"They made love to this employment." Hamlet says that R & G chose to be spies, so he is not responsible if they meet a spy's death. It's a bit of sophistry, really, since even were that true, Hamlet didn't have to add "no shriving time allowed" so their souls would have to go to Purgatory rather than Heaven.
True. Hamlet changed the king's orders to the English from "Kill Hamlet" to "Kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern." He didn't have to do that; he could have changed the orders to "Give Hamlet some flowers".
King Claudius and Laertes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may also be in on the plot to have him executed by the English, but probably not.
Hamlet then substituted a forged letter ordering the English authorities to put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to death, "no shriving time allowed".
Hamlet was a mass murderer. First he stabbed Polonius while he was evesdropping behind a curtain. Then he forged an order for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be put to death. Laertes was next murdered by Hamlet in the fencing match where Laertes had the posioned sword. Hamlet ended up with it and cut Laertes. Finally, Hamlet killed Claudius. That's five people.
Rosencrantz (and Guildenstern, since nothing happens to one that does not happen to the other) is executed by the English authorities according to the forged instructions they carried. The instructions were forged by Hamlet. At the very end of the play an ambassador arrives to tell Claudius that this has been done according to the instructions.
Hamlet changes the letter going to the King of England to kill him when he gets there to say to kill the people who give you this letter,which were Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. So they were killed instead.
True. Hamlet changed the king's orders to the English from "Kill Hamlet" to "Kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern." He didn't have to do that; he could have changed the orders to "Give Hamlet some flowers".
By sheer luck and nosiness. The nosiness comes in because he decides to have a look at Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's sealed orders, and finds that they are instructions to the English to execute him. Fortunately he has the equipment and skill to forge a new set of orders in which Rosencrantz and Guildenstern go to the chop in his place. He is also extremely lucky in that pirates attack and he ends up on the pirate ship, and the pirates agree to return him to Denmark.
King Claudius and Laertes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may also be in on the plot to have him executed by the English, but probably not.
Hamlet then substituted a forged letter ordering the English authorities to put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to death, "no shriving time allowed".
He forges an order from Claudius to the English authorities telling them to execute R & G, even sealing it with a seal similar to Claudius's own.
Hamlet was a mass murderer. First he stabbed Polonius while he was evesdropping behind a curtain. Then he forged an order for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be put to death. Laertes was next murdered by Hamlet in the fencing match where Laertes had the posioned sword. Hamlet ended up with it and cut Laertes. Finally, Hamlet killed Claudius. That's five people.
Rosencrantz (and Guildenstern, since nothing happens to one that does not happen to the other) is executed by the English authorities according to the forged instructions they carried. The instructions were forged by Hamlet. At the very end of the play an ambassador arrives to tell Claudius that this has been done according to the instructions.
Hamlet's ship was attacked by pirates. The pirates agreed to return Hamlet to Denmark for a price. He sent word to Horatio and asked him to get ready to meet him. We also learn that his traitorous friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, have met with some dire circumstances.
He hurries his plan to have Hamlet go to England to collect the neglected tribute and arranges for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany him, armed with secret letters commanding the English to immediately behead Hamlet upon his arrival.
Hamlet fakes death warrants for Ros and Guil which are acted on by the King of England. Hamlet justifies this by saying that they were spies and got what they deserved, especially as this was the death which Claudius had planned for Hamlet with Ros and Guil's help. "They did make love to this employment" says Hamlet. Horatio is not wholly convinced, especially since R and G probably had no idea what their warrant said (it was sealed, remember). "So Rosencrantz and Guildenstern go to it" says Horatio, a bit disgusted by Hamlet's callousness.
Claudius tries to send Hamlet to England, accompanied by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, R & G don't know it's a mission to have Hamlet killed. We can be certain of that just because of the fact that they continue to England without Hamlet.