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In the opening scene, Ros and Guil are tossing coins back and forth. Each time a coin is flipped, Ros calls heads. He correctly predicts the outcome of each coin and wins it from Guil. Because of this peculiarly, Guil begins to ponder this phenomena leading to an indepth  conversation regarding the universe and laws of probability. This conversation between the friends allows the reader to understand the characters' personalities.
Quote 1 p. 15: Ros - "Oh no-we've been spinning coins for as long as I can remember.
Guil - How long is that?
Ros - I forget. Mind you eighty-five times!"
Quote 2 p. 16: Guil - "It must be indicative of something, besides the redistribution of wealth. (He muses.) List of possible explanations. One: I'm willing it. Inside where nothing shows, I am the essence of a man spinning double-headed coins, and betting against himself in private atonement for an unremebered past (He spins a coin at Ros).

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What does Ros think they failed at?

Ros believes that they failed the "game" of verbal tennis between them and Hamlet. When they were ordered to investigate the cause of Hamlet's sudden personality change, they used verbal tennis to practice. As they actually went to interrogate him, they treated it as a game of verbal tennis. Hamlet used his sane insanity to unknowingly play circles around Ros and Guil. They left with no information, and while Guil says they "made some headway," Ros is absolutely frustrated.

"I think we can say he made us look ridiculous." Act II, pg. 56

""Question and answer. Old ways are the best ways"! He was scoring off us all down the line." Act II, pg. 56

"Twenty-seven---three, and you think he might have had the edge?! He murdered us." Act II, pg.

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What does Ros. & Guil. hope to accomplish? Pg. 35

It can be seen that both Guil. and Ros. seem to make competition with who can further acquaint themselves with Claudius and Gertrude by their bowing debacle; however, the true intention is to figure out their purpose for being summoned, which further showcases Ros. and Guil.'s dependent natures because they rely on others to give them purpose and direction.

""Both your majesties...put your dread pleasures more into command". (Pg. 36)

"And here give up ourselves...to lay our service freely at your feet".

"Heaven make our presence and our practices pleasant and helpful to him." (Pg. 37)

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Question: Why are they engaged in this activity? Why are they doing this? What are they waiting for?

Answer: Ros and Guil are engaged in tossing coins to pass the time, waiting for someone to tell them what to do. They are confused as to what to do, exemplifying their lack of purpose or direction.
Pg. 19- Ros: "We were sent for." ... Ros: "That's why we're here. (He looks round, seems doubtful, then the explanation) Travelling."
Pg. 20- Guil: "We better get on." Ros: "Right! (Pause) On where?" Guil: "Forward." Ros (forward to footlights): "Ah. (hesitates) Which way do we- (He turns around.) Which way did we-?"

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What are Ros's feelings about the Coin toss?
Ross feels guilty about taking so much money from Guil, he also feels embarrassed about taking the money but ignores how strange it is that the coin has landed on heads for so long consecutively.  He doesn't second guess how impossible the coin toss should be.

Evidence : Act 1. page 11.
''The run of "heads" is impossible, yet Ros Betrays no Surprise at all- he feels none. However, he is nice enough to feel a little embarrassed at taking so much money off his friend."
-Ros is more of a relaxed character, he is unconcerned with the unknown. Guil requires structure and logic
Evidence: Pg. 16-18
guil: "The scientific approach to examination of phenomena is a defence against the pure emotion of fear..."
While ross doesn't question anything.
(pg14) guil: "No questions? Not even a pause of doubt ?"
Ros: "you spun them yourself"
guil : "Not a flicker of doubt ?"
Ros: "well, I won-didn't I?"

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Question:
What is Ros's explanation for coin always landing on heads? (p.14)

Answer:
Ros's explanation is that the coin toss is just luck. He views it as nothing more than an unlucky day for Guil. because Ros. is cheating :)jmf

Textual Evidence:
"The run of 'heads' is impossible, yet Ros betrays no surprise at all --- he feels none." (11)
"Ros: Heads. Getting a bit of a bore, isn't it?
Guil: A bore?
Ros: Well...
Guil: What about the suspense?
Ros: What suspense?" (13)
"Ros: I'm afraid it isn't your day." (15)

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Question 1 answer (Matthew Williams & Samuel Huffstatler)

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Question 1 answer (Matthew Williams & Samuel Huffstatler)

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What are guils(g/m)jmf feelings about the coin toss ?

