Major characters:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern- I am writing about these two together because they are practically the same person. They often mix each others names up and one of them seems to be the missing half of the other. They really have no understanding of what is going on around them, who they are, or what they are being a part of. They play games with language using tennis references and add other characters into the game without them knowing.
The Player- Well he seems to be the all knowing throughout the play. He seems to know what is going to happen and is the overall orchestrator of the play within the play. He is a very tricky character that likes to take advantage of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
The Plot: There are things that happen in this play but there doesn't seem to be very much of an actual plot. The characters are always waiting to be told what to do or where to go, they are always confused and can't make decisions for themselves. In the beginning, the whole thing starts with them being summoned not them on a quest for themselves. Than to make it worse they get sucked up by the player and end up in a play without their knowledge. In the middle they get to Elsinore and become part of Hamlet, but all their actions were already written from Hamlet. Then they get the letter to kill Hamlet and once again they follow directions because they don't what else to do with their lives. Then they meet the infamous "pirates" that Shakespeare briefly mentions in Hamlet and Hamlet gets away. The end up "dying" on a boat except its not really known if they are dead or alive because they died in a play...within a play.
Symbols:
The Coin- representing the idea of fate, the coin only gets tails when the player controls it suggesting that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern cannot control anything in their lives.
The Wind- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are trying to figure out what direction they are headed.
Motifs:
- memory
- logic
- direction
- repetition
- metaphors
- religion
- death
- control
Explanation of Theme: In Stoppard's play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are constantly looking for some kind of guidance. They are just going with flow and not making their own decisions are trying to figure out what is going on. Instead of looking for others to give them answers they need to find their identity themselves.
Setting: In the beginning of the play, Stoppard makes it clear that there is no setting. In the stage directions it says there is a blank stage that they are standing on and have no where to go. Later they go to Elsinore and become part of Hamlet but they are still confused on where they are/what they are suppose to be doing. Then the play ends with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on a boat where they yet again sucked into the player's tricks.
Kate
ReplyDeleteYou put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern together as one character, which is certainly true of Hamlet’s Ros and Guil, but do you really believe they are one character in Stoppard’s rendition? Just as Stoppard has played around with other facts of Hamlet, such as letting the Player come along the boat ride, could he not have also made Ros and Guil into one character, and accomplished the same point of showing that they are really one character? I think that in Stoppard’s play they really are separate characters who are each different sides of one coin, mature vs. childish, ideas vs. logic, ect. In your summary of the plot I would be careful not to mix up what happened in the movie versus what happened in the play. I would also flesh out your symbols section, as this play certainly had more going on that just the coin and the wind. I also enjoyed your original theme statement, but you really do have to back it up a bit more.
Kate,
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that you put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern together as one character. While they do have many similarities, and I know we discussed in class that they could probably be one character, I think there are some important differences between the two, especially when it comes to their understanding of their surroundings and their maturity levels. I like that your plot was condensed and just talked about the basics of what happened in the play, it was easy to follow and understand. I really like your theme statement, and I think it is very accurate for the play, but I think you might want to go into more detail with explaining your theme statement. Also, you might want to add quotes, the author, and some other little things.