Heads or Tails?
The play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead was written in 1966 by Tom Stoppard and explores the experience of two minor characters from the Shakespeare play, Hamlet. Stoppard began his play during the travel of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Denmark. However, only someone who knows the play Hamlet can understand why they are traveling. In Hamlet 's life so far his father had passed away, and his mother married his uncle. Hamlet is told he is not allowed to return to school, and his friends Laertes left for France. Then his friend Horatio introduced Hamlet to the ghost of his father who reveals to Hamlet the treachery of his uncle who had killed Hamlet 's father. Afterwards, Hamlet has decided to pretend he is insane in order to kill his uncle and avenge his father 's death. It is at this point that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are summoned by the King and Queen. Stoppard doesn 't waste a single line or movement of the characters. Every single one is intentional and meaningful. Whether it be one of Rosencrantz 's strange curiosities …show more content…
It took an incredible level of skill to be able to create such a work with depth in every action and every word. Nothing is said or done that doesn 't have a hidden meaning or irony to it. The organization of the play was also very carefully done because it incorporated aspects of another play completely. Without the careful details of the structure this play couldn 't have been so hilariously dark. The effect the events had on the characters is so ironic that the audience begins to realize that these two insignificant characters in a famous story have so much more to them. This work forces the audience to question how their actions have impacted others, even people who may not have seemed to be significantly impacted. Like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, we are all living in a world where our destinies are simply a coin
The play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead was written in 1966 by Tom Stoppard and explores the experience of two minor characters from the Shakespeare play, Hamlet. Stoppard began his play during the travel of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Denmark. However, only someone who knows the play Hamlet can understand why they are traveling. In Hamlet 's life so far his father had passed away, and his mother married his uncle. Hamlet is told he is not allowed to return to school, and his friends Laertes left for France. Then his friend Horatio introduced Hamlet to the ghost of his father who reveals to Hamlet the treachery of his uncle who had killed Hamlet 's father. Afterwards, Hamlet has decided to pretend he is insane in order to kill his uncle and avenge his father 's death. It is at this point that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are summoned by the King and Queen. Stoppard doesn 't waste a single line or movement of the characters. Every single one is intentional and meaningful. Whether it be one of Rosencrantz 's strange curiosities …show more content…
It took an incredible level of skill to be able to create such a work with depth in every action and every word. Nothing is said or done that doesn 't have a hidden meaning or irony to it. The organization of the play was also very carefully done because it incorporated aspects of another play completely. Without the careful details of the structure this play couldn 't have been so hilariously dark. The effect the events had on the characters is so ironic that the audience begins to realize that these two insignificant characters in a famous story have so much more to them. This work forces the audience to question how their actions have impacted others, even people who may not have seemed to be significantly impacted. Like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, we are all living in a world where our destinies are simply a coin