Hamlet - Relationship between Hamlet and Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Horatio. Are they truly friends?

Are there any acceptable reasons to lie to a friend? This question brings us to the issue of true friendship. In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the relationship between Hamlet and Horatio as well as the relationship between Hamlet with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are presented. These relationships are portrayed by the occasion on which the friends meet, the method in which Hamlet's friends treat him, and how they act towards him. From these incidents, …

…comparing the relationship between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with Hamlet versus the relationship of Horatio with Hamlet, the evidence viewed, such as his first encounter with Hamlet, the way the main character is treated, and how the friends act with him, showed that Horatio was a true friend to Hamlet. Though, a person may make many friends throughout their lifetime, their actions provide the evidence that is used to determine who are in fact true friends.