Transformations in Hamlet and Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

The process of transformation involves much more than just the adaptation of ideas and form to contemporary audiences. Discuss this statement in relation to Shakespeare's Hamlet and Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

The process of transformation of William Shakespeare?s Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard involved more than just the adaptation of ideas and form to contemporary audience. As a writer, Stoppard also added original themes, changed character personalities and included modern allusions and philosophical theories, to create meaning for a contemporary audience. It can be seen that the transformation from Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead involved much more than just the adaptation of ideas and form to contemporary audiences.

October 15th, 2012 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are ...

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (film)

W. S. Gilbert and Marion Terry in Rosencrantz and ...

Tom Stoppard added original themes which were not present in the original text Hamlet. One such theme is the nature of theatre. Theatre as a theme was not discussed in Hamlet, but was brought up by The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. During The Player?s dress rehearsal of the ?Murder of Gonzago,? Guildenstern tells The Player that actors are ?the mechanics of cheap melodrama? and that ?you die so many times; how can you expect them to believe in your death?? Guildenstern?s statement is a direct reference to theatre and raises the issue of actors and the truth, to which The Player replies that the melodramatic death is ?the only kind they do believe.? The Player goes on to tell how he had someone condemned to death actually be hung on stage as part of the act, but ?he just wasn?t convincing! It was impossible to suspend one?s disbelief.? The Player?s retort argues that in theatre, the audience is so used to melodrama that the truth is no longer convincing, and that the audience wants more than...