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Read an excerpt from an analysis of Act III of Hamlet.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern follow orders without question throughout the play. In this scene, Claudius tells them his life is in danger from Hamlet, and they must take Hamlet away. They agree immediately.

Shakespeare uses the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to develop which theme?

User Teen
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Answer:

B. Things are not always what they seem.

Step-by-step explanation:

William Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet" gives insight on the revenge account on how an assassinated king's son requite the assassination of his father via his uncle. King Claudius was seen to not only assassinate his own brother in order to ascend the throne, he also claimed his brother's wife.

The role of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are revealed to be the two childhood companions of prince Hamlet. In the beginning, they appeared to be faithful to him and carry out orders for him, but as we progress, we can infer that they conferred their faithful and true-hearted nature to King Claudius. They started out under King Claudius as spies, in situations of his suspicion towards Hamlet having the notion that he can be of danger to him.

In Act III scene iii, we can see a troubled Claudius on watching the 'performance play' set up by Hamlet. The loyalty of Rosencrantz and Guilderstern in obeying to details every of Claudius' order to have Hamlet dispersed from him is a glimpse of their apparent lack of knowledge on the actual condition of things. They are impulsively obeying orders. We can see from these two roles that Shakespeare build up the theme of ignorance from their perspective, that things are often different and do usually differs from the actual thing be shown or expressed.

User Little Bee
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Answer:

B. Things are not always what they seem.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been Hamlet's childhood friends. They were called by King Claudius to help Hamlet come out his state of madness. But Claudius’ real purpose was keeping them close to hamlet and hence keeping an eye on Hamlet. So they were King’s spies, spying on prince Hamlet and inform the king, in case Hamlet makes any decision to take revenge on King, or should the reason of Hamlet’s madness come out.

Although they were Hamlet’s close friends and seemingly helping the prince, they were not what they seemed .

User Tiagob
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