Minor Characters In Hamlet Essay

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The function for minor characters
The writing The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare uses minor characters in a very interesting way. From blindly helping the antagonists to contrasting the main character in subtle ways the minor characters are crucial. The function of minor characters such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are to be a foil to Hamlet. There are many examples of this throughout the text.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are found together most of their appearances during the play. This is shown “Enter Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. POLONIUS You go to seek the Lord Hamlet. There he is. ROSENCRANTZ God save you, sir. GUILDENSTERN My honored lord. ROSENCRANTZ My most dear lord.” (Shakespeare) This shows how Rosencrantz …show more content…

This is shown whenever Hamlet speaks directly to minor characters such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in a conversation. For example “Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. GUILDENSTERN Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. HAMLET Sir, a whole history. GUILDENSTERN The King, sir— HAMLET Ay, sir, what of him? GUILDENSTERN Is in his retirement marvelous distempered. HAMLET with drink, sir? GUILDENSTERN No, my lord, with choler. HAMLET Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to the doctor, for for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps plunge him into more choler.” (Shakespeare) This is also when Rosencrantz and Hamlet have a conversation in Act 4 scene 2 “HAMLET Do not believe it. ROSENCRANTZ Believe what? HAMLET Ay, sir that soaks up the King’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the King best service in the end. He keeps them like an apple in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed, to be last swallowed. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again.” (Shakespeare) This shows Hamlets higher education and higher class obviously just through the syntax. Rosencrantz wording is not as sophisticated as Hamlets, showing an obvious contrast between the intelligence of

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