Topic: English in Drama: Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.”

Order Description
This week we’ll be watching and critiquing Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.” The assignments for this unit are:
1.Read the commentary below.
2.View the film of the play. (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead)
3.Come up with several discussion questions. (see below)

This is a most unusual play that is based loosely on the characters introduced by Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” It is primarily based on our world’s obsession with the play itself.

Take a look at the movie with an open mind. You should have fun with it, especially if watching so many versions of “Hamlet” has driven you a little batty. If you don’t understand it…don’t worry; this is a class where we have such wildly open discussions that within the confusion we’ll find direction, meaning and….perhaps understanding. I can guarantee you that if you allow yourselves to have fun with the absurdity of the story, you will come to the end of the unit’s discussions with a much greater appreciation of the work and of Stoppard.

Unit Goals

We’ve got all the background rudiments for the class out of the way now. We’ve worked on theater backgrounding, blocking, lighting; we’ve rewritten scenes, re-directed sequences, and, with all these factors in mind, provided some excellent critique; as well as some extraordinary responses to questions and prompts that I’ve set up each week.

This week, the class becomes much more of your own. I won’t be wielding the questions themselves. I’d like them to come from you. For that reason, your first assignment this week, as provided on the Discussion Board page, is that you come up with several discussion questions by Wednesday, midnight. Based on these questions, I will be selecting several that the class will take part in as we venture into our actual discussions for the week.

These questions can come in many different forms. There are no rules and regulations. For example, after viewing “Hamlet,” we could have asked a multitude of questions, based on the responses I received on our Discussion Boards. Amongst them could have been:

1. Why does it take Hamlet so long to act on his promise of revenge?

2. What’s up with Mel Gibson’s Hamlet and his mom?

3. Why is our society so obsessed with Shakespeare? I never really got into him.

4. Why are we as a people often our own worst enemy?

5. Why does it seem that every heroic act is doomed to failure?

6. Would Denmark have been a better Kingdom if ruled by Hamlet instead of Claudius?

As you can see, these questions are all over the place. The first question deals directly with the play itself and the hard core cirtical interpretations you’ve probably gotten used to throughout your education. The second question deals with the specfic rendition you were asked to view, and not directly with the play. The third question deals with the education system itself. The fourth and fifth questions deal with ourselves, reflecting on questions inspired by the text or rendition of the work you experienced. And finally, the fifth deals with a speculative hypothosis stemming from the text or rendition.

All are vital and necessary. Again, there are no rules, so watch the film, and come up with some questions that you think can provide a fine discussion. I’ll be selecting some of the best and away we go.

Assignment:
After you view the film this week, please provide Discussion Questions, based on the rudiments offered above.