Friendship and Betrayal

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Hamlet’s close childhood friends. However, throughout the play, Hamlet's relationship with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is fraught with mistrust, misdirection, and misunderstanding. The Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare highlights the complexities of daily relationships and the tenebrosity behind loved ones. Specifically, in Hamlet, the friendship between Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Hamlet quickly signifies the nuance within close bonds and the corruption that occurs behind closed doors. The roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are used interchangeably within the play. Additionally, the two are utilized as pawns for Claudius, who maliciously misleads and misinforms them, manipulating their relationship with Hamlet to spy on him and find the origin behind his supposed madness. Albeit their best intentions, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are perceived as enemies by Hamlet, who scorns their attempts to blindly please the king and queen, ridiculing them for unwittingly complying with the demands of a murderer. Ultimately, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s greatest efforts in alleviating the postulated crazed malady of their lifelong friend are in vain. Since their alignment with Claudius, the fragmentation of their brotherhood with Hamlet began and continued to expand until their eventual demise orchestrated by Hamlet himself. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s polarization from their relationship with Hamlet originates from a place of misunderstanding and dissonance. By obsequiously obeying Claudius’ wishes and distorting the meaning behind Hamlet’s actions, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s downfall illustrates the tragic nature of Hamlet. The deception behind their Machiavellian manipulation, from Claudius exploiting them to Hamlet beguiling their trust and sending them to their deaths, exemplifies the calamitous timing of events and the fatal essence of human nature.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s actions are largely influenced by their allegiance to the throne and the influence of King Claudius. Their wish for Hamlet’s well-being is extensive, sustained by their deep-rooted friendship with Hamlet. However, the two fail to implement these desires into palpable deeds, instead falling on vain assumptions for Hamlet’s madness, which they believe is expounded by his father’s death and his love for Ophelia, causing his consequent descent into insanity. The lack of individual thinking from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern makes them especially prone to Claudius’ Machevillian manipulation, turning them into empty puppets for his own malicious intentions. Moreover, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s dependence on the views of those around them, such as Claudius, highlights the simplicity behind their betrayal of Hamlet and the calamity of their involvement in foreign affairs. The initial appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is marked by their subservience and noble intentions, as both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, along with Gertrude, express a desire for Hamlet’s recovery and well-being while also being concerned about his maniacal mental state. At this time, Hamlet was in a state of vulnerability, in the process of registering his father’s murder. The two’s entrance is immediately put to work by Gertrude and Claudius, as Gertrude promptly remarks upon her “too much changed son” and the urgency behind their visit (Shakespeare 2.2.33). As such, Shakespeare elucidates the appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as dependable companions of Hamlet, who wishes with good intentions for his welfare. The virtuous objectives behind Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s behavior are further emphasized through their early confession to Hamlet of Claudius’ shrewd motives. In Act 2, as Guildenstern and Rosencrantz beguile Hamlet, he advises Guildenstern to reveal the truth behind their visit if they truly care for him. Guildenstern’s instant reaction is to comply with Hamlet’s wish, in a guided attempt to showcase his concern for him. Yet, this moral intention does not shield Hamlet from the cruelty of Claudius or the deception surrounding the duo, solidifying their tragic fates as the consequence of their lack of power and the inevitability of death. Likewise, Guildenstern’s quick compliance with Hamlet’s wishes further signifies his and Rosencrantz’s simplicity, which the two naively confess after a mere sentence from Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s puppet-like role is thus intensified by their unsound deference to those in authority. This tragic flaw foreshadows the incoming catastrophe and turmoil that follows misunderstanding, trickery, and manipulation, which not even those close to Hamlet can avoid.  

