Blog #24: Summary of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead: Summary

Author: Tom Stoppard

Setting: Most of the time very obscure, both the audience and reader are unsure of actual whereabouts, unless the action of the play was coinciding with Hamlet where the action takes place in a castle in Denmark

Plot: The play starts with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern flipping coins. Both men have no clue where they are, how long they have been there, or what exactly they are doing. Soon they remember that a messenger from Denmark has sent for them and they are on their way to the castle, the reason however is unknown to them. On their journey, R and G ask stupid, pointless questions and try to find out some of the most basic things, their name, where they are, etc. They then come encounter with the player. The player offers them a performance (not just a play) and wagers with them were he "looses". Throughout the first encounter with the player, his movement is limited and his actions are somewhat shady. Then men continue onto Elsinore where they are informed by the king that they are to spy on Hamlet to find out the cause of his lunacy. Here there is some direct language from Shakespeare's work. The player and his troupe then show up at Elsinore and they are set to perform a play for the castle. During part of this act, the players perform portions of Hamlet and then also the play that was performed in Hamlet. After the play is performed, it is decided that R and G will take Hamlet to England. After a blackout, the men end up on a boat on their way to England. Again they question where they are, who they are, and what exactly they are supposed to be doing. On this boat pirates hijack it and take Hamlet. The letter that was once written by the King was swapped out by one that was written by Hamlet. R and G notice the switch but still end up giving the King the letter even though it ordered the death of R and G. The play ends after Horatio's monologue at the end of Hamlet.

Significant Characters:

-Rosencrantz- Very childish, empty minded, lacks the ability to think about the bigger picture, little social graces (unless in the presence of characters from Hamlet), less worried about the big things, more concerned with the trivial questions (who are we, etc.), seems good-hearted but acts the wrong way because of this, scared of what is to come after they leave Elsinore.  

-Guildenstern- More mature of the two, tries to think logically but frequently looses that effect due to malapropisms and other issues, wants to think about the bigger picture but lost in the childish thoughts of Rosencrantz, tries to adhere to the social norms, asks bigger picture questions, wants to find out the truth, accepts his fate and isn't concerned about where he will end up.

-The Player- Seems to appear everywhere, even if it is illogical, questions the actions of R and G, makes the audience the reality of this play and Hamlet, everywhere is a stage for him, frequently makes R and G attempt to think about whether we have a fate or free will.

Narrative Voice: None, this is a play

Author's Style: The author uses a lot of diction and figurative language to help make the text seem more interesting and intriguing to the reader. Overall, this play did not have a specific tone other than the changes between Stoppard's words and Shakespeare's words. This tone is mostly shown through a change in the syntax, which switches from more modern day English to more old English specific to Shakespeare. Other techniques that are used are malapropism, similes, metaphors, parallelism, repetition, and symbolism. One technique unique to this play was the extensive use of stage directions. This left a more strict interpretation and played on the theme of fate vs free will. Because this was a play there wasn't a specific point of view for the reader to follow, other than in the stage directions. Motifs and symbols were heavily relied on. Some of the most frequent included the coins, flute music, and the determining the direction of the wind.

Quotes:

-Quote 1- "Audiences know what to expect, and that is all they are prepared to believe in." This quote is one of the times where the audience questions just how much  R and G know. It leads us to question whether they know that this is a play, if it is real, are they performing, is Hamlet a device that is just used in the play? This quote is both applicable to plays and the actual expectations in life. 

-Quote 2- "Words, words. They’re all we have to go on." This is one of my favorite quotes found in the play. I think there are so many meanings to it and that depending on the person it can mean something very different. In the part of the play the men only have what they have heard and read (words) to rely on, they don't really have any experience. This plays on the theme of childhood and extends the idea of the lack of knowledge that R and G have.

Theme: One them found in the play is the idea that our fates are predetermined and that we have no control over what happens.

Support of Theme: Support for this theme can be found within the stage directions. Because the directions are so specific it leaves the characters little room to determine their own actions and the reader little room to image what the author wants/means by certain actions and sayings. Another piece of evidence of this theme is the final act of the play. At the end R and G know that the letter to the King of England is requesting their death, but yet they still give it to him. This shows that even though they may still want to live they give the letter to the king because it is their fate and it cannot be changed.