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Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of Hamlet requesting the performance of The Murder of Gonzago?
What is the primary purpose of Hamlet requesting the performance of The Murder of Gonzago?
- To confuse Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
- To teach a lesson about revenge
- To entertain the court with a new play
- To expose Claudius' guilt regarding his father’s murder (correct)
How does Stoppard create dramatic irony in the play?
How does Stoppard create dramatic irony in the play?
- By having the characters know more than the audience
- By making the audience unaware of the play within a play
- By allowing the protagonists to predict their fates accurately
- By revealing the characters' motives to the audience while keeping the protagonists in the dark (correct)
What theme does Stoppard emphasize by creating a distance between the audience and the characters?
What theme does Stoppard emphasize by creating a distance between the audience and the characters?
- The ideological relationship between theatrical performances and their audiences (correct)
- The necessity of resolving conflicts on stage
- The importance of personal connection in drama
- The emotional struggles of the protagonists
What detail confuses Rosencrantz and Guildenstern during the rehearsal of The Murder of Gonzago?
What detail confuses Rosencrantz and Guildenstern during the rehearsal of The Murder of Gonzago?
How does Stoppard depict the relationship between the audience and the action of the play?
How does Stoppard depict the relationship between the audience and the action of the play?
What does the Player suggest about audience belief during the rehearsal?
What does the Player suggest about audience belief during the rehearsal?
What is one result of having the audience aware of the outcomes of the play?
What is one result of having the audience aware of the outcomes of the play?
What critical perspective does Stoppard ultimately encourage in his audience?
What critical perspective does Stoppard ultimately encourage in his audience?
How is the structure of the play within a play significant to Stoppard's themes?
How is the structure of the play within a play significant to Stoppard's themes?
What does the experience of viewing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's confusion during the rehearsal illustrate?
What does the experience of viewing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's confusion during the rehearsal illustrate?
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Study Notes
The Murder of Gonzago
- The Tragedians perform "The Murder of Gonzago," a play mirroring events in Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
- Hamlet requests this play to disturb Claudius' conscience and confirm his father's murder.
- Although Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are unaware of Hamlet's intentions, the audience possesses this knowledge.
- This creates dramatic irony and tension, distancing the audience from the protagonists.
Rehearsal of The Murder of Gonzago
- During the rehearsal, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's deaths are predicted, but they remain oblivious.
- Their confusion stems from the parallel characters in "Gonzago" wearing identical clothes.
- The audience, however, recognizes the foreshadowing, further widening the gap between themselves and the characters.
Double Remove and Dispassionate Observation
- The audience is watching a play where characters are watching a play, creating a double removal from the action.
- This distance encourages a more dispassionate view of the play, allowing the audience to focus on its intellectual aspects.
Audience-Stage Relationship
- The audience is prompted to examine its own relationship to the stage as it observes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's detachment from the rehearsal.
- The Player emphasizes the audience's expectations, suggesting that they believe what they anticipate seeing.
- By pushing the audience away, Stoppard compels them to reflect on their role in the theatrical experience.
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