Will I love Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead?

Embracing the absurdist nature of this work (which is, of course, a play vs. a novel) is key to both understanding and enjoying it. I personally love how the story holds a mirror up to one of the central themes in Hamlet. The moral question of “should he act?” is replaced by the more existential question: are they (R & G) even capable of acting? Is control of one’s life even an option? 

The destiny vs. free will debate rings strong throughout, resonating with anyone like me who often wonders if outside forces are in charge. With wit and charm,… show more.

When I first watched the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead film starring Gary Oldman and Tim Roth, I was enamoured by the rhythm and dialogue. Reading the play, however, is even more brilliant. It’s fast-paced, confusing, and hilarious. In fact, it played a huge hand in inspiring my latest book. I would never have grasped the English language so tightly had it not been for this book. 

Shakespeare’s unwitting dupes from Hamlet are thrown into the unknown when fate’s die is cast for them. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern know that something has changed, but they cannot put their finger on it. Flowing with the unknown instead of being afraid of it, they approach their new circumstance with wonder albeit with a little skepticism. I have always erred on the side of being naïve as opposed to cynical, but they taught me I could be in wonder without being naïve by employing a bit of rational observance. Of course, it didn’t hurt that their observations came about… show more.