Guil feels that the coin toss is in- fair??jmf but he does not speak on it. He knows no one can get heads that many time but he believes only weak men re-examine they're(sp)jmf
faith. Saying only a weak person will give up or go back on they're word.
" a weaker man might be moved to re-examine his faith if in nothing else at least in the law of probability. Page 12

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How does Guil explain the exceptional run of heads?
There are four concepts Guil comes up with for the reason behind why he keeps getting heads.
-Divine Intervention: A miracle caused by a deitys active invovlement in the human world. "Three: Divine intervention, that is to say, a good turn from above concerning me" (page 16 lines 11-13).
-Self-willing: He is silently wishing that heads continues to come up. "I'm willing it where nothing shows, I am the essence of a man spinning double-headed coins, and betting against himself in private atonement for an unremembered past" (page lines 7-9).
-Time stopped: There was a pause in time and the coin being spun was repeated. "Time has stopped dead, and the single experience of one coin being spun has been repeated ninety times" (page lines 3-6).
- Law of probability: It expresses the total probability of an outcome which can be realized in several distinct events. "A spectacular vindication of the principle that each individual coin spun individually is as likely to come down heads as tails and therefore should cause no suprise each individual time it does" (page lines 12-16)

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Question #7. Purpose of Scientific Approach- why is it ironic?                                 The scientific approach is a defense against fear, this is ironic because Guil has so far spent the play being afraid. Specifically he worries about the law of probability because it doesn't seem to be in effect even though he knows it should be. (Pg. 17- first sentence of Guils monologue)

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Why is Guil. Irritated w/Ros?

Guil is irritated with Ros because Ros looks for simplicity in his answers, contrary to Guil's use of scientific and philosophical reasoning. This unravels when Guil tries implementing the law of probability into their game of coin toss by Guil asking Ros if he experiences any suspense when Guil flips the coin. Guil expects to have some type of intelligent conversation with his scholarly friend, but is disappointed, to say the least, by Ros's remark "What suspense?" Ros's ignorant remarks to Guil's serious questions while flipping coins ultimately leads Guil to believe that Ros is complacent and will not take anything seriously.

"What suspense?" (Act I page 13)
Eighty-five in a row-beaten the record!" (Act I page 14)
"Eighth-five in a row? Tails?" (Act I page 14)
"Fear?" (Act I page 15)
"I've forgotten the question" (Act I page 16)

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What is and why is the "curious and scientific phenomenon" scene significant? Rosencrantz uses the phenomenon of nails naturally growing to display the mindset and thought process that humanity holds. Ros states, "I cut my fingernails all the time, and every time I think to cut them, they need cutting. Perhaps I cut them absent mindedly, when I'm thinking of something else." (Pg. 19). Ros explains the thinking humans have of everyday processes in everyday events.

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What is wrong with Guil's thinking? Why does Stoppard satirize Guil?

Guil's thinking is very exaggerated and overcomplicated, as he turns simple ideas into complicated problems. He takes the simple probability of a coin toss and turns it into a problem concerning the supernatural and the altering of the laws of time and space. "The scientific approach to... sound of drums and flute"(pg 17-18).

Stoppard satirizes Guil because Guil is a stand-in for a bigger idea. During the 1960's (no apostrophe)jmf, which is when this play was written, debate over senseless subjects was common. Stoppard makes fun of Guil in order to make fun of the stupid debates taking place in the world at the time.

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What group of people does Guildenstern represent?

Guildenstern's characteristics and overall dialogue [and]jmf attitude are very pessimistic in nature. He is very negative in his outlook on life, and he displays an anxious, worrisome attitude. He requires an explanation for all of the circumstances that affect his life and if no explanation arises, he will create one himself. His life is very structured, and when something breaks that structure, such as the coin toss, he becomes angry and saddened.

"We have been spinning coins together since...This is not the first time we have spun coins!" pg.14 Act I

"It must be indicative of something, besides the redistribution of wealth. List of possible explanations..." pg 16 Act I

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Question: What is Guil's definition of reality?
Answer: Guil believes that the definition of reality is the common experience
Quote:
Guil: "...the more witnesses there are the thinner it gets and the more reasonable it becomes until it is as thin as reality, the name we give to the common experience..."
Pg.21
Explanation: Guil is basically saying that reality is what more people believe in o

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When talking about reality, why does Guil say "It would have been nice to have unicorns"?

Guil says this in conclusion to his "thesis" to prove he actually heard the band of players, but he would rather it had been an illusion represented by the unicorn instead of reality, which is represented as the horse with
an arrow in its forehead being the "common experience".

