Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

A detailed Summary of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince Hamlet replaces the letter that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are carrying to England with a forgery of his own making, thus sending these two men to their deaths. He does this without giving it a second thought and never suffers from any guilt or remorse for his actions. Considering that these two men were friends from his youth, this would at first glance seem to reflect poorly on his character. However, one must consider carefully the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern before passing judgment on Hamlet.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent for by the King and Queen to spy on Hamlet and learn why he "puts on this confusion" (III, i.2). While some are fooled by Hamlet's act of insanity, the king is not. He is convinced that it is an act and, being a sly man himself, he suspects that Hamlet is up to something. Having obtained the throne through deceit and murder, he believes Hamlet capable of the same. While King Claudius is evil, he is not a fool and he would never have sent for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern if they were such close friends of Hamlet. They are even told outright that they will be rewarded for their efforts (II, ii. 21-6).

The very fact that they undertake this

After Hamlet confronts his mother, the queen, he reveals to her that he is fully aware of the danger that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern represent to him. They are no longer childhood friends, but rather "adders fanged." They are involved in a conspiracy to destroy Hamlet and he will see them "hoist with (their) own petar." Not only does he intend to outsmart these meddling fools, but he will relish it as well. "O, 'tis most sweet..." (III, iv. 225-32).

There is no reason to believe that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have the conviction that Prince Hamlet is indeed insane. When they report back to the king, they refer to Hamlet's actions as a "crafty madness" used to mislead them concerning "his true state" (III, i. 6-8). They openly discuss Hamlet's actions and motives with the king, once again showing their true alliance. Later, when the king decides to send Hamlet to England guarded by these men, they affirm his actions and any future actions that may be carried out toward Hamlet. They know that Hamlet is fully aware of their alliance with the king and therefore their lives have value only as long as the king lives. "The cease of majesty dies not alone, but like a gulf doth draw what's near it with it" (III, iii, 16-8).

When they do return, they pretend great love toward Hamlet, only to be rebuked as liars. Hamlet is fully aware of their schemes to manipulate him and tells them they show little respect for him in their attempts to do so. "Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make o

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Approximate Word count = 1013
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English