Sacrifice of Values to Please Authority in Shakespeare's Hamlet

In contrast to Horatio’s continual loyalty to Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s childhood friends obtained a false friendship. Instead of caring about the well being of others and what was happening with Hamlet, they were more concerned about their own interest and how to benefit themselves more than anything. With Claudius’s bribery and opportunities, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern strove for benefit and praise. To be able to get all the promised royal advancements, it involves for the gentlemen to have to show complete allegiance to Claudius and turn against Hamlet. It had been accomplished by spying on Hamlet and the attempt to get pieces of evidence that promoted his craziness. However, Hamlet figures out about their betrayal and the artificial friendship. This prevents any information to be released to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as achieved by the dedicated Horatio who has proven the dedication. The idea is noticed when Hamlet says, “If you love me, hold not off” (2.2.214). By saying this, it means that if there is any care about the relationship, honesty would be told no matter the aftereffect. The selfishness of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern had broken Hamlet’s confidence, and resulting in not being able to get the evidence for Claudius. When Rosencrantz

In addition to the pain Hamlet and John had endured because of their mothers, they both had to overcome the people who intended to use them. For Hamlet this meant suppressing information from the bothersome Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Upon the king’s request these two friends of Hamlet are sent off in an attempt to relieve Hamlet’s sorrow. However Hamlet soon discovers that they have alternative motives. They are strictly set out to discover the cause for Hamlet’s depression and madness, and don’t even attempt to enlighten his spirits.

Class struggle is noticeable in Hamlet. The royals exploit the lower class to satisfy their ambitions. People from the working class carry out the Aristocrats commands and they hold an insignificant rank in their society. The Aristocrats notably Hamlet, Claudius, and even Gertrude oppress others to obtain what they want and show that they are superior. Claudius poisons his own brother and marries Gertrude to have a stronger chance at being king since she is “the imperial jointress,” to the throne; he does not marry Gertrude because he loves her; he is using her to obtain the power (I.ii.9). Even when he gets the throne, he still wants more power and seeks to murder Hamlet because the prince knows his secret. Claudius also uses Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to spy on his nephew. The men carry out his orders without protest; they are “like an ape, in the corner of/ [Claudius’] jaw;” the king is using them to find out the reason for Hamlet’s sudden madness and when he will get what he wants; he will get rid them (IV.ii.18-19). Claudius uses Laertes to get rid of Hamlet because he wants his nephew to remain inferior to him because the people of Denmark love Hamlet and they will want him as their ruler; Hamlet is a menace to Claudius and an obstruction between him and the ultimate power.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern also sow the seeds of their own destruction by betraying their lifelong friend. From their point of view of course, they are being loyal to the king. They are faithful, obedient subjects, merely doing services to their king, trying to find out the reason for Hamlet’s madness. To Hamlet however, their willingness to do the King’s bidding is just more evidence of the corruption of the court. He urges them to treat him as a friend, to be loyal to him, to tell him the truth-;’were you not sent for?’ They eventually and reluctantly agree that they were sent for. But this is not the last of it. They continue to do the King’s bidding,

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are foils to Hamlet. The two are introduced as friends to Hamlet. But also they are like messengers for the king. Hamlet learns of their

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were present when Hamlet spoke to the head player about adding a few lines to the play "The Murder of Gonzago." They did not actually hear what those lines were to be, but surely they could not help but realize that the king's anger during the play was probably related to the changes Hamlet made. When the king rose in anger and left, he was followed by everyone except Hamlet and Horatio. Hamlet, of course, was not concerned for the king, since he knew the cause of his anger. Horatio's heart was turned toward Hamlet, so he also remained behind. Had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern been loyal to Hamlet, they would have remained behind also, but ambition sent them after the man

King Claudius expresses, “Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Moreover that we much did long to see you, the need we have to use you did provoke our hasty sending.” (2.2.1-4) He addresses them in what is seemingly a sincere manner, proclaiming the supposed yearning he has had. However, these so-called sincere actions towards Hamlet’s childhood friends are just to convince them to take on the role of spying on Hamlet’s actions and reporting them back to Gertrude and Claudius. He continues to mask his true motives by saying, “To draw him on to pleasures and to gather...you may glean..to us unknown, afflicts him thus that, opened, lies within our remedy.” (2.2.15-19) King Claudius’ choice of words convey an inkling to the audience that he cares for Hamlet because of how he expresses his need to find out Hamlet’s condition, and fix it. This also presents Gertrude with the idea that Claudius has Hamlet’s best interests at heart. This, in King Claudius’ favor, solidifies his honorable, yet selfless stature with his contriving

