Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead Essay

In this excerpt from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, the two characters discuss the horror of death; despite the fact that they are concentrating on a gruesome topic Stoppard finds a way to make the scene comical. Stoppard is regarded as a leading figure in plays deemed “serious comedies”, this excerpt is the epitome of a serious comedy - a funny play that discusses important topics. This decision contributes to the overall meaning of the play by lightening the mood and taking a humorous tone towards a grim topic to distract readers from the depressing nature of the meaning.
The entire excerpt is absurd and nonsensical, but what makes the entire situation hysterical is the fact the Rosencrantz is having deep existential thoughts, however, he does
Come out of there!’ Guil: (jumps up savagely) ‘You don’t have to flog it to death!’” As if the floor could get assaulted to death. Another foolish contribution Guildenstern adds, “Ros: We could remain silent until we’re green in the face, they wouldn’t come. Guil: Blue, red.” What is even going on in Guildenstern's head at this point, we could simply label him as a fool and the comic relief in the story. However, at the end of the excerpt Guildenstern has a profound observation, “Guil: Death followed by eternity … the worst of both worlds. It is a terrible thought.” A fleeting one as well, it seems. This is perhaps the most profound and intellectual insight Guildenstern has in the entire text. This statement is ironic because we, as human beings, associate death with an ending - the final ending. However, eternity is an endless amount of time. This statement is an oxymoron - a direct contradiction. Death then eternity could also be a biblical allusion. A reference to your physical body dying and then your soul living on in