The sadness of Hamlet is not the most apparent theme of the work, which, as a rule, fades against the background of madness. However, the protagonist’s anxiety and depression can be read in the lines of Hamlet’s dialogue with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two unusual but very similar characters. This fact is confirmed by the fact that in the conversation, each of them uses the pronoun “we” (Shakespeare 2.2.1349). Hamlet himself begins the dialogue with the fact that he considers Denmark a prison, about which he categorically presents information to the guests, perplexing them (Shakespeare 2.2.1345). The diction of the protagonist also becomes free and careless already in the first phrase of the address: “dost thou,” “ye both” (Shakespeare 2.2.1329-1330). However, this liberty is not caused by arrogance or laziness but by profound sadness caused by several reasons.
Hamlet’s sadness comes from longing for his father, from a new way of life full of lies and hypocrisy. Inaccessible love, a revenge plan put pressure on the prince, causing a depressive reaction. The mask of a madman is also an onerous burden; sooner or later, Hamlet strives to take it off, to prove himself. It is the vulnerability of the protagonist, who is not so hypocritical as to sacrifice other feelings, but at the same time, must go in his deception to the end. In a dialogue with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet shows a lot of emotions, which mainly convey sadness and anxiety, which are associated with mood swings in seconds and phrases spoken in the heart, the meaning of which remains clear only to Hamlet.
First, Hamlet suspects that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern did not come of their own free will. He demonstrates this feeling through aggression: “Come, come! Nay, speak” (Shakespeare 2.2.1373). Hamlet moves from colloquial language to a mass of literary comparisons in the following sentence: “…by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonance of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love…” (Shakespeare 2.2.1380-1382). Throwing soul of the protagonist unfolds into a monologue, further perplexing Hamlet’s guests. He begins to question negative emotions about everything from earth and sky to the creation of man (Shakespeare 2.2.1389-1403). The decadent mood continues to emanate from the protagonist even when talking about the players: he sees no future in them (Shakespeare 2.2.1432-1437). Behind the multitude of words, Hamlet tries to hide his vulnerability by explicitly adding a negative grotesque to his words, repetitions, rhetorical questions, and hyperbolic comparisons that either amuse or baffle Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
As the players enter, Hamlet allows himself a diatribe that prompts a legitimate question from Guildenstern. However, here the protagonist again puts on the mask of a madman, preventing the guests from guessing about their plans (Shakespeare 2.2.1453-1461). Returning to the characters’ dialogue, Hamlet experiences a whole range of feelings, bringing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to light. From hopelessness and the representation of Denmark as a prison, through suspicious aggressive questions with exclamation marks, the hero comes to a keen interest in the players. There are no more exclamations, the diction becomes apparent, and the sentences are hardly replete with various comparisons. At this point, culminating in the lines “but my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceiv’d,” Hamlet is in danger of being exposed and is at his most vulnerable (Shakespeare 2.2.1457-1458). However, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not the characters who can notice the play of feelings between the lines of Hamlet and suspect him of something (Outterson-Murphy 268). Even though their purpose of the visit was similar, the protagonist’s plan remained with him, even after imprudent statements.
Works Cited
Outterson-Murphy, Sarah. ““Remember me” The Ghost and its spectators in Hamlet.” Shakespeare Bulletin 34.2, 2016: pp. 253-275.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by George Richard Hibbard, Oxford UP, 2008, pp. 18-22.