Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Summary | Act 1, p. 1-20 Summary

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two Elizabethans who are passing the time in a non-descript location. The two are well dressed in the custom of the time with hats, walking sticks, and cloaks, and they each carry a large leather moneybag. Strangely, the bag carried by Guildenstern is nearly empty, while the one carried by Rosencrantz is nearly full.

The two of them pass the time by playing a sort of gambling game. Guildenstern takes a coin from his bag and spins it. When it falls, Rosencrantz looks at it, declares that it has landed "heads" and puts the coin into his own moneybag. The two repeat the process again and again with the same result. The men have playing this game for some time, with the result that Guildenstern has lost most of his money to Rosencrantz. Each time, the coin shows "heads" and each time, Rosencrantz wins the coin from Guildenstern.

Rosencrantz does not seem to think this unlikely chain of events is odd, but he does feel a little embarrassed at taking all of his friend's money. Guildenstern on the other hand, does think the situation is odd. Even though he is losing all his money to Rosencrantz that does not seem to be the cause of his unease. Guildenstern is far more concerned and worried about the implications of such a run of luck. The two continue to play the game, and Guildenstern continues to lose.

As they continue to play the game, Rosencrantz continues to be oblivious to the oddness of this run of luck. However, Guildenstern does begin to comment on it as they continue to play the game and as he continues to lose to Rosencrantz. Guildenstern questions whether luck is involved, or whether faith or lack of faith could be implicated and he muses about the laws of probability and their apparent absence in this case. Guildenstern begins to postulate about a probability problem he has heard concerning throwing six monkeys up in the air and how often the six monkeys would land on their heads or on their tails. Meanwhile, they continue to play the coin toss game, and Rosencrantz continues to win every time because the coins come up heads with each toss.

Finally, Rosencrantz smiles sheepishly at Guildenstern and expresses his embarrassment at continually winning. Rosencrantz says that the process must be a bit of a bore. Guildenstern questions him as to what he means and postulates that there is suspense in each throw and that his luck must be about to change, citing the "law of diminishing returns." Yet the coin continues to come up heads.

Rosencrantz exclaims that he has now won 85 times in a row, which Guildenstern at first claims is absurd. Rosencrantz assures Guildenstern that he (Rosencrantz) has won 85 times in a row, and Guildenstern becomes angry, asking if this is a new record. Guildenstern then asks if Rosencrantz is prepared to continue the game. Rosencrantz hesitates. Defensively, he points out that Guildenstern had spun the coins himself. Guildenstern continues to press Rosencrantz about continuing the game. Rosencrantz points out that he did win and seems peevish and defensive. Guildenstern approaches him and asks what his attitude would be should he have lost 85 times in a row instead of won 85 times in a row.

Rosencrantz considers this possibility and says he would certainly examine the coins if he had lost 85 times in a row. Guildenstern is relieved by this answer and he interprets it to mean that self-interest is still predictable, even if the laws of probability seem to have been suspended in this coin-toss game. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern embrace. Rosencrantz points out that the two have been spinning coins together for as long as he can remember. When Guildenstern asks just how long that is, Rosencrantz replies that at least 85 times, and that this run will certainly not be surpassed soon.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern discuss fear as it relates to whether or not the run of luck can be broken. Rosencrantz wonders why fear is being discussed, and Guildenstern, becoming angry, equates the fear with a fear of realization or enlightenment. Guildenstern, now quite agitated, throws a coin on the ground. Rosencrantz examines it, calls it heads, and puts it in his bag with the other 85 coins he has won from Guildenstern. Guildenstern now sits down despondently. Guildenstern takes a coin, spins it, and lets it fall between his feet. Then he looks at it, picks it up, and tosses it to Rosencrantz who puts it in his moneybag. Guildenstern tosses yet another coin, but this time turns it over on his other hand rather than tossing it on the ground. Guildenstern looks at it and tosses it to Rosencrantz who puts it in his moneybag. Guildenstern tries one more tactic. The man tosses the coin several times, sometimes over or under his legs and finally lays it to rest on top of his own head. Rosencrantz comes over to look at it, and then picks it up and puts it in his own moneybag with all the other coins.

