Public postures have the configuration of private derangement

Public postures have the configuration of private derangement

In the world of Tom Stoppard, the renowned playwright known for his wit and intellectual depth, the concept of public postures having the configuration of private derangement is a recurring theme that is explored in various ways. Stoppard's plays often delve into the complexities of human behavior and the masks we wear in public versus our true selves in private.

One of Stoppard's most famous works, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," is a prime example of how public postures can mask private derangement. The play follows the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters from Shakespeare's "Hamlet," as they navigate their way through the events of the original play. Throughout the play, the characters struggle with their identities and the roles they are expected to play in the grander scheme of things. Their public postures as loyal courtiers to the king and queen hide their private derangement as they grapple with existential questions and their own mortality.