Final answer:
In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Hamlet expresses his feelings about causing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's deaths. He believes their fate resulted from their own actions and not just his letter to England.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, after Hamlet learns that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will be killed as a result of a letter he wrote, he expresses his feelings about his actions. In Act 5, Scene 2, Hamlet tells Horatio that he is not sorry for what he has done, stating 'They are not near my conscience; their defeat/Does by their own insinuation grow.'
This means that he believes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's fate was brought about by their own actions and not solely because of his letter to England.
After Hamlet has arranged for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be executed in place of himself, he expresses little remorse for his actions. He rationalizes that they are complicit in the schemes of his uncle, King Claudius, and therefore are not innocent victims.
This exemplifies Hamlet's complex moral reasoning and the dark turn his character takes as the play progresses. Hamlet feels that they are a part of a corrupt system, and thus their deaths are justified in his eyes. In essence, the lack of guilt he displays highlights the theme of moral ambiguity and the consequences of revenge that are central to the play.