Rosencrantz begins to say "I'm afraid....," but Guildenstern cuts him off and says that he too, is afraid. Rosencrantz finishes his thought, that he's afraid it just isn't Guildenstern's day, and Guildenstern says that he is afraid it IS his day. Rosencrantz announces the new total, which is 89 to 0.

Guildenstern muses that this run of luck must have some kind of meaning beyond the "redistribution of wealth" and he considers several possible explanations. The first is that he himself is willing himself to lose each time. Guildenstern likens himself to a double-headed coin continually spinning and losing in order to atone for past transgressions.

Rosencrantz calls the next coin, and it is, of course, heads. Rosencrantz continues to be unperturbed by the oddness of the situation. Guildenstern begins to explain his second theory of why this is happening and he postulates that time itself has stopped so that the experience of one coin being spun and landing heads has been repeated 90 times when it actually only happened once. Guildenstern loses another coin to Rosencrantz who puts it in his moneybag. Guildenstern then muses that divine intervention could account for the run of luck. Then he has a fourth theory. This is that the phenomenon is a brilliant verification of the notion that each coin spun has an equal chance to come down heads or to come down tails, no matter how many coins are spun in a row. Guildenstern spins one more coin, which he looks at and tosses to Rosencrantz.

Rosencrantz exclaims that he's never seen anything like this happen before. Guildenstern begins to play with Rosencrantz's wording and enumerate what Rosencrantz's meaning must be much like he (Guildenstern) was doing in trying to enumerate possible theories as to why the coins continue to come down heads. Guildenstern muses that either Rosencrantz has never known anything like this, or that he has never had anything to write home about. Then he changes gears and asks Rosencrantz what he first remembers about home.

Rosencrantz asks if Guildenstern means the first thing which comes into his head, but Guildenstern corrects Rosencrantz and says he want to know what the first thing Rosencrantz remembers is instead. Rosencrantz says it was a long time ago, and he can't remember. Guildenstern is becoming testy. Then he explains that Rosencrantz does not understand, and that he wants Rosencrantz to tell him the first thing he DOES remember, whatever that was. Rosencrantz seems to understand, but then declares that he has forgotten the question. Guildenstern suddenly asks Rosencrantz if he is happy, content, at ease. Rosencrantz says he supposes so, and Guildenstern asks Rosencrantz what he intends to do now. Rosencrantz responds that he doesn't know and asks what Guildenstern wants to do.

Guildenstern claims to have no desires or plans. Then he stops dead in his tracks (he was pacing) to state that a messenger came for he and Rosencrantz the night before, as though he has just remembered this. Guildenstern tells Rosencrantz that this is a second syllogism, the first being his list of possible reasons why the coins were all coming down heads. As to the current syllogism posed, Guildenstern postulates that probability is something which exists within natural laws. The second possibility according to Guildenstern is that probability itself is not in operation in this instance. The third explanation is that "We are now within un-, sub-, or supernatural forces." Guildenstern demands that they discuss these possibilities, but not too heatedly. Guildenstern is behaving sarcastically, and not a little "acidly."

