Discuss the parallels between Shakespeare's Hamlet and SToppard's Rosencrantz and GUildenstern are dead and how Stoppard has transformed these parallels for a modern audience. Make reference to the context and text.
             The plays Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard contain many parallels such as themes, character comparisons and through the basic plot. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead has been heavily influenced by Hamlet, Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot, and several other plays and playwrights. In addition to these literary influences, a key factor in the transformation of the play, and the parallels contained within it and Hamlet, to a modern audience has also been the time in which it was written. Stoppards transformation of the play has been heavily influenced by absurdism in style and existentialism in philosophy and thought.
             Ultimately however, we can see that the play Hamlet has been transformed from the early 17th century to 20th century values and beliefs. The play focuses on the life of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern during the play Hamlet, while they are 'not in' Hamlet. As they are not major characters and have minimal roles in Hamlet, Stoppard has turned the original piece 'on its head' and focused on these two. For much of the play we see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in an off-stage world, which ironically is on-stage. One could say it is as if on one great stage, the plays of Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead are both 'occurring' parallel to eachother in time, briefly coming into contact with eachother, when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern emerge in Hamlet. Some of Stoppards work has been appropriated from Shakespeares original Hamlet. This is what connects the two plays in both time period and setting.
             Both writers have written for their target audience, using the language and style appropriate to con...