Thoughtful Laughter in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Thoughtful laughter is often used to contribute to the key themes of a novel, play, or long poem. In Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, thoughtful laughter is used in this very way. Each scene in the play that awakens thoughtful laughter in the reader enhances the reader’s understanding of the key themes.
The most obvious theme in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is that of absurdity. Absurdity is prevalent throughout the play. The best example of this ridiculousness is when the title characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern mix up themselves. They, just like Claudius, forget which person is which. Certainly, having Rosencrantz call himself “Guildenstern,” and vice versa, is funny in its simplistic humor. But behind this low comedy is a darker, more sophisticated humor. The scene satirizes our concept of identity. This laughter is thoughtful because it forces us to realize the absurdity in our tendency to follow trends and fit in with group...