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What's happening?

Guil. takes a coin out his bag, spins it, letting it fall. Ros studies it, announces it as "heads" and outs it into his own bag. Then they repeat the process. They have apparently been doing this for some time. (pg. 11)

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QUESTION: Why are they engaged in this activity?
Answer: R&G are betting on the toss of a coin to pass the time. Pg. 11
Question: Why are they doing this?
Answer: They have been summoned by a royal. Pg. 19
Question: What are they waiting for?
Answer: on their way to Elsinore, set out by the king for unknown reasons, R&G got lost, waiting for direction/ purpose to come along. Pg.20

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Question: What are Ros's feelings about coin toss?
Answer: Ros is not suprised at the number of times the coin has landed on heads. Ros is just bored and has little interest about the possible implications of the coin pattern landing on heads. Ros feels embarrassed for Guil, but yet is making fun of him because he is rambling on about the law of probability
pg #(s): 11,13

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Q: What is Ros's explanation for coin always landing on heads?

A: Rod (Ros)jmf could have possibly been cheating as apparent by his attitude about the coin toss said when he said, "Well I won- didn't I?" In a nonchalant cocky way. Also when Guil asked him what'd he do if they'd all been tails Rod said he'd have a look at their coins to check If they were cheating which also kinda(not a word)jmf implies that he was cheating. Pg. 14

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What are Guil's feelings about the coin toss?
He thinks it's a bit strange the toss keeps coming out to be head(heads)jmf and wonders why the mathematical laws of probability have failed and tries to make Ros as bothered as he is.
pg.11

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How does guil.(Guil)jmf explain the exceptional run of heads?
Guil if trying to over whelm(overwhelm)jmf Ros by using big words, in an effort to make himself feel smarter. He says that the exceptional run of heads is "a spectacular vindication of the principle that each individual coin spun individually is as likely to come down as heads as tails and therefore should cause no surprise each individually times??jmf  it does" (pg. 16) then Guil proceeds(WC)jmf that him(he)jmf and Ros are in [an]jmf alternate universe where "probability is not operating as a factor" (pg. 17) he is unable to process the reality of the long run of coins, without that possibility that they don't have a place in the universe, but he wants to seem logical so he try's(tries)jmf his hardest to postulate a logical answer to the long run of heads, without Guil looking at him like a fool.

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According to Guil., what is the purpose of the scientific approach and why is this ironic?

The purpose of the scientific approach is a "defense against the pure emotion of fear". (Pg. 17) This is ironic because Guil believes that he is a very scientific and logical person, but he really isn't that smart. An example of how dumb he is is how he continues to bet with rosencrantz(Rosencrantz)jmf on the coin flip.
**Ironic -- While espousing this POV, Guil. is afraid; he acts as if he is reassuring Ros., but Ros is not afraid jmf

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Q1: Why was Guild irritated with Ros?
A1: Guild explains to Ros. his reasoning why he believed the coin was always landing on heads. Guild explained many reasonings behind this strange occurrence but all Ros. had to say was that " I've never known anything like it. Guild becomes irritated with Ros. because he believes that Ros. Does(does)jmf  not understand his meanings of the occurrence of this anomaly. Guild stands and paces while giving more explanations for why this could be happening. This misunderstanding that Ros. has??jmf  just irritates guild(Guil)jmf more and more.(15)

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Significance-relation to existentialism?
(Pg. 20) Ros and Guil lack direction and purpose. The only thing that the two focus on is fulfilling orders given to them. This highlights the existentialist concept that the lack of action results in a lack of meaning. The two feel abandoned because [of]jmf their lack of direction and the ability to create their own experiences.

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Ros. -- " … curious & scientific phenomenon" - What is it & why significant? (p.18-19)

"Ros (cutting his fingernails): Another curious scientific phenomenon is the fact that the fingernails grow after death, as does the beard." (p.18)

The curious and scientific phenomenon is the idea that fingernails and the beard grow after death. Stoppard builds on this motif of how Rosencrantz is intuitive, as well as how incomprehensible the world is through the character of Guildenstern. It is significant becomes is (because it) jmf exemplifies how death is inevitable. The play also becomes an "intellectual battle" for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as they try to grasp occurring events in a world, where events defy reasoning and the idea of Existentialism, where things occur without cause.

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2. What is wrong with Guil.'s thinking? Why does Stoppard satirize Guil?
3. Guil tries to explain everything but does not except(accept)jmf reality - pg. 17. Life has no absolutes, though Guil continues attempting to make some - pg. 20.

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What group of people does Guil. represent?
A: He's a pessimist by describing how poorly equipped the people are around them, and looking at them in a demeaning nature.
Pg. 27
:( didn't really answer the question :(

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Question: what is Guil's definition of reality
Answer: Guil believes that reality is just an illusion. He tries to find the truth within philosophical explanations
pg #:

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Claudia Bartley, Diana Garcia and John Aguilar Ramsay

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Claudia Bartley, Diana Garcia and John Aguilar Ramsay

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Question: when talking about reality, why does Guil say "It would have been nice to have unicorns"?
Answer: Guil debates the reality is just an illusion shared by many. Pg. 21
Question: What does he mean by this?
Answer: That reality can be perceived differently. Pg. 21

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Q: What is Ros's reaction?

A: Ros is excited at the end of Guil's speech on reality because they can hear a band now and it means that Rod(Ros)jmf was right all along about hearing drums which he had doubted himself because of Guil. Pg. 20-21

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R&G meet w/players- Why are both parties glad to meet and why is it significant?
The player and the tragedians are glad to meet because they get to perform acts in hope of getting money while R&G are glad because they understand more about chance and fate. It is significant because it also shows an inner struggle inside Ros about his sensitivity and sexuaulaity(sp.)jmf when the player tells Alfred to put on a skirt and Ros gets mad and tells him to take it all off
Pg. 23,26-27
** both parties are glad to meet because now both have a purpose, which allows them to achieve meaning

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How do the players characterize "these times" and why is it significant?
The players characterize these times as being indifferent. This is significant because the player is saying that even thought(sp.)jmf there are many trials in Elsinore is[it]jmf leaves them (the lower class) uneffected(sp.)jmf. (Pg. 23

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Why are the statements about date(fate)jmf and options a paradox?

(Pg. 25) The conversation between the Player and Guil is a paradox because Stoppard's definition of chance is choice and fate is predetermined. The Player mentions that they take chances but then says the groups met because of fate.

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What conclusion can be drawn about reality?

" We transport you into a world of intrigue and illusion …" (p.23)

Throughout the play, Rosenrantz and Guildenstern spend most of their time in a state of illusion and uncertainty. Stoppard is concluding that we can manipulate reality, so that it is the same everytime, just like the coin flip between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.(interesting thought)jmf

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Why is this scene significant?
A: Gertrude tells Gulid & Ros that if they help Hamlet, they will be in the king's graces
Pg 36-37

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What are the rules of verbal tennis?
The rules of verbal tennis are no repititions, no grunts, no synonyms, no rhetoric, and no non sequiters. Pages 42-43

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Q1: What is the purpose?
A: The verbal tennis between Ros. and Guild is a somewhat comical routine in the time where they are trying to figure out whether Hamlet had gone insane, they did this by asking constant questions volleying back and forth, just like in tennis.(42)

Q2: Why is it Signficant(sp)?
A: The verbal tennis between the two of them signifies the important(importance)jmf of finding the truth of the matter of(WC)jmf if Hamlet is actually insane, and if why has he been acting so strangely. This is being carried out by the game of questions or verbal tennis (42-51)