Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

The stage is pitch dark, and the audience can hear ocean sounds. Guildenstern calls out to Rosencrantz, who says, “We’re not finished, then?” (89). He assures Rosencrantz that they are still alive because they can think, talk, and feel. Rosencrantz says that he can feel one of his legs, but the leg feels dead. Guildenstern orders him to give the leg a pinch, only to find out that Rosencrantz has his hand on Guildenstern’s leg instead of his own. The sounds of the sea build, and the voices of sailors emerge. Realizing they are on a boat, Guildenstern concludes that boat is heading north based on the darkness during the day.

Hamlet, hidden from view, shines a lantern on the deck, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern see “three large man-sized casks” (91) and a large beach umbrella obscuring whatever is behind it. Rosencrantz builds upon Guildenstern’s assumption regarding the boat’s course, deducing that it must be nighttime now that he can see some light. Guildenstern expresses his fondness for boats; he says that boats provide safety and allow for freedom. Rosencrantz walks upstage and notices Hamlet sleeping behind the umbrella.