Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead
6/09/2013
Shakespeare's Hamlet famously refers to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as "my two schoolfellows, whom I will trust as I will adders fang’d" - nice diss Hammy, joh! I'm sure you've stumbled across a Rosencrantz or two. He and Guildenstern are the foolish pawns in King Claudius' game against Hamlet. They kiss the prince's ass but are actually spies and almost take him to his death before Hamlet wises up and leaves them to deal with pirates. Not that Hamlet is super amazing though, he's kind of a self-centered douche who calls Ophelia (and all women) a bitch and then accidentally kills her father. Oops. But that doesn't mean R and G are any less annoying, they're like the poster boys for toxicity.
I see R and G as the faces of mankind's idle destruction. In the case of actual beings, they can be acquaintances or strangers who are against you, be it in an intentional or indirect manner. Your Guildensterns could be naysayers, curious lurkers or people that seem supportive but don't really have your back when it comes down to it. Now, I don't have a chip on my shoulder about life or humankind like Hamlet; I'm a people person and I don't have a case of the "world-owes-me-s" but I do think that this is a topic that some might be familiar with because first of all, we rarely take stock of our surroundings and second of all, it's sometimes hard to identify what is a constructive force in one's life and what isn't.
It's important to point out that our Rosencrantz and Guildenstern aren't always people, they can be other issues that are entirely concocted by ourselves; they could be situations, addictions or habits that are sneakily toying with our lives. We can be our own worst enemy. I just wanted to send a message to anyone who needs it because I know that sometimes I need to read things or watch a movie or hear a phrase for something to click. I want whoever is reading this to know that you have it in you to change your life at any point. Take the time to turn off auto-pilot and analyze what's holding you back. You are allowed to walk away from people who hurt you. You don't always have to keep trying to beat a situation, you don't have to accept strange behaviour and you don't owe anyone an explanation for taking care of yourself. Be kind to yourself and you will be kind to others. To thine own self be true! - and thanks to Cher Horowitz we know that "Hamlet didn't say that, that Polonius guy did." What a total Betty.
Have you kicked your R and G to the curb? Have you ever made over your life?
I see R and G as the faces of mankind's idle destruction. In the case of actual beings, they can be acquaintances or strangers who are against you, be it in an intentional or indirect manner. Your Guildensterns could be naysayers, curious lurkers or people that seem supportive but don't really have your back when it comes down to it. Now, I don't have a chip on my shoulder about life or humankind like Hamlet; I'm a people person and I don't have a case of the "world-owes-me-s" but I do think that this is a topic that some might be familiar with because first of all, we rarely take stock of our surroundings and second of all, it's sometimes hard to identify what is a constructive force in one's life and what isn't.
It's important to point out that our Rosencrantz and Guildenstern aren't always people, they can be other issues that are entirely concocted by ourselves; they could be situations, addictions or habits that are sneakily toying with our lives. We can be our own worst enemy. I just wanted to send a message to anyone who needs it because I know that sometimes I need to read things or watch a movie or hear a phrase for something to click. I want whoever is reading this to know that you have it in you to change your life at any point. Take the time to turn off auto-pilot and analyze what's holding you back. You are allowed to walk away from people who hurt you. You don't always have to keep trying to beat a situation, you don't have to accept strange behaviour and you don't owe anyone an explanation for taking care of yourself. Be kind to yourself and you will be kind to others. To thine own self be true! - and thanks to Cher Horowitz we know that "Hamlet didn't say that, that Polonius guy did." What a total Betty.
Have you kicked your R and G to the curb? Have you ever made over your life?
