Why does Hamlet ask Guildenstern to play the recorder?
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are old friends of Hamlet, summoned by the King and Queen (Hamlet's mother) to ease the depression of the young prince. Guildenstern chides Hamlet for not being honest and open about the source of his unhappiness.
In response, Hamlet uses the incident with the recorder to make an analogy about why he doesn't speak freely:
'do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?
Call me what instrument you will, though you can
fret me, you cannot play upon me.'
So, if Guildenstern cannot play a simple instrument like a recorder, what makes him think he can get personal information from the prince so easily?
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