Friendship In Hamlet Research Paper
What is a friend? The dictionary definition of a friend is someone who you like and enjoy being around. In reality, they are so much more. A real friend supports you in all situations and is someone for whom you have love and respect and feel that you can confide in. On the other hand, there are people that appear to be friends, but do not have good intentions. These people will not really care about you as a person, unless it benefits them. There are both of these types of people in the world and in famous literature. Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a great example because Hamlet encounters these two types throughout the play. Hamlet’s friendship with Horatio and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern differ greatly because of their motivations for
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come back from England to visit Hamlet after his father’s death. Their relationship is much different than the one that Hamlet and Horatio share because they are only there because they have been summoned by King Claudius. It is evident that they are there to do the bidding of the King and Queen and not to visit their long lost friend that lost his father. They want to have a connection to the King and hope that doing his dirty work will create this. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern say “Both your Majesties might, by the sovereign power you have of us, put your dread pleasures more into command than to entreaty. But we both obey, and here give up ourselves, in the full bent to lay our service freely at your feet, to be commanded.” (2.2.27-34). Luckily, Hamlet does discover that they are not there for him and he does not trust them. Saving his own life, Hamlet eventually has them killed by the King of England. This shows that Hamlet, also, has no loyalty to Rosencrantz and …show more content…
Horatio represents a friend that many people would love to have. The depth of his dedication to Hamlet is evident when he is willing to lay down his own life for his friend. On the contrary, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the friends that many people wish to avoid. They are willing to sacrifice their friend and his secrets for their own personal gain. For Hamlet, the message became clear. Horatio was his friend and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were his
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come back from England to visit Hamlet after his father’s death. Their relationship is much different than the one that Hamlet and Horatio share because they are only there because they have been summoned by King Claudius. It is evident that they are there to do the bidding of the King and Queen and not to visit their long lost friend that lost his father. They want to have a connection to the King and hope that doing his dirty work will create this. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern say “Both your Majesties might, by the sovereign power you have of us, put your dread pleasures more into command than to entreaty. But we both obey, and here give up ourselves, in the full bent to lay our service freely at your feet, to be commanded.” (2.2.27-34). Luckily, Hamlet does discover that they are not there for him and he does not trust them. Saving his own life, Hamlet eventually has them killed by the King of England. This shows that Hamlet, also, has no loyalty to Rosencrantz and …show more content…
Horatio represents a friend that many people would love to have. The depth of his dedication to Hamlet is evident when he is willing to lay down his own life for his friend. On the contrary, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the friends that many people wish to avoid. They are willing to sacrifice their friend and his secrets for their own personal gain. For Hamlet, the message became clear. Horatio was his friend and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were his