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Character Analysis: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Character Profile – At a Glance
Role: Courtiers; former childhood friends and fellow students of Hamlet.
Key Traits: Interchangeable, sycophantic (obsequious), opportunistic, manipulative, and lacking individuality.
The Core Conflict: Summoned by King Claudius to spy on Hamlet and uncover the cause of his strange behaviour.
Key Function: Embody the political opportunism and corruption of the court; serve as a contrast to the true friendship of Horatio.
Key Actions: Attempt to interrogate Hamlet, fail to discover the truth, escort Hamlet to England with a letter ordering his execution, and are ultimately executed themselves.
Famous Quote (by Gertrude): "Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz." (Note: The irony is that Claudius immediately reverses their names, highlighting their interchangeability). (Act 2, Scene 2).
The Outcome: Executed in England due to Hamlet's counter-manipulation.
Interchangeable Sycophants: The Loss of Individuality
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are unique in the play because they function as a single entity. They are virtually indistinguishable in their speech, actions, and motivations. This interchangeability is emphasized immediately upon their introduction.
Original:
(Claudius): Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.
(Gertrude): Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz. (King and Queen – Act 2, Scene 2)
This lack of individuality highlights their role as mere tools of the state. They are not driven by personal conviction but by a desire to gain favour with the King. They readily agree to spy on their childhood friend, Hamlet, demonstrating their political opportunism and the shallowness of their loyalty.
They embody the sycophancy (obsequiousness) required to navigate the corrupt court of Elsinore, telling the King they are there only to "lay our service freely at your feet, / To be commanded" (Act 2, Scene 2).
The Incompetent Spies
Summoned to uncover the cause of Hamlet's "transformation," Rosencrantz and Guildenstern prove to be clumsy and ineffective spies. They attempt to interrogate Hamlet using thinly veiled questions, but Hamlet easily sees through their deception.
Hamlet greets them warmly at first, but quickly becomes suspicious of their motives. He forces them to admit they were "sent for" by the King and Queen.
Original:
...But let me conjure you, by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love... be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no? (Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern – Act 2, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
So let me ask you, and by the bonds of friendship and our youth, and by the everlasting love we share, tell me the truth about if you were sent for – yes or no?
Once their betrayal is exposed, Hamlet treats them with open contempt. He uses his wit and "antic disposition" to mock and confuse them, highlighting their intellectual inferiority.
The Instruments of Corruption
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern represent the pervasive corruption of the Danish court. They illustrate how individuals abandon morality and friendship in service of power.
Their function is often compared unfavourably to that of Horatio, who represents true loyalty and integrity. While Horatio remains steadfast, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern become willing instruments of Claudius's tyranny.
Hamlet uses the metaphor of a recorder (a musical instrument) to expose their manipulative tactics (Act 3, Scene 2). He challenges Guildenstern to play the recorder, and when Guildenstern protests that he cannot, Hamlet turns the metaphor against him, accusing him of trying to "play upon" Hamlet himself.
Original:
Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery... 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? (Hamlet to Guildenstern – Act 3, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Well, look at you! You think I am pathetic! You think that you can play me; like you know the stops on my recorder; kill my intrigue… By God’s blood, do you think I’m easier to play on than a pipe?
He later refers to them as "sponges" (Act 4, Scene 2), soaking up the King's favour only to be wrung dry when no longer needed.
“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are men who have no centre, no inner direction. They are an image of the undistinguished, the ‘average man’ who is caught up in the workings of a great and terrifying machine.”
A Callous Fate
The involvement of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deepens as they agree to escort Hamlet to England (Act 4, Scene 3). They carry a sealed letter from Claudius ordering Hamlet's immediate execution. It is ambiguous whether they know the contents of the letter, but their willingness to participate in the plot confirms their allegiance to the King over their friend.
Hamlet discovers the plot at sea and ruthlessly turns the tables. He alters the letter to order the execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern instead.
When he recounts the event to Horatio (Act 5, Scene 2), Hamlet shows no remorse, viewing their deaths as a justifiable consequence of their betrayal and political meddling.
Original:
Why, man, they did make love to this employment;
They are not near my conscience; their defeat
Does by their own insinuation grow:
'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
Between the pass and fell incensed points
Of mighty opposites. (Hamlet – Act 5, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Why, man, they loved the job that they were doing!
I don’t feel sorry for them, for their deaths
Were caused by what they brought upon themselves:
It’s dangerous when folk of lower standing
Get in-between the swipes and sharpened swords
Of powerful enemies.
