You might consider beginning with analyzing the qualities of Hamlet's best friend, Horatio. He is intelligent and loyal -- notice that Claudius does not even attempt to approach him and ask him to spy on Hamlet as he does Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They aren't maliciously disloyal but they certainly aren't smart enough to realize that they are being used by the king.
Horatio is also brave and compassionate; it is he whom the guards fetch...
You might consider beginning with analyzing the qualities of Hamlet's best friend, Horatio. He is intelligent and loyal -- notice that Claudius does not even attempt to approach him and ask him to spy on Hamlet as he does Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They aren't maliciously disloyal but they certainly aren't smart enough to realize that they are being used by the king.
Horatio is also brave and compassionate; it is he whom the guards fetch to watch with them for the ghost of Hamlet's father, and he tries to engage it to find out what it wants before involving his friend. He is also the friend with whom Hamlet shares his plan of entrapping his uncle/stepfather. He keeps Hamlet's confidence and never doubts him. Further, Horatio is there for him when Hamlet finds out that the woman he loves, Ophelia, has died. No matter how immaturely or crazily Hamlet behaves, Horatio's devotion to him never wavers. Even in the end, when Hamlet is dying, Horatio resolves to die too until Hamlet talks him out of it and says that he needs him to tell Hamlet's story once he's gone. Horatio, as a good and loyal friend, agrees to do as he's asked.
In all of these ways, Horatio proves that he is truly a best friend to Hamlet. Compared with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who agree to feed information back to the king and keep this from Hamlet, Horatio looks that much better.
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