Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Style and Technique

«Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead» by Tom Stoppard is an absurdist tragicomedy that employs elements of metatheatre and intertextuality. Stoppard masterfully plays with language, creating dialogues full of puns, paradoxes, and philosophical reflections. Literary devices include ironic references to Shakespeare's «Hamlet», as well as frequent use of repetition and symmetry in the structure of dialogues. The narrative structure is nonlinear, alternating between scenes from «Hamlet» and original scenes, emphasizing the theme of uncertainty and chance. The characters often discuss existential questions, adding depth and complexity to the work.