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?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern represent marginal figures in ‘Hamlet’ as they lack true agency. They exist only to serve the interests of more powerful characters like King Claudius and Hamlet. Their primary role in the play is as spies for Claudius, sent to manipulate and uncover Hamlet’s intentions. They are sacrificed in the deadly power play between Hamlet and Claudius, embodying how marginal characters can be easily exploited and discarded by those in power.
Hamlet’s reference to Rosencrantz as a “sponge” powerfully reflects their expendability. He tells Rosencrantz:
“That soaks up the king’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end. He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed.”
Here, Hamlet links Rosencrantz to a sponge that absorbs whatever the king dispenses, be it praises, rewards, or power. However, just as a sponge is eventually wrung out and discarded, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will be “squeezed” by Claudius once they have served their purpose. This metaphor highlights their function as tools for the king, illustrating their lack of individual value and independence.
Modern Parallels to Corporate Power
The passage compares Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to modern workers impacted by corporate downsizing and globalization. Reflect on this parallel: How does their fate in Hamlet mirror the displacement experienced by workers when multinational companies relocate or downsize?
The comparison of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to modern workers impacted by corporate downsizing and globalization is a powerful reflection of how marginal figures are often at the mercy of larger, impersonal forces. In ‘Hamlet’, these characters are summoned by King Claudius to serve his interests, only to be discarded once they are no longer useful. Similarly, modern workers affected by corporate downsizing and globalization often find themselves subject to decisions made by distant executives prioritizing profit over individual well-being. These character’s lack of autonomy mirrors the vulnerability of workers whose livelihoods depend on multinational corporations. As Wilfred Guerin describes, these corporations can
“move factories and offices around the world like pawns on a chessboard”,
and employees impacted by corporate relocation are often powerless in the face of decisions made by those in power. They are treated as expendable elements in a system driven by self-interest and strategic gain rather than loyalty or ethics.
This parallel emphasizes the dehumanizing nature of power structures. In the play, Hamlet cynically refers to Rosencrantz as a “sponge,” a tool to be used up and discarded. Similarly, when corporations downsize, they often view employees as resources to be “wrung out” for profitability, without consideration for the human impact of such actions. The displacement and job insecurity faced by modern workers thus mirror the ultimate disposability of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, highlighting the recurring theme of expendability within hierarchical power dynamics across different contexts and eras.
Existential Questions in Stoppard’s Re-interpretation
In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Stoppard deepens their marginalization by questioning their existence and purpose. Why might Stoppard emphasize their search for meaning in a world indifferent to them? How does this mirror the feeling of powerlessness in today’s corporate environments?
In ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’, Tom Stoppard emphasises their search for meaning in a world indifferent to them to explore the existential questions of agency and purpose. By depicting them as perpetually confused and unable to understand their roles or why they’re caught up in Hamlet’s narrative, Stoppard highlights the human struggle to find meaning in systems beyond one’s control. This resonates as they grapple with questions like, “Who are we?” and “Why are we here?” in a universe that offers no clear answers. This existential aimlessness mirrors the feeling of powerlessness often felt by workers in today’s corporate environments.
In large, impersonal organizations, employees may feel they are minor players in a vast, indifferent system where individual contributions and identities are not acknowledged. Like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, modern workers are frequently affected by decisions made at distant executive levels, with little insight or control over the reasons behind those decisions. The characters’ persistent, unresolved questioning of their purpose reflects the experience of many who feel alienated or disposable within corporate hierarchies, contributing to a sense of instability and insignificance. Stoppard’s play uses this questioning to underscore the lack of agency that arises when individuals are reduced to mere instruments of a larger design, whether that’s a political struggle in ‘Hamlet’ or economic decisions in the corporate world.
Cultural and Economic Power Structures
Compare Shakespeare’s treatment of power in Hamlet to Stoppard’s reimagining. How does each work critique systems that marginalize “little people”? How might Stoppard’s existential take resonate with contemporary issues of job insecurity and corporate control?
Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and Stoppard’s ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ both critique systems that marginalise the “little people,” but each does so from a unique perspective on power and agency.
In ‘Hamlet’, Shakespeare portrays power as an unyielding force within a hierarchical society, where those who lack influence—like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern—are manipulated and discarded by those in authority. These characters are used as pawns by King Claudius, who calls them to court solely to spy on Hamlet, and by Hamlet himself, who coldly accepts their deaths, saying:
“They are not near my conscience”
(Act V, Scene ii)
This treatment reflects the Elizabethan power dynamics of the time, where political machinations often dictated individuals’ fates, exposing how those without power are inevitably marginalised.
Stoppard reimagines these themes through an existential lens, focusing on the disorientation and confusion of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as they grapple with their purpose. In ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’, the two characters are bewildered by their lack of agency, endlessly questioning their roles and unable to understand why they are there, reflecting a modern sense of alienation. Stoppard deepens the sense of marginalization by making Rosencrantz and Guildenstern embody the absurdity of human existence in a world that seems indifferent to their suffering. Unlike Shakespeare’s view of power as a tangible, hierarchical force, Stoppard presents a more abstract critique of existential powerlessness, where individuals lack not just influence but even a meaningful role in the narrative of their lives.
Personal Reflection
How does the marginalization 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.
The marginalization of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in ‘Hamlet’ reflects the modern experience of being seen as dispensable “assets” by illustrating how individuals without power are used and discarded by those in authority. In the play, they serve as tools for King Claudius and are sacrificed once they outlive their usefulness. Hamlet’s metaphor of the “sponge” underscores their expendability, highlighting their lack of autonomy.
This parallels how workers in modern corporate structures are often treated as resources, valued only for their productivity and easily replaced during downsizing or outsourcing. These parallels reveal the dehumanizing effects of hierarchical power structures, whether feudal or corporate, and underscore how systems prioritize self-interest over individual worth. Through this lens, Cultural Studies deepens our understanding of how power operates to marginalize and control, challenging us to critique and resist these dynamics.
For the creative engagement, I’ve written a monologue for a minor character that gets kicked out of a corporate job. You can check it out here - Lines for a Minor Character
Words - 1383
Images - 6
References -
Barad, Dilip. (2024). Thinking Activity: Exploring Marginalization in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. 10.13140/RG.2.2.25871.80807.
Guerin, Wilfred L. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Oxford University Press, 2005.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by G. R. Hibbard, Oxford UP, 2008.
Stoppard, Tom. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Atlantic Books, 1994.
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