In the end, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are naively loyal to Hamlet, and this becomes their downfall. They know that Hamlet has killed Polonius, and yet, they take no precautions as they accompany Hamlet to England. Their trust in both Claudius and Hamlet gets them killed. Hamlet’s reveals his mistrust of his schoolmates in a conversation with his mother, and refers to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as, "...my two-school fellows, whom I will trust as adders fanged..." 

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness ‘’, a quote by Martin Luther King. This quote relates to one of the principal themes in Hamlet. As a synonym for selfishness, greed also ties in to the theme of the play. The egocentricity of the character Claudius and his brother King Hamlet had a very large impact on several lives. He is the perfect example of ‘’one must do whatever it takes ‘’.

People are under immense societal pressures when making decisions; friends, coworkers, and family members input their opinions on what they believe is best. This external force exerts pressure on them to conform to their ideas. In addition to others imposing their opinions, people can impact others through tragic events such as a death in the family. These can test their core values and cause them to re-evaluate their ideologies. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet’s father dies and his mother, Gertrude, remarries soon after the death. Hamlet is initially bothered not only by the death of his father, but by his mother’s quick remarriage, because he felt as though Gertrude did not fully pay her respects and honor his death. However, after meeting and speaking with the ghost of his father, he learns the terrible truth. Hamlet’s father was killed at the hands of Claudius, his uncle and now stepfather, with the intent to obtain the throne. In a plea for vengeance, Hamlet’s father tries to convince him to kill Claudius. Claudius, on the other hand, presses Hamlet from the opposite side to fulfil his own visions for him. In Hamlet, society, as exemplified by his father and Claudius, causes Hamlet much distress as he’s torn between two versions of who he could be. This leads him to explore the act of suicide as an option to escape the new realities of his problematic existence. Ultimately, Hamlet’s realization and acceptance that it is impossible to meet society’s expectations

There are many themes that can be found within William Shakespeare’s works of literature. In the play Hamlet, it is evident that there is a prominent theme of obedience. Throughout the course of the play obedience is shown numerous times and involves many characters. These instances can be divided into three categories of reasoning to be obedient: obedience through family, obedience through an authority figure, and obedience through friendship and trust. These characters include Hamlet, Ophelia, Fortinbras, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Horatio and Marcellus.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were ordered by Claudius to find out where Hamlet put Polonius’ body. However, they have learned nothing because Hamlet was not willing to give them an answer. Instead, Hamlet mocked them by calling them

Hamlet faces challenges throughout the play that try his inner strengths and test his ability to handle the situation. He is torn between wanting to seek justice, and avenge his father’s death. Hamlet is also caught up in an intricate web of lies and deceit, he is considered mad by most characters when in all actuality it is just playing off of the actions of others to benefit himself. He puts on different acts trying to hide the truth, which makes him seem sincerely mad to the people around him. The truth of the matter is that Hamlet can’t decide whether or not his convictions are accurate. This dilemma ultimately leads to not only the deaths of the main characters, but the downfall of the kingdom.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were two characters in the play who were justly punished. These two were supposed to be friends of Hamlet. They turned on him with one simple request from the King. I feel no remorse for them after Hamlet's little scheme. I find it ironic and reflective of their ending when the Ambassador comes and says, ."..Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. Where should we have our thanks?" (5,2,411-12) This is somewhat humorous because

Polonius further displays his self-interest through his attempt to advance his cause by using his conversation with his daughter to gain favor with the king. Polonius meets with King Claudius and Queen Gertrude to inform them that the reason why their son, Prince Hamlet, is crazy is due to his love for his daughter, Ophelia. Here, Polonius is willing to sacrifice his daughter’s happiness to score points with the king. He presents to the king and queen a letter that Prince Hamlet has written to Ophelia. He replies, “I have a daughter- have while she is mine-Who, in her duty and obedience, mark, Hath given me this”(II.ii.106-108). The letter shows that Prince Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia as he writes to her, “To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified Ophelia “(II.ii109-111)