Rosencrantz asks Guildenstern what's the matter with him. Guildenstern gives a long involved explanation regarding his theories on why the coins keep coming down heads. This somewhat tortured logic seems to lead him through his syllogisms and his explanation of them to Rosencrantz. Guildenstern ends that they are probably not held by supernatural forces after all, and he declares that he is quite relieved by this realization. Guildenstern seems quite agitated, and even near hysteria, but under control and he begins to talk about the coin spinning again. Guildenstern reminds Rosencrantz that in all the coin spinning they have done in the past, they were usually only up or down a few coins one from another. Now, Rosencrantz has won virtually all the coins, and Guildenstern is very disturbed by this. The chief concern is not the coins themselves, but the meaning of this apparent suspension of natural law. Guildenstern points out that when the natural laws are in place and operational, no one wins too much or loses too much and the game remains harmonious. Guildenstern likens the usual results of their coin toss game to the sun, which both comes up and goes down, about the same amount of times of each. Then he says that in the past coins came up heads about as often as tails and tails about as often as heads. Guildenstern points out that the run of heads only began after the messenger arrived the night before. Once the messenger arrived and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sent for, the coins began to come down heads only. Guildenstern points out that the coming of the messenger is the only different thing that has happened in their lives and he then comments that even though there is no wind blowing, he can hear musical instruments playing near by.

Rosencrantz comments that it is interesting that the fingernails (which he is cutting) continue to grow after death. Guildenstern asks, "What?" and Rosencrantz replies with one word, "Beard!" Guildenstern points out that Rosencrantz is not dead. Rosencrantz is irritated and explains that he didn't mean that nails started to grow after death. Rosencrantz also points out that nails grow before birth, but not the beard. Guildenstern again asks, "What?" but seems more exasperated or puzzled this time. Rosencrantz, now shouting, repeats the word beard and then comments that toenails never grow at all.

Guildenstern considers this statement and, amused, repeats that the toenails never grow at all, but in the form of a question to Rosencrantz. Rosencrantz states that he cuts his fingernails all the time and they always seem to need cutting, but that he never cuts his toenails. Rosencrantz wonders if perhaps he cuts them absent-mindedly and just doesn't remember doing it.

Guildenstern seems tense, and asks if Rosencrantz remembers the first thing that happened to the two of them that day. Rosencrantz first says he woke up, and then he remembers that a man who he refers to as a foreigner woke them up. Guildenstern says yes, and Rosencrantz further elaborates that they were sent for. Guildenstern confirms, and Rosencrantz says that's why the two of them are there, traveling. Again, Guildenstern confirms Rosencrantz's statement. Rosencrantz elaborates on the summons they received saying that it was urgent and a royal summons. Rosencrantz further states that it was official business and that they were told to ask no questions, but to saddle up and come at once so that they would not be too late.

Guildenstern asks, "Too late for what?" Rosencrantz says that he doesn't know, as they are not there yet. Guildenstern then questions what they are doing there, and Rosencrantz comments that he might well ask. The two agree to continue their journey, but seem not to know where they are going. Guildenstern recounts their experience so far, saying that they were awakened at dawn with a message, a summons, and a new record for heads and tails. Guildenstern states that surely they were not summoned to now just be abandoned and set loose to find their own way. Then he complains that they are "entitled to some direction...I would have thought."

Rosencrantz seems to hear something or someone coming and tells Guildenstern to listen. Rosencrantz thinks he hears music, like a band, with drums and seems a little embarrassed by this statement. Then he says it could not have been real. Guildenstern points out that the colors red, blue, and green are real, and that yellow is actually a shared mystical experience. Rosencrantz says the noise he heard must have been thunder, but now the band is faintly audible.

Guildenstern begins to talk about encounters while traveling and he uses the example of a man going from one place to the next. Each place is much like the other with no significant differences, yet at the third place, a unicorn crosses the path of the traveler. Guildenstern relates this event as startling, but points out that there are precedents for such encounters with mythical beings. Guildenstern says that in such an instance, the traveler could actually put such a sighting down to pure fancy, or to think that he must have dreamed the unicorn. The experience is then regarded as less alarming, explains Guildenstern. Then he says that if there were third and forth witnesses to the unicorn sighting, the experience becomes less and less odd, until the crowd who saw the beast would make excuses for their sighting.

Rosencrantz becomes excited and says all along that he knew it was a band. Guildenstern restates Rosencrantz's assertion tiredly. Rosencrantz announces that again, the band is coming. Guildenstern comments wistfully that he is sorry it was not actually a unicorn, and that it would have been nice to have unicorns.