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

This blog is a response to a task given by Prof. Dilip Barad, exploring Cultural Studies. It delves into how marginalized characters are comparable to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, viewed through the framework of Hamlet. For further exploration regarding task, visit Teacher's blog

 

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?

Ans:-

The fate of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Hamlet feels a lot like what modern workers go through with corporate downsizing and globalization. Just like these characters are only valued by King Claudius as long as they serve his plans, today’s employees are often treated as valuable only while they're useful to big companies. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are called to Elsinore for what seems like an important role, but they're cast aside once they stop benefiting Claudius. Similarly, companies reward employees when their work boosts profits but have no problem firing or relocating them to save money or find cheaper labor elsewhere.

This parallel shows how both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and today’s workers are at the mercy of powerful forces—royalty in Hamlet and economic power in a globalized world. Both groups are forced to deal with sudden, life-changing decisions made by those above them. Just like Claudius orders the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern without a second thought, modern workers often feel abandoned when jobs are sent overseas or teams are cut down to increase profits. In both cases, whether in business or politics, those in charge seem to put profit and power way above loyalty or the value of people’s lives.

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 displacementexperienced by workers when multinational companies relocate orDownsize?

In today’s corporate world, workers are often overworked and underpaid, treated more like disposable tools than valued team members. Many companies ignore even the minimum wage standards set by the government, and with increased privatization, the focus has shifted almost entirely to profit. These companies rarely look out for their employees’ welfare.

The comparison between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and today’s workers highlights how both are valued only as long as they serve a purpose. In Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are used by Claudius and discarded when they’re no longer needed, much like how employees in modern corporations are treated. When companies downsize or relocate, workers often find themselves out of a job, regardless of their loyalty or hard work. This shows how, in both cases, people are seen as expendable resources, prioritized only when they help achieve someone else's goals, whether it's Claudius’s plans or a company’s profits.

As soon as workers aren’t considered useful, they’re let go without hesitation. Ultimately, the corporate system is driven by capital, with profit taking precedence over the well-being of people.

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 shows how these characters search for meaning in a world that doesn’t seem to care about them. They’re confused and powerless, trapped in a larger system that doesn’t acknowledge their individuality. This mirrors the frustration many people feel when they realize they’re just small parts in something much bigger, whether that’s in society, politics, or corporate life.

In today’s corporate world, workers often feel the same way. Just like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern can’t change the events of Hamlet, many employees feel like they have no control over decisions that affect their lives, like layoffs or relocations. These big decisions are usually made by people higher up, without any input from the workers who are most impacted. This leaves them questioning their worth and feeling like they’re just replaceable parts in a bigger system.

Stoppard’s focus on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern searching for meaning is a critique of how we all need purpose in a world that often seems indifferent. Their struggle to find meaning in a story where they have little control speaks to the struggles people face today, especially when trying to find personal significance in an impersonal corporate environment.

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 critiques the power structures in Hamlet by showing how people with no real power, like Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Ophelia, are used, discarded, and destroyed by those who are in charge. Characters like King Claudius use others to keep their power, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are no different—they’re brought in to do the king’s bidding but are quickly thrown away once they’re no longer useful. Hamlet even compares them to a "sponge," showing how they have no value beyond being used by the king. Shakespeare’s message is clear: systems of power that put authority first will always exploit and discard the “little people.”

In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Stoppard takes this idea further by focusing on the characters’ struggle to find meaning in a world that treats them as insignificant. The play explores themes of fate, free will, and self-awareness, showing how ordinary people are trapped by larger forces that leave them confused and powerless. Stoppard highlights the absurdity of their situation by making them the main characters in a story where they don’t have control—much like how “little people” in society don’t have much control over their lives.

Stoppard’s take is really relatable to today’s issues, like job insecurity and corporate control. Modern workers often feel stuck, much like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in a story that’s already been written for them. They are treated like replaceable parts in a company, valued only for what they can produce, and vulnerable to being fired or relocated without warning. Both Shakespeare and Stoppard show how systems of power—whether political or corporate—treat ordinary people like they don’t matter, leaving them at the mercy of decisions made by those in charge.

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

In Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are treated as disposable “assets” by King Claudius. They’re used for his goals but thrown away once they’re no longer useful, ultimately being sent to their deaths. This is similar to how employees are treated in modern corporations. People work their entire lives for a company, but when they’re no longer needed or able to perform, they’re often let go without hesitation.

When workers are young and full of energy, they’re seen as valuable assets to the company. But as time goes on and their abilities change, they can easily be replaced. This reflects the utilitarian approach in corporate systems, where people are valued only for their productivity. In both Hamlet and modern workplaces, those in power—whether a king or a CEO—use and discard people as they see fit, showing the harsh reality of how individuals are treated as mere tools for profit.