Eissler considers possible functions of the character, Fortinbras, in Hamlet. One idea holds that Fortinbras, whose father died before he was born and whose mother conceivably died in childbirth, was spared the 'oedipal poison' and could act without conflictual hesitation and doubt. Flexible and reality-adapted, he sharpens by contrast Hamlet's highly conflicted, hesitant personality. Another idea maintains that Fortinbras is a Hamlet reborn and as such tempers the emotional impact of the tragic ending on the Elizabethan audience. This and other devices (jigs, multilayered endings) were required because Elizabethan actors had a far deeper effect on their audiences than their modern counterparts. The deeper effect is attributed to a higher emotional susceptibility in the Elizabethan and to the greater ability of Elizabethan actors to pour 'enormous quantities of emotion' into their performances. Eissler feels this ability derives from a phase in their careers when they played female roles which allowed them to unfold, exhibit, enjoy, and experience their feminine and homosexual inclinations.