Man's ability to take action is an individual's willingness to accept responsibility for his actions and take control of his life. ... Death in Hamlet is given significance and value due to Elizabethan society's strong ties to religion. The uncertainty of the afterlife made the death mysterious, but also greatly feared. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, however, since life is seen as purposeless and directionless, death is seen as rather insignificant. The value of life after the Second World War was questioned and eventually lost. ...

• Word Count: 1077
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate