Cheap Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (Book) (Tom Stoppard) Price

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Customer Reviews of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

Funny Twist on a Historic Play
In this vaude-ville style tragic comedy, by Tom Stoppard, two very insignificant characters taken from one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, "Hamlet", witness the tragic story of the Prince of Denmark in a fly-on-the-wall perspective. The book is surprisingly humorous and simplistically funny. The naive and idiotic antics of Rosencrantz and the insightful and intellectual personality of Guildenstern make for a uniquely comic portrayal of the two characters that are doomed to an undeniable fate. This short play presents a great twist on the historic play inviting new personalities, new scenes and new perspectives on the tragic story. Readers end up meeting the "players", who have a fairly small role in the original Hamlet play, and get to know their comical and perverse personalities that make the play interesting and intriguing. Overall, this was a wonderful story, with unique twists and humorous dialogue rounding out two fo Shakespeare's most flat characters.

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Sometimes the Pawns can be Kings
In this play Tom Stoppard has pulled two minor characters from Hamlet and given us a glimpse of what may lay behind the mundane exteriors of everyday life and more importantly the limits of possibility of meaning contained in the world of literature. What is important about this is that Stoppard is showing us that the lives of common people and minor characters can also make for some great literature too.

Philosophically, I would tend to say that this play is securely grounded in the genre that has been called the Theater of the Absurd, which in turn owes much to the thinking of Albert Camus. Having said this, I have to say that this play has some definite similarities with the works of Beckett, especially Godot, but also that of Harold Pinter's, "The Birthday Party", especially in terms of dialogue, plot direction, and character development. So if you like the work of these playwrights you would certainly enjoy this, which would also be of great interest to Shakespeare students/fans as well as anyone interested in the ideas of existentialist thought.

Despite these similarities R&G and at the same time because of them, this work seems at times to be conscious of breaking new ground and testing the limits of absurdity and interaction with the audience. The symbolism, for example, seems to be much more important to the action and meaning of this play than it is in other works of this genre. Whereas, Godot seems to stress the repetitiveness of dialogue, R&G is suggestive of just the opposite--the seemingly endless play of meaning implicit in each uttered word. This comes out through the characters lack of confidence in what they struggle to say, and the way that their views seem to change with each situation, which illustrates the uncertainty of meaning and life. Although many of the plays of this period seem to be focused on the nature of existence and its meaning to humanity, the discursive ways through which it is approached and interpreted make them all vastly unique, puzzling and vastly entertaining reads.

The thing that is, perhaps, most original in R&G's creation, is the way that Stoppard utilizes the thought of Artaud and his idea of the Theater of Cruelty, to at times completely breakdown the barriers between the audience and the actors. It follows then, that if one wants to get the full effect of this play it has to be seen live. But, then again how many people get that chance, thus, this book is the second best thing. I would only suggest paying very close attention to the stage directions, set and scenery, as they are much more important in this play than they are in others.

Finally, simply read R&G for the fun of it, you certainly will not be disappointed. In this play Stoppard has gone along way in breaking down the barriers between the writer and the average reader. With originality, humor, and an important theme, Stoppard has achieved his goal beautifully, giving us all a realistic glimpse into the complex drama of human life, literature and the mystery of existence.
Also check out the movie version with Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Richard Dreyfus, which is faithful to the production and a joy to watch.

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Brilliantly Witty
A beautiful play on the friends of Hamlet, Rosencratz and Guildenstern. While giving the tragedy of Hamlet from the totally different perspective of these two side characters, Stoppard delves into different questions and philosophies with brilliant word games. A must read!