Stephanie Gamarra Wäntig Second Paper

The 30^th of November, 2005

Group: A

The Evolution in Time,

Of Tom Stoppard

The three plays by Tom Stoppard, “The Real Thing”, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”, and “The Real Inspector Hound”, are very interesting plays in which Tom Stoppard relates the problems and changes that occur in society in his time and he reflects it in his plays, although in each play he includes his thoughts and opinions in different ways throughout his plays.

In the first play I read, “The Real Thing”, published in 1982, we can see how Stoppard reflects his inner feelings through one of his main characters, Brodie. For example, in Act two, scene five, we can see how Annie tries to help Brodie, who is in prison, by convincing Henry to help him out with the play, by telling Henry,” He’s writing to be heard”, or “Brodie, who really has something to write about, something real.” Stoppard looks beyond the reality in things and into life. He believes in the liberty of expression, the freedom of speech, and all this due to the fact that in his times you couldn’t express your feelings or opinions.

In the second play I read,” Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”, written in 1967, we can differentiate this play from the other plays. In this play, we can see another method in which Stoppard applies his thoughts in the play. Stoppard contrasts the reality with fiction, as we see in the plot. The plot can be divided into two different parts. The first one, we can say is a play that takes place on stage and the other one is the play off/stage, in which Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are friends who converse and play off/stage when they are not on stage. This for Stoppard is the reality unlike the play, which is not real and does not show or represent the reality of things. In one of the conversations between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern we can interpret an opinion of Stoppard which is that politicians and people in general play a big role in society due to the fact that they have a great influence on what people think, “We can only know what we’re being told, and that’s little enough. And for all we know it isn’t even true”. In this particular conversation Stoppard reflects this problem that is seen in society in his times, on which they don’t look for the reality or expression of their feelings, and how due to these radical changes society is changing.

In this last play I read “The Real Inspector Hound”, which was written in 1968, we can see how this play like the other one before, Stoppard contrasts reality from fiction. In this play, the plot is divided into two parts. The first part would be the play that takes place in the theatre and the other would be outside the play, in which two critics, who are watching the play, are conversing, although later on they join the actors in the play and change roles.

In conclusion, in these plays we can relate them to the author by the way he represents them and how hw manages to transmit his negative views or opinions and thoughts on how society works and how this must change, From 1967 to 1982 we can situate ourselves in a time in which society is changing to a society in which the people have a voice and the freedom to say what they feel and to open up themselves to different opinions and views of thing that there could be and not just people whose voices are not heard. In these plays Stoppard criticizes the politicians and the injustice that there is living in his time and how people must recognize their rights as fellow people in a democratic society in which everyone is equal.