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Rosencrants and Guildenstern from Hamlet Essay

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Do Sponges Deserve Sympathy

The roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are relatively minor in the overall plot of Hamlet. However, the insertions of these two characters that ended their lives with tragic or absurd death by Shakespeare was significant as these two minor characters falls are not direct consequences of their actions to fulfill their intentions as. They are neither political players in the Danish court who need to struggle or to conspire to get the grasp of power nor those people who feel compelled to revenge for their fathers like Hamlet and Laertes. The fact that their deaths are actually their mission to accomplish is both comic and tragic. Today, name of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are closely associated with betrayal of friendships as these two former friends of Hamlet is doing everything in favor of Hamlets top enemy, Claudius to destroy Hamlets influence. Ther is no doubt that Shakespeare inserts these two characters to be comic relief but the appearance of these two character in the play also symbolizes his mix emotion of ridicule and sympathy.

The appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is not doubt to be comic relief just as the courtier Ostric is. Unlike Ostric who panders to whoever that are powerful enough for him to benefit from praising them even though he might contradicts himself, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are less of this clownish style on the surface in term of their acts, language and tone. Notice that these two friends of Hamlet in University of Wittenberg never make any assertions or statements during the course of the play. They are very careful in manner so not to offend anyone in the court that would put them in danger. litely. During the course of the conversation with Hamlet, Both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern only ask questions; agree to sayings of Hamlet, and answering Hamlets questions. This obedient nature of these two characters is proven by the fact that they would answer positively to kings request for their service whether it be to spy on Hamlet or to pressure Hamlet to reveal the location of Polonius dead body or to escort Hamlet to England and to carry a message they have no idea about.

Rosencrantz and Guildensterns last mission is to escort Hamlet and a message to England as King Claudius has arranged. What they are not aware of is that what they are carrying is the order for them to be executed. In other word, by performing this service to the king they are actually doing king the last favor. They are serving the king wholeheartedly when they are alive and even their very own death are serving the king. This is an extreme irony that is supposed to be treated like humor at the time. Together with the lack of believe and position on things, they resemble the characteristics of being comic figures in this play.

By showing this comic effect of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Shakespeare express his scorn for those cling to the powerful authority and those who betray their friendship for their own benefits. The decision of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to obey to the call of the king is largely based on their gauge on who would benefit them the most if they were to serve them. We could have seen them serving Hamlet if he were to be the king. They would be most loyal to whoever is the most powerful. is not only a suggestion of their foolishness but also an accusation of them for betraying friend. In doing this, Shakespeare is reflecting on some of the people in the society who would pander to the need of the rich and powerful the secure their own social standing at the time. He is critical of those people who abandon most important moral value such as friendship and trust in this process.

Although Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are minor characters in the play, the news of the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern did come in after the climactic series death of the royal family and some important figure. This arrangement by Shakespeare underscores, again, the significance of the roles of this odd couple. The author seems to remind us the other important kind of travesty that is not caused by revenge, but rather, tyranny. The death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the direct consequence of the tyrannical rule of Claudius that they ought to be dead in order to preserve his authority.

The news of the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern suggest how hard is it for people of lower class to survive in this aristocratic society. they have obey every order and have done every thing the higher authority demanded and yet they ends up being slain oversea with no precautions. It shows how vulnerable the lives of the lower class people can be. There is no such right path to survive even if you think you have done everything right to please the higher class people. The willingness of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to obey the demand of the king without any reservation is interpreted as a foolish and spineless act, but we could also read it as the innocence and humility of the lower class people who are willing to follow the rule of tyranny if they are guaranteed the basic maintenance of their own existence.

The comic effect of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that Shakespeare has created is quite different from that of Ostric and that of the two Grave Diggers as they are laughable by their uses of either funny or witty languages. They only become funny upon their death.

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