in conflict with Denmark and whose father was killed in a duel with Hamlet’s father, embodies a different kind of leadership. His pragmatic approach to governance is immediately evident in his assumption of control. By ordering a military funeral, he asserts his authority and begins the process of imposing order on the chaos. This act frames the preceding events as a tragedy of personal failings and political missteps, now to be cleaned up and put to rest by a capable ruler. It’s a gesture that says, "This is over. A new era begins." The soldiers marching with Hamlet’s body, the “warlike music,” and the ceremonial salute all contribute to an atmosphere of formal closure, signalling that the destructive passions of the past are being formally interred, making way for a more structured future.
Furthermore, Fortinbras’s respect for Hamlet is palpable in his choice of ceremony. He explicitly states, "Give me a wounded soldier’s funeral, / For I would have him bear the name of soldier." This is a significant acknowledgement. Hamlet, throughout the play, has been a complex figure, often paralyzed by thought and moral indecision, certainly not a man of action in the vein of Fortinbras. Yet, he did kill Claudius, the usurper and murderer. He fought pirates, and he exhibited courage in his duel with Laertes. Fortinbras, a seasoned military man, recognizes these elements of martial spirit in Hamlet, even amidst his intellectual and emotional turmoil. The funeral thus acknowledges Hamlet not just as a prince who died tragically, but as a soldier who fought his own battles, albeit on a different kind of field. This is a deeply personal tribute from one prince to another, transcending the political machinations that led to Hamlet’s demise. It elevates Hamlet’s final moments by framing them within a context of honour and duty, albeit a duty he struggled to fulfill.
Finally, the military funeral provides a powerful thematic resolution to many of the play's central concerns. Hamlet is a play saturated with death and the contemplation of mortality. From the ghost of Hamlet’s father to the gravedigger scene and the final bloodbath, death is a constant presence. The play questions the meaning of life, the nature of an honourable death, and the legacy one leaves behind. Hamlet himself grapples with the idea of suicide and the potential consequences of his actions in the afterlife. Fortinbras’s order, in a way, answers some of these questions. By giving Hamlet a funeral befitting a noble warrior, Fortinbras suggests that even in a life marked by hesitation and tragedy, there is a path to honour. The image of Hamlet as a fallen soldier, carried to his rest with military honours, offers a dignified end, a stark contrast to the ignominious deaths of Claudius or Gertrude. It provides a sense of closure not just for the characters within the play, but for the audience, leaving them with a final, resonant image of a prince who, despite his flaws, is finally granted a form of peace and respect.
In conclusion, Fortinbras’s decree for a military funeral for Prince Hamlet is far more than a simple act of protocol. It is a declaration of renewed political order in a kingdom shattered by regicide and internal strife. It is a sincere tribute from a warrior prince to another, acknowledging the martial spirit that, however latent, existed within Hamlet. Most importantly, it serves as a thematic capstone, offering a dignified resolution to the play's profound meditations on death, honour, and the weight of princely responsibility, leaving the audience with a sense of finality and the promise of a more stable future for Denmark.