Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a dramatic play written by Tom Stoppard, contains numerous allusions to the Bible and Hamlet. These two features provide not only allusions to Shakespeare through the obvious references to Hamlet, the plot that we are all actors in this world, and through the rhyming couplets of the biblical codas, but also give a deeper and more complex meaning to the play. It seems that while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are unaware of who they are or where they come from, it is obvious to the audience that they were raised in Christian families through numerous codas. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Biblical allusions reappear throughout this work, in the form of a coda but also in the dialogue between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. There are, in fact, five codas that play on the first line of the Lord's Prayer - Give us this day our daily bread - and they are formed as rhyming couplets. The first coda, on page 39, states, “Consistency is all I ask, give us this day our daily mask” (Stoppard 39). This coda follows after King Claudius confuses the names of the two friends and confuses the two even more regarding their identities. The next coda deals with immortality: “Immortality is all I seek, give us this day our daily week” (Stoppard 45). Here the coda not only alludes to the Bible, but discusses the idea of ​​being immortal like a god and receiving a week for each day that passes. This coda is primarily used to reinforce the idea of ​​a waste of time and direction. The third coda states, “All I ask is a change of ground, give us this day our daily turn” (Stoppard 93). This coda alludes to wanting a change of scenery and wanting to sit and play all day but not being able to because there are other more important things to do. The fourth coda further extends the metaphor of theater and life: “All I ask is our common clue, give us this day our daily cue” (Stoppard 102). Stoppard not only plays on the idea of ​​signals in theatre, but also depicts the loss of identity and confusion about how to operate in modern society. For example, each individual wears a different mask for different people in their life, and we receive suggestions on how to behave in public from our family and friends when we are younger. The final coda appears on page 114 and states: “Plausibility is all I presume! Call us today our daily melody” (Stoppard 114). This coda questions the plausibility of all life and, in particular, the idea that we are all actors and the world is a stage. Stoppard primarily uses codas to express the idea that we are all actors in our own lives, but he also questions many of life's biggest questions, such as: Is it all plausible? Can we expect consistency in life? The use of biblical references leads us to question perhaps more deeply about Christianity and the religious world as a whole. Another use of biblical references comes from the dialogue between the confused Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. On page 71 the two refer to Saul/Paul, the man who killed Christians before becoming one himself. Although this allusion is said in a joking manner, it is followed by the depressing idea that no one cares where they are and no one will ever find them. The reference to Paul is about the idea of ​​a change in character, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are changing at this point. They are becoming more aware of who they are and becoming a little less confused about what they are doing and why. Another allusion is when we talk about the baby in “swaddling clothes”. Clout is another.