The document analyzes the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. It describes them as marginalized characters with odd sounding names who engage in sycophantic and plot-driven dialogue lacking in skills. Their role is to right the moral order among Hamlet's mighty opponents, which is why Hamlet says "They are not near my conscience." The document also references Tom Stoppard's play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and discusses how the characters represent archetypes of human beings struggling with existential questions of power across the Elizabethan and postmodern eras.

1. Study of Two
Characters in Hamlet
Prepared by Khuman Bhagirath J.
Paper Cultural Studies (EE-205-B)
Roll No. 08
Class M.A. Sem-II
Year 2011-12
Department of English, Bhavnagar University
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2. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
- Marginalized Characters
• Made-to-be-forgetful Dialogues
• Sycophantic and Plot driven
characters
• Lacking Skills
• Odd sounding names
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3. “They are not near my
conscience”
-Hamlet
Why?
Righting Moral Order
“Baser Nature” among “Mighty
Opponents”
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4. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are
Dead
-Tom Stoppard
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5. Elizabethan Age-Postmodern Age
• Power struggle • Existential
Question
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6. Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern -
Archetypes of Human
Beings
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7. Source : A Handbook of Critical Approaches to
Literature by Wilfred Guerin, Earl Labor, Lee
Morgan et al
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