Their deaths occur offstage, reflecting their insignificance as individuals; they are mere collateral damage in the larger conflict between Hamlet and Claudius.
Key Quotes by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Quote 1:
Original:
(Claudius): Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.
(Gertrude): Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz.
And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changed son. (King and Queen – Act 2, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.
Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz!
And I implore you, please go right away
To see my transformed son.
Quote 2:
Original:
My lord, we were sent for. (Guildenstern to Hamlet – Act 2, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
We were sent for, my lord.
Quote 3:
Original:
O, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. (Guildenstern to Hamlet – Act 3, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
If I’m unduly forward then, my lord, it’s just my admiration being rude.
Quote 4:
Original:
...'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me. (Hamlet to Guildenstern – Act 3, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
By God’s blood, do you think I’m easier to play on than a pipe? So, call me any instrument you like, but don’t think you can play me for a fool.
Key Takeaways
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern function as a single entity, their interchangeability highlighting their lack of individuality and their role as tools of the state.
They embody the sycophancy and political opportunism prevalent in the corrupt court of Elsinore.
Their betrayal of Hamlet contrasts sharply with the true loyalty of Horatio.
Their ultimate fate demonstrates the danger of abandoning morality in service of power, as they become collateral damage in the conflict between mighty opposites.
Study Questions and Analysis
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are deliberately written as interchangeable characters, often speaking and acting in unison. Even the King and Queen confuse their names (Act 2, Scene 2).
This lack of individuality serves a thematic purpose. It emphasises their role as faceless agents of the state, rather than genuine individuals. They represent the sycophancy of the court, where personality is submerged in the service of power. Their interchangeability makes them seem less human and more like political instruments.
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern serve as a stark contrast to Horatio, highlighting the difference between true friendship and political opportunism. All three are fellow students of Hamlet from Wittenberg.
Horatio is steadfastly loyal, rational, and acts with integrity. He supports Hamlet without seeking personal gain. In contrast, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern readily agree to spy on Hamlet for the King and Queen, betraying their friendship for royal favour. They are deceptive and easily manipulated, while Horatio is honest and discerning.
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The text is ambiguous about whether Rosencrantz and Guildenstern knew the contents of the letter they carried to England, which ordered Hamlet's execution.
Claudius typically keeps his most villainous plans secret, suggesting they may have been ignorant pawns. However, Hamlet assumes they were complicit, stating they did "make love to this employment" (Act 5, Scene 2). Regardless of their knowledge, their willingness to serve Claudius against their friend demonstrates their moral corruption and complicity in the King's schemes.
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Hamlet's harsh treatment stems from his profound sense of betrayal. He initially greets them warmly as childhood friends (Act 2, Scene 2). However, he quickly discerns that they are acting as spies for Claudius.
He is disgusted by their dishonesty and their willingness to exploit their friendship for political gain. He mocks them relentlessly, using metaphors like the sponge (that soaks up the King's favour) and the recorder (Act 3, Scene 2) to expose their attempts to manipulate him. Their betrayal reinforces his cynicism about the corruption of the world.
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The execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is one of Hamlet's most ruthless actions, and its justification is debatable.
From Hamlet's perspective, it is justified. They betrayed him and were escorting him to his death (knowingly or unknowingly). He views their fate as a consequence of their own actions, arguing that it is dangerous for lesser beings to interfere in the conflict of "mighty opposites" (Act 5, Scene 2).
From a moral perspective, their execution is harsh. They are manipulative and sycophantic, but they are not the architects of the central crime. Their deaths highlight how morally compromised Hamlet has become in his quest for revenge.
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In Act 3, Scene 2, Hamlet uses a recorder (a flute-like instrument) to confront Guildenstern's manipulation. When Guildenstern admits he cannot play the instrument, Hamlet accuses him of believing that Hamlet himself is "easier to be played on than a pipe."
The metaphor exposes the deceptive tactics of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. It demonstrates Hamlet's intellectual superiority and his awareness of their attempts to "pluck out the heart of [his] mystery." It is a powerful assertion of his autonomy against those who view him as an instrument to be manipulated.
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern reveal the pervasive corruption and moral decay of Elsinore. They demonstrate that loyalty and friendship are secondary to political ambition. Their willingness to serve Claudius without question illustrates how power operates in the court—through surveillance, manipulation, and the expectation of absolute obedience. They represent the ordinary individuals who become complicit in tyranny through their desire for advancement.