As the tension behind Hamlet and Claudius’ connection deepens, so does Hamlet’s disdain for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s uncritical loyalty to Claudius and his commands. Claudius uses his concern for Hamlet as a guise, hiding behind his feigned worry for Hamlet’s welfare and his apparent craziness to justify his requests for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s continued investigation of their good friend’s supposed lunacy. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's wish to appeal to the king reinforces their misguided belief in his benevolence. As such, the two trust his words, mistakenly assuming that his status and reputation as king deem him qualified to make assumptions on matters such as Hamlet’s mental health. As a result, they are purposefully misled by Claudius to deceive Hamlet, forcing him to confront the betrayal of his two good friends and plan his own deception of them as well. These devastating circumstances paint the central messages of the play, the fragility of human nature and the inevitability of death and misfortune. Additionally, by illuminating their former close bond with Hamlet, Shakespeare emphasizes the darkness that hides within human nature, to which every individual is subject. As Hamlet and the duo continue to betray each other, they perpetuate and feed into the play’s cycle of tragedy and deception. Their previous affection and care for each other becomes null as the Machiavellian manipulation of Claudius forces the expansion of their friendship, isolating the three from truly understanding the other’s condition. Further, the play within the play, The Mousetrap, progresses the tragic doom of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, ironically directed by Hamlet in an attempt to provoke Claudius’ confession of fratricide. However, not only does The Mousetrap exacerbate perceptions of Hamlet’s mental derangement to those around him, it Claudius’ suspicion of his danger and solidifies his plan to have him murdered in England. This pushes Claudius to implore Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to visit Hamlet, for the good of the crown as well as Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern now hold an obligation to not only their friendship with Hamlet but also their duty to the welfare of everyone in Denmark and the king. However, their misguidance and deception by the king are evidently marked by his malicious and selfish intentions. Claudius callously sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to England with Hamlet with the plan to kill Hamlet, leaving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to fend for themselves. Additionally, the two are further misled by Hamlet, who mocks their ignorant obligation to Claudius and alludes to their betrayal, stating in Act 3 that they disparage his value, mocking his intelligence by playing him like a flute. Claudius’ continued subterfuge of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sends them eventually to their doom. Their deaths are marked by the tragedy of lies, miscommunication, and fraud and epitomize the devastating essence of Hamlet. 

The Mousetrap consolidates Hamlet’s certainty for revenge, something he is willing to achieve regardless of any setbacks. Hamlet is prepared to murder anyone who obstructs his way to revenge. Betrayed by his close childhood friends and isolated from society, the public’s perception of Hamlet is fraught with misunderstanding. Furthermore, his murder of Polonius in Act 3 forces Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to treat him not as a friend, but as a potential threat to the security of Denmark. By now, Hamlet is extremely isolated. Encumbered by the awareness of his father's death, Hamlet is thirsty for revenge and struggles to release his desires in a non-violent way. In addition, the violation of his trust from Polonius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern, most of them individuals whom he considered to be cherished companions, causes Hamlet to wane into despair and cynicism. Thus, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s continued pursuit of Hamlet after his murder of Polonius serve as the catalyst for the rest of the play’s deception and tragedies. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are committed to a gullible reliance on Claudius for guidance. Hamlet remarks on this, highlighting their betrayal by comparing their likeness to a sponge—absorbing Claudius’ awards, commands, and approvals without a second thought to their implications. Hamlet is now indubitably repulsed by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and the nature behind their ignorant faithlessness. Coupled with Hamlet’s own loyalty to his father and the truth, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s betrayal only highlights their ignorance and complicity in malignancy. The two’s once benevolent endeavors have now transformed to showcase misguided conduct and foolish aspirations. Accordingly, Hamlet now confirms they have earned the merit of death. By thoughtlessly following Claudius’ wishes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern lack the proper individuality to protect themselves from deception. Their inability to question Claudius’ commands, a culmination of his status as king and their obedience to authority, generates the tragedy behind their deaths and conveys the meaning of Hamlet. Deception and selfishness, marked by ignorance and well-meaning intentions, can still end in immense devastation and pain, as is the nature of human beings. Although Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are kindhearted and diligent in their pursuit of Hamlet’s well-being, their ultimate untimely intrusions, paired with the malice of Claudius and Hamlet himself, result in their deaths.    

Conclusively, Hamlet abandons his commitment to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, snarkily recounting his plan for their murder to Horatio in Act 5. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s downfall is characterized by the betrayal of trust and miscommunication from both sides. The two’s initial motives are colored by affection for Hamlet and loyalty to the monarchs. However, as Hamlet’s progression into his lunacy furthers, a result of his obsession with his father’s murder, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s ignorance is further exacerbated. By meddling in matters they do not understand, under the influence of Claudius’ deception, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are effectively preparing the instruments of their own demise and digging their own graves. Although their relationship with Hamlet was once strong and affectionate, their cooperation with King Claudius leads Hamlet to feel disillusioned in their loyalties. In his eyes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s betrayal ensnares them in a web of their own making, fitting of where their loyalties lie. Through their deaths, Shakespeare poignantly conveys the elements of tragedy, the pain of misunderstanding, and the afflictive impact of manipulation. Essentially, Shakespeare highlights a fated aspect of human nature: death. Furthermore, he alludes to the dark two-faced disguise of loved ones and the looming mystery behind their core goals. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s tragic deaths contribute to the holistically dark tone of the play and lead up to the climax, where Hamlet’s struggle with his mental health and the burden of carrying the secret behind his father’s death is finally revealed. Thus, their eventual quietus forms the conclusion of the play, encapsulating the effects of ignorance, miscommunication, and the turpitude hiding behind loved ones.