The plot of the play centers around the supposed madness of its title character, Hamlet, but he is not the only character who displays irrational behavior. Hamlet, Laertes, and Ophelia are all loyal children who exhibit varying degrees of madness after their fathers" untimely deaths. ... After Hamlet kills her father, Ophelia really loses touch with reality. ... Ophelia drowns, and it is unclear whether it was an accident or suicide. ... He meets with Ophelia and uses her to start the process, which starts her down the road to madness. ...

• Word Count: 1204
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

CHARACTERS Rosencrantz - A bumbling, ridiculous but harmless Elizabethan gentleman. ... While Hamlet's main character trait in Shakespeare's play is, perhaps, openness (he can't stop telling the audience what he is thinking) the Hamlet of Stoppard's play is much more mysterious. ... In fact, the entire court seems to be at odds with the two main characters. ... PLOT ANALYSIS It is difficult to comment on the plot of R&G as a whole, because it is composed of so many disparate ideas. ... They are not people in search of meaning; they are characters in search of motiva...

• Word Count: 3860
• Approx Pages: 15
• Grade Level: High School