R&G are Dead - My Thoughts #1

The beginning of Rosencrantz's and Guildenstern's existence in Shakespeare's play Hamlet is the first moment they are mentioned - when the King and Queen summon them. The question to keep in mind is, "Why center a play around these minor characters?" Another interesting thought to consider is, "does it really matter who's who?" They are introduced with specific "character notes," but in Hamlet, the characters are referred to interchangeably (The queen can't even tell them apart). In regards to the coin-flipping, Rosencrantz seems ok with the oddity of the situation - perhaps because it is in favor of him because they are betting and he is winning every time. Guildenstern, on the other hand, is perturbed by the absurd, unnatural phenomenon. Maybe he is questioning it because it's not going well for him. Why ask why if life's just peachy? One frequent postmodern aspect in the play thus far is the use of wordplay, such as in the exchange about the word "afraid." ROS: "I'm afraid---" GUIL: "So am I." ROS: "I'm afraid it isn't your day." Guildenstern tries to soothe himself by reasoning away the strange situation. He uses several syllogisms (If a=b and b=c, then a=c) to do this. His lengthy, confusing syllogism is a perfect example of deconstruction. It's interesting to note that the two characters recognize that a messenger "woke them up." This phrase is intended to refer to bringing them to life in the story of Hamlet, for it is the messenger sent to retrieve them that awakens them into the plot.