Mustafizur Rahman Drama 1, Section 06 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead 04/09/2013

1. First, consider Aristotle: a. Does the play have a Protagonist? If so, who is it? Does s/he have a tragic flaw? Answer : The Protagonist means mainly the main character of a play . The action of protagonist is like fuel in the engine. The play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead obviously has protagonist and from my point of view its I think there is two protagonist in this play they are Rosencrantz and Guilderstern. The play is all about their story based on William Shakespeare great play Hamlet. b. If there is a Praxis, identify it. Answer : According to Aristotle Praxis includes voluntary or goal-directed action, It is a uniquely human quality that allows individuals to develop higher-level skills and to interact purposefully with each other and the world. But I think Rosencrantz and Guildensterns praxis was to know about Hamlets reason for insanity and at end to forward the letter to kill him but in both cases they failed. c. If there is a Recognition, where is it? Answer: Recognition is the moment when the action is fulfilled or not by the protagonist. According to this play I think there is no recognition as Rosencrantz and Guildensterns were failed to fulfill their praxis so there is no Recognition. d. Does the play evoke fear and pity in you? Other emotions? Answer: I felt pity for two main character Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of this play although they were funny but at the end of the play they lost their life. e. Is the play organic? Or is it episodic? Or is it hard to say? Answer: I think this play is organic rather than episodic because I found a profound link between each scene to other scene. Each scene occurs due to related consequence toward each character to others. Unlike episodic play this play is more connected and character oriented through one scene by other scene.

2. Is the play a tragedy? A comedy? Both? Neither? Something else? Answer: I think the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead implied mostly as a comedy play but evoked in a tragic manner. 3. Stoppard has included a piece of every scene from Hamlet in which Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear, save one. Which is it? Has he left this scene out for any particular reason? Answer: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead connects with Shakespeares Hamlet through quotation and different scene. Stoppard includes many of Hamlets most notable scenes in a way that casts them in a new light. For example, the most famous part of Hamlet is the To be or not to be. Stoppard includes this scene, but it occurs in the background .This belief is deeply Hamlet is considered as one the greatest works of world literature, but Stoppards comic version of it make it more interesting and Stoppard also reminds audience the power of Shekespeares play. 4. The play makes numerous references to the nature and dynamics of theatre, particularly the spectator/performer relationship. Is this coincidental? Or is the playwright getting at something? Answer: I think this play evoked a great admiration towards the Shekespeares great literature Hamlet in a comic manner. 5. In Hamlet, R&G seem interchangeable; there is little, if no difference, in their characters, and their lines could easily be swapped. Is this true in R&G, or do they have more discernible personalities? If so, why? Does it mean something? Answer: I think R & G is another version of Hamlet but in a comic manner which mainly focused on Hamlets two childhood friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who were unaware about their journey and often dealt with some comic activities throughout the play. 6. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead bears more than a little resemblance to Samuel Beckett's landmark play, Waiting For Godot. Waiting For Godot is generally referred to as "existentialist". Wikipedia states that: existentialists ... hold there are certain questions that everyone must deal with (if they are to take human life seriously), questions such as death, the meaning of human existence and the place of God in human existence. By and large they believe that life is very difficult and that it doesn't have an "objective" or universally known value, but that the individual must create value by affirming it and living it, not by talking about it. If we look at "R&G" through the lens of existentialism, does its meaning become clearer?

Answer: If we look at R&G through the of existentialism , I think as like to Samuel Becketts landmark play Waiting For Godot where its two main character Vladimir and Estragon are another symbol of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who didnt know their own destination. Both charecters where puzzled about their own identities and goal of life. 7. What is the play about? (Meaning, as opposed to plot.) What is/are its theme(s)? What is it saying? What does it say to you, if anything? Answer: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead implied the fundamental mystery of the world. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spend whole play in total confusion, lacking such basic information as their own identities. On the plays opening where they unable to remember where they are headed and how they began their journey . In their very last moments, they were puzzled by their upcoming deaths. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern couldnt understand the world around them. While Stoppard frequently uses their confusion for comic effect, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern occasionally become so frustrated by the worlds mystery. They were often puzzled audience by different silly activities.