Exploring Marginalization in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

This blog is part of a reflective activity assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad, examining Cultural Studies. It explores how marginalized characters parallel Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Hamlet, offering insights into their roles and treatment.

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Q&A Section  

1. Marginalization in Hamlet

Describe how Rosencrantz and Guildenstern represent marginal figures in Hamlet. How does Hamlet’s reference to Rosencrantz as a “sponge” reflect their expendability in the power dynamics of the play?

In Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two characters caught up in the plans of the powerful. Friends of Hamlet from earlier days, they are summoned by King Claudius, who sees them as useful tools. Fearing Hamlet’s growing threat to his rule, Claudius sends him to England with a sealed letter that orders his execution. Unaware of the deadly mission they’re a part of, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern accompany Hamlet. But Hamlet discovers the letter’s contents and changes it, putting their names in place of his. By the time Denmark hears the outcome, it’s simply reported: “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.” These two characters reflect those who are overlooked and have little real power. Serving the King, they are loyal but ultimately treated as expendable. During their journey, Hamlet calls them “sponges” and “pawns,” people who soak up the King’s favor but are discarded once their purpose is served. He tells them, “Yes, a sponge that soaks up the King’s favors and rewards... such people are the King’s best tools, kept in the corner like food, ready to be chewed up last.” This line captures how those in power often use people as tools, ready to discard them when they’re no longer needed. Even today, similar dynamics exist, with powerful figures exploiting ordinary people, treating them as “sponges” to be drained for their own purposes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s fate is a harsh reminder that loyalty and service to the powerful can come at a high cost, often paid by those without control.

2. Modern Parallels to Corporate Power

The passage compares Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to modern workers impacted by corporate downsizing and globalisation. Reflect on this parallel: How does their fate in Hamlet mirror the displacement experienced by workers when multinational companies relocate or Downsize?

In today’s corporate world, many workers face heavy workloads and low pay, often feeling like just another part of the profit-making machinery. Some companies don’t even meet the minimum wage requirements set by the government. As more public sectors become privatized, private companies increasingly focus on profit, usually ignoring the well-being of their employees. Workers are often seen as replaceable; when they’re no longer needed, they are quickly dismissed. This harsh reality is brought to life in The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, where the darker side of corporate culture is laid bare. The story shows how large corporations, obsessed with profit, can let go of employees without a second thought. The priority in these companies is profit and financial targets, leaving little room for concern about the people working within them.

3. Existential Questions in Stoppard’s Re-interpretation

In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Stoppard deepens their marginalisation by questioning their existence and purpose. Why might Stoppard emphasise their search for meaning in a world indifferent to them? How does this mirror the feeling of powerlessness in today’s corporate environments?

When Hamlet says, “they were not near my conscience,” it shows his lack of concern for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, reflecting how those on the margins are often ignored by people in power. Similarly, in today’s corporate world, company owners often show little regard for their employees’ well-being. By the end of Hamlet, when news of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s deaths reaches the court, no one reacts—underscoring how little their lives meant to those in power. This is similar to the corporate world today, where workers’ challenges, lives, and rights to fair pay are often overlooked. Even the struggles of employees go unrecognized as company leaders focus mainly on profit. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, this theme is revisited, questioning authority and shedding light on the tragedy of lives disregarded in the pursuit of power.

4. Cultural and Economic Power Structures

Compare Shakespeare’s treatment of power in Hamlet to Stoppard’sreimagining. How does each work critique systems that marginalise“little people”? How might Stoppard’s existential take resonate withcontemporary issues of job insecurity and corporate control?

In today’s corporate landscape, employees often find themselves working tirelessly under conditions that feel increasingly dehumanizing. With government jobs becoming rarer, and as corporations and governments align more closely, it is frequently the marginalized who feel the weight of this shift. Corporations often fund government campaigns and propaganda, which means new policies tend to favor corporate interests over those of everyday workers. This alliance creates a system that often ignores or even harms the working class. In the private sector, workers who spend years dedicated to a company may find themselves with little to fall back on as they age, with pensions and retirement benefits becoming less common. With limited government job options, many have no choice but to endure the demanding conditions of the private sector.

5. Personal Reflection

How does the marginalisation of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Hamlet relate to the modern experience of being seen as a dispensable “asset”? Reflect on how these parallels shape your understanding of Cultural Studies and power dynamics.

In the power struggle between Hamlet and his uncle, Claudius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are used as “disposable assets,” serving the King until they face their deaths. Similarly, in today’s corporate world, employees are often valued only for their productivity, treated as tools to be used and then let go when they’re no longer seen as useful. Young employees are considered assets to be fully utilized, but as age or life circumstances reduce their “value,” they are frequently dismissed, with little regard for their years of dedication. This reflects the corporate tendency to prioritize profit above all, treating workers as replaceable rather than recognizing their humanity.

Thank you...