Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1967) by Tom Stoppard is a play about identity and self-understanding. At some point in our lives, we all no longer know who we are. We asked ourselves what we want to be when we grow up, who we are as a person, and if that person is the same in a different context. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are on the same journey as us, not only hoping to discover ourselves, but also to gain a sense of identity between different environments. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Stoppard's play is based on two minor characters from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Ros and Guil are confused about where they are and why they were sent there after trying to think of the first thing they remember. After coming into contact with a theater troupe, the Tragedians, they introduce themselves to the spokesperson, The Player. However, they do not present themselves correctly; Ros says, "My name is Guildenstern and this is Rosencrantz" and quickly corrects herself to "I'm sorry – his name is Guildenstern and my name is Rosencrantz." When first reading this line, not only was I confused, but I was curious as to why Ros introduced himself as Guil. At first I thought it didn't mean much, but after much thought I realized that Stoppard wouldn't have included it if it didn't mean anything. Stoppard was trying to show Ros and Guil's confusion in the room. At first we find that they don't know where they are or why they are there. Furthermore, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern don't even know who they are. Ros and Guil don't know their identities and that's what they try to find out throughout the play. Although I have never presented myself as someone else, nor taken myself as someone else, I have reflected on my own identity like Ros and Guil. When deciding what school I want to attend or what career I would like to have, I have had to question who I am as a person, my beliefs, my qualities, my personality and so much more. There are many aspects to a person's identity. I can call myself an actress, but does that still ring true if I'm not on stage? If I'm sitting in class, am I still an actress or am I now just a student? Without the presence of the cast or the script, is my identity still valid? In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the tragedians and the player put on a show and Guil asks questions:GUIL: Well... you're not going to change into a costume?PLAYER: I never change, sir.GUIL: Always in character. PLAYER: That's all. (Pause) GUIL: You're not going to – are you going? PLAYER: I'm there (Stoppard 29). In this case, when the player states that he never changes his costume and is always in character, he is saying that an actor is still an actor even when he is not on stage. I find this to be entirely true. If part of your identity is your profession, in this case, an actor, then you are always an actor no matter what environment you find yourself in. This conversation between Guildenstern and the Player also makes me think of other things. If the player is still in character, does that mean they are still acting or just being themselves? That being said, the Player affirms that in all environments, backstage or on stage, he has the same identity. While this is true, I believe that different environments can change other parts of your ?.