Pg. 21- Guil: "... the more witnesses there are the thinner [the experience] gets and the more reasonable it becomes until it is as thin as reality, the name we give to the common experience... 'Look, look!' recites the crowd.'A horse with an throw in its forehead! It must have been mistaken for a deer.'"

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What is Ros. Reaction?
Upon hearing Guil give his speech about the unicorn, Ros makes the claim that he believed "the drums" were part of a band all along, (pg. 21) "I knew all along it was a band.", despite his doubts earlier on in the Act. (Pg. 20) "Like a band. It sounded like-a band. Drums" (pg. 21) "It must have been thunder. Like drums..." This reveals that Ros is the type of character to adapt to his environment or setting, it wasn't until Guil began to question "The drums" that Ros became unsure of his decision, but as Ros explained that the more you doubt yourself the less you actually see, Ros immediately jumped back to his original statement of "It sounded like-a band. Drums." (Pg. 20)

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Question:
R&G meet with the players - Why are both parties glad to meet & why is it significant? (p.21-27)

Answer:
The parties are glad to meet because they both are brought back to reality, and find purpose in each other. The players now have someone to perform for, and R&G are now able to continue on their journey. It is significant because it brings up a major point of existentialism. The struggle to achieve direction or purpose.

Textual Evidence:
"Player: Perfect! A lucky thing we came along."
"Well met, in fact, and just in time." (22)
"Player: Oh yes. We have no control. Tonight we play to the court." (25)

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Question 2 answer (Matthew Williams & Samuel Huffstatler)

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Question 2 answer (Matthew Williams & Samuel Huffstatler)

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Reality definitions - already have guils - players do so with a phrase that is repeated several times - " times being what they are " (p. 23) how do the players characterize "these times" & why is this significant?

The players characterize the times as indifferent and wicked. The significance of this characterization is that the audience at the time was interested in being exposed to violence and tragic stories. The wicked part being the fact they see no wrong in the stories that they see and they view it as entertainment.
" It costs little to watch, and little more if you happen to get caught up in the action, if that's your taste and times being what they are." ( page 23)

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Why are the statments about fate & options (choices) a paradox?
The statements about fate and choices are a paradox because at one point the player says that they have a choice unlike others. However later in the conversation he says that they don't have a choice, it's fate.
-"For some of us it is a performance, for others patronage..." (page 23 line 6).
-"...Fate, then...Oh yes, we have no control, tonight we play to the court, or the night after, or to the tavern or not" (page 25 line 20-22).

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Question: What conclusion can be drawn about reality?
Guil has his whole monologue about the unicorn, which is essentially "if a tree falls in a forest..." this implies that any form of reality can exist, even if no one is around to witness it. It also implies that reality for one person, may not be the same for another- everyone has a perspective on reality. The players later reiterate this, by saying that they can perform any reality the pair wishes to see. (Pg. 21 and 23)

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Why is the audience with Claudius and Gertrude scene significant? In their conversation with Claudius and Gertrude, Ros and Guil attempt to raise their status by attaining respect and honor from the King and Queen. They show great respect and loyalty to Claudius and Gertrude, with Guil stating, "But we both obey, and here we give up ourselves in the full bent to lay our service freely at your feet, to be commanded." (Pg. 36). It is evident that Ros and Guil wish to be of a higher power, and believe they can achieve that by pleasing the King and Queen.

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VERBAL TENNIS
What are the rules?

The goal of the game is to keep a running dialogue using only questions. The rules are: no statements, no repetitions, no grunts/hesitations, no synonyms, no rhetoric, and no non sequiturs. If a player commits a foul by breaking one of the rules listed above, the other player gets a point, and it is scored like a tennis match. pg 42-43

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Verbal Tennis: What is the significance and purpose?

The verbal tennis match serves as a form of practice between Ros and Guil. They have noticed a sudden change in Hamlet's personality, so they use this as a form of practice while waiting for Hamlet to appear. The rules follow this ideal, as the prohibition of statements, rhetoric, non sequiturs, and more practically leaves questions as the only form of communication. This little charade is significant due to the fact that it represents a change in Ros and Guil's personalities. They have always had a habit of letting fate decide their course of action, but this match marks a shift in their behavior; they have started to take matters into their own hands.

"Exactly, it's a matter of asking the right questions and giving away as little as we can. It's a game." Pg. 40, Act I

"We could play at questions. / What good would that do? / Practice!" Pg. 42, Act I

"Rhetoric! Game and match! (Pause.) Where's it going to end?" Pg. 44, Act I

"Go into details. Delve. Probe the background, establish the situation." Pg. 48, Act I