همایش رویکردهای میان رشته ای به آموزش زبان، ادبیات و مطالعات ترجمه

صفحه اصلی / پنجمین همایش رویکردهای میان رشته ای به آموزش زبان، ادبیات و مطالعات ترجمه

Absurdity in Conversation: Stylistic Analysis of Absurdity in Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1967) and its Characterization

نویسندگان :

Parsa Mashayekhy Fard¹ Ali Nasrabadi²

1- دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد 2- دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد

کلمات کلیدی :

Keywords: absurdity; characterization; odd talk; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; stylistics

چکیده :

Abstract: This paper aims to explore the stylistic analysis of absurdity in Tom Stoppard's play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1967). The play is a retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet from the perspective of two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The study examines how Stoppard employs various literary devices such as wordplay, repetition, irony, and "odd talk" to create an atmosphere of absurdity in the play. Benefiting from Culpeper's control system for audience reading of dramatic characters, the paper also analyzes how the characters' actions and dialogues contribute to their overall sense of confusion and the meaninglessness that pervades their existence throughout the play. The play’s dialogue frequently violates Grice's conversational maxims, resulting in uncooperative interactions, non-sequiturs, and malapropisms that highlight its absurdist nature. Furthermore, it explores how Stoppard uses absurdity as a tool to critique traditional notions of identity, language, and reality. The study finds that despite the strange, often nonsensical nature of the "odd talk" in the play, it serves a crucial purpose in illustrating the characters' existential dilemmas and their inability to communicate effectively. Ultimately, this study argues that through its use of absurdity, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead challenges conventional ideas about human existence as reflected in its titular characters. The play creates a heightened sense of tension and unpredictability, offering a profound commentary on the futility of human attempts at meaning-making.