Simile:
· “. . . and when something nudges it into outline it is like being ambushed by a grotesque” (Stoppard 21). Guildenstern speaks of the truth and once truth is revealed it becomes some sort of deformity. This leads to the reason why humans do not like hearing the truth because they are afraid of the chaotic outcome from it, or in this case the “grotesque.”
· “. . . until like runaway carts they dragged to a halt” (37) The Player highlights the helplessness in an actor’s role. Just like a cart ,they are unable to control their momentum, because the play itself is what forces players to keep on going without an option.
· The player says that “life is a gamble, at terrible odds” (73) highlighting the risk present in even the most mundane of activities. This also calls to mind the opening scene with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern flipping coins and discovering every one of them to land heads up.
· “. . . and when something nudges it into outline it is like being ambushed by a grotesque” (Stoppard 21). Guildenstern speaks of the truth and once truth is revealed it becomes some sort of deformity. This leads to the reason why humans do not like hearing the truth because they are afraid of the chaotic outcome from it, or in this case the “grotesque.”
· “. . . until like runaway carts they dragged to a halt” (37) The Player highlights the helplessness in an actor’s role. Just like a cart ,they are unable to control their momentum, because the play itself is what forces players to keep on going without an option.
· The player says that “life is a gamble, at terrible odds” (73) highlighting the risk present in even the most mundane of activities. This also calls to mind the opening scene with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern flipping coins and discovering every one of them to land heads up.
Allusion:
· “Give us this day our daily mask” (21). As this quote is referencing the Lord’s Prayer of “give us this day our daily bread,” Guildenstern rewords the statement for similar reasons. As the bread from the Bible, is an object used as a necessity for an every daily life, Guildenstern continuously starts off the Lord’s prayer to finish his own necessity for the day.
· “Give us this day our daily mask” (21). As this quote is referencing the Lord’s Prayer of “give us this day our daily bread,” Guildenstern rewords the statement for similar reasons. As the bread from the Bible, is an object used as a necessity for an every daily life, Guildenstern continuously starts off the Lord’s prayer to finish his own necessity for the day.
Metaphor:
· “Boats are safe areas in the game of tag...” (63). Here, the game of tag is used by Guildenstern to explain the restricting nature of being on a boat; while everywhere else, fast action forces people to make choices and change, on a boat, one can rest from the chaos of life without risk of being caught or forced to make decisions.
· Unable to picture their arrival in England, Rosencrantz describes their “slipping off the map,” (67) or heading into the unknown, where they are completely unprepared. Similarly, he says that they “drift down time,” (68) letting the circumstances around them dictate their lives instead of taking charge for themselves.
· In the opening scene, Guildenstern, worried about the strangeness of flipping a coin eighty-five times with each landing heads, describes fear as “The crack that might flood your brain with light!” (4). He believes his fear allows him to better be aware of - become enlightened about - his situation. Because he feels afraid, he begins to question everything in an attempt to gain some control over his life.
· “Boats are safe areas in the game of tag...” (63). Here, the game of tag is used by Guildenstern to explain the restricting nature of being on a boat; while everywhere else, fast action forces people to make choices and change, on a boat, one can rest from the chaos of life without risk of being caught or forced to make decisions.
· Unable to picture their arrival in England, Rosencrantz describes their “slipping off the map,” (67) or heading into the unknown, where they are completely unprepared. Similarly, he says that they “drift down time,” (68) letting the circumstances around them dictate their lives instead of taking charge for themselves.
· In the opening scene, Guildenstern, worried about the strangeness of flipping a coin eighty-five times with each landing heads, describes fear as “The crack that might flood your brain with light!” (4). He believes his fear allows him to better be aware of - become enlightened about - his situation. Because he feels afraid, he begins to question everything in an attempt to gain some control over his life.
Idioms:
· After attempting to figure out what is upsetting Hamlet, Rosencrantz reflects on the conversation. He says that Hamlet “murdered [them],” (31) by completely destroying their argument. This also foreshadows their death when Hamlet replaces the letter from the king with one of his own.
· “PLAYER: Aha! All in the same boat, then!” (72) Not only do the players, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern all find themselves facing the similar predicament of being sent to England, but when they meet, they are literally on the same boat.
· The Player complains when Guildenstern asks if the play has ended, saying “Do you call that an ending? - With practically everyone on his feet? My goodness no - over your dead body” (48) While the expression usually means that something certainly isn’t so and never will be, here it takes on added meaning as a device of foreshadowing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s death.”
· After attempting to figure out what is upsetting Hamlet, Rosencrantz reflects on the conversation. He says that Hamlet “murdered [them],” (31) by completely destroying their argument. This also foreshadows their death when Hamlet replaces the letter from the king with one of his own.
· “PLAYER: Aha! All in the same boat, then!” (72) Not only do the players, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern all find themselves facing the similar predicament of being sent to England, but when they meet, they are literally on the same boat.
· The Player complains when Guildenstern asks if the play has ended, saying “Do you call that an ending? - With practically everyone on his feet? My goodness no - over your dead body” (48) While the expression usually means that something certainly isn’t so and never will be, here it takes on added meaning as a device of foreshadowing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s death.”
Personification:
· Guildenstern compares their situation to autumn, when things begin to die and the weather grows less inviting, and observes that “brown is creeping up on us” (59).Once again, it’s the environment that takes action, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern themselves are merely onlookers.
· Guildenstern compares their situation to autumn, when things begin to die and the weather grows less inviting, and observes that “brown is creeping up on us” (59).Once again, it’s the environment that takes action, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern themselves are merely onlookers.