Many works of literature ask a central question. For example, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead explores identity and existence in order to ask a very imposing question: “What’s the point?” Unlike titles that are solely theatre of the absurd, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern attempts to answer this question to a point. Both Stoppard’s treatment of this question and his attempt to answer it support his theme: that there may be incomprehensible forces shaping our lives, making it impossible to control or understand them.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead asks the audience what the point of it all is. The two main characters do not know what their purpose is. When they are passing time at the beginning by playing coins, the two do not even realize that they have been summoned for something. Every time the pair are left to themselves they immediately question who they are and what they're doing. Another instance is when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern criticize the play for not having enough action, asking what the point of any of the dialogue is. Most of the play is asking what the point of the characters. action, and even the overall play is.
Although the play doesn't fully answer the question, it offers up a couple suggestions. One possibility is to question the world and one's fate. It is very clear throughout the play that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have a path set forth for them. Even the title gives a clue to this (they ARE dead). Although R+G are never able to break their molds, Stoppard is trying to tell the audience that they should attempt what his characters could not. While the two may have a path to follow, we don't. Stoppard wants the audience to be better than his characters.
This question pretty much encapsulates the entire purpose of the play. Stoppard centers his work around the question, although he does not treat it very seriously all the time. For example, he questions simple concepts that are accepted by the general public in order to make his point. When a characters yells "fire" in a crowded audience or taunts them with child rape, Stoppard is in a way questioning the purpose of certain social constructs. These aspects of the play are things we don't think about but control how the play works.
Alex,
ReplyDeleteFirst, it would have been helpful to put the prompt at the top, but that's alright, I got it from the previous post.
I like your introduction, it flows well and contains the necessary information. Your first body paragraph seems to work pretty well. The topic sentence fits with the introduction and is a claim, not evidence, which is good. Your evidence within the paragraph seems to work well: you have a good balance of describing parts of the plot but still relating them back to your topic. One thing you didn't do within the paragraph was relate it back to the theme.
The next paragraph is also good except for not really relating back to the theme. I am not 100% sure if your last paragraph is meant to be a paragraph relating the previous content to the theme, or just a conclusion. If it is a theme paragraph, I would say you didn't clearly get the point across to the audience. If not, then from what I understood, it seems your theme of the work changed throughout the essay because you say "Stoppard is in a way questioning the purpose of certain social constructs" which almost sounds like it's meant to act as a theme, though I am pretty sure that isn't the intention.
Once you clarify your sections on theme, it will be a great essay. You have a nice flow and good evidence. Nice work overall.
Hey Alex,
ReplyDeleteOverall I think you did a great job on this and I can't think of very many critiques and areas you could improve upon. However, I agree with Tom that you could relate back to the theme at some point in the essay, other than that it's all good! You have great evidence and answer your central question well.
Alex--This essay is well-constructed and is, for the first 2/3, well-argued. Your evidence starts to get thinner toward the end, and you start to rush the warrants, not explaining your reasoning quite as thoroughly as you need to. On the whole, though, it's solid stuff--a strong essay on a difficult topic.
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