Great Books
Group 2
M. diMuro, M. Moua, J. Popp, K. Heaslet, M. Hemphill, and R. McNamara
Our website for discussions of the books read in English 260.
Character Analyses
Rosencrantz: Rosencrantz is a very simple man, content to let life happen and not question it. He, unlike Guildenstern, does not seem to understand much of what is going on much less why. At times he seems much like a younger brother to Guildenstern in that he tries to please and entertain him but his efforts are taken as annoying. He is very easygoing and would rather just be told what to do. Though he has a pragmatic attitude, he also has a few moments where he expresses deeper emotions, such as fear of his own mortality.
Guildenstern: Guildenstern is a very philosophical man, questioning and reasoning everything. Unlike Rosencrantz, he is desperate to understand what is going on at every point in the play. His analyses of everything usually take must more effort and energy than they are worth and never fail to make him even unhappier than he previously was. Though he insists on making himself miserable, he is constantly trying to comfort Rosencrantz and is often reassuring him that everything will be okay and they will be back home soon.
The Player: This mysterious character seems to know everything about the castle and the people within. He is sent to perform a play at the castle by Hamlet that parallels the events that have and will happen. The Player believes that we are all just actors in the grandest play ever written.
By: Jacklyn Popp
Suggested Reading!
Hamlet
By: William Shakespeare
One of Shakespeare's famous tragedies.
Moromeții
By: Marin Preda
Romanian novel about a family during the depression and World War II
Volume one was published in 1955 the second volume was published in 1967
Author Bio: Tom Stoppard
Top Stoppard is a Czech-born British playwright who started off as a journalist in 1954. Stoppard soon moved to London in 1960 and began to work as a playwright at the age of 23. His first play ever written was called A Walk on Water and later became a stage edition called Enter a Freeman in 1968. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was Stoppard’s next work which was written in 1966 but wasn’t popular until 1967 when it was on Britain’s National Theatre. Throughout his career, Stoppard has written for film and stage, television, and radio (1). Stoppard had co-written for Shakespeare in Love in 1998 and it was successful.Stoppard become to write plays because he was tired of critiquing them. He made little money when he was working as a critique. Stoppard is now currently living in London (2).
By: Mao Moua
Sources:
1. "Tom Stoppard." 2014. The Biography.com website. May 01 2014
2. “Tom Stoppard.” 2014. The Britishcoucil.org website. May 3 2014
Other Works
For other works by Stoppard there are his latest plays, Heros (2005) and Rock n Roll (2006). Lord Malquist and Mr. Moon was published in 1966 and was his first novel, but not as successful as he thought it would be. He had published this before Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was premiered. A popular play by Stoppard was Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, which was published in 1978. Hamlet by Shakespeare is also something that one who enjoyed reading this, would enjoy too, since it was part of the main story.
By: Mao Moua
Source:
1. “Tom Stoppard.” 2014. The Britishcoucil.org website. May 3 2014
Book Summary
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent for by Claudius to find out what is wrong with Hamlet. On their way to the castle, they run into a group of tragedians who, unknown the same destination,. When they appear at the castle the first thing they see is Hamlet and Ophelia storming off in opposite directions, soon after Claudius enters the room and explains why he has summoned both of Hamlets close childhood friends. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern discuss how to best understand Hamlets current state of mind, they guess it is because he recently lost his father and his uncle, Claudius, took the crown and his brother’s widow. Unfortunately they are easily confused by one of Hamlets perplexing monologues and cannot discover if he has truly lost his mind. Soon after, the tragedians perform their play which mirrors Shakespeare’s Hamlet perfectly. Claudius, obviously upset after the play, asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to escort Hamlet to England. Once on the ship, the two discuss what Claudius has written to the king of England. They know Claudius has sent them with a letter condemning Hamlet to death and though they do not want their friend to die, they know if they deviate from their mission they will be killed themselves. Hamlet, overhearing everything Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are saying, decides to take matters into his own hands and writes a new letter. He switches the letters while his friends are sleeping. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are awakened when pirates attack their ship and find barrels to hide themselves and Hamlet. When they emerge from the barrels Hamlet is nowhere to be found and they discover the content of the new letter orders their deaths. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wonder if they could have changed their fate.
Written by: Jacklyn Popp
