WHAT’S A ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN?

You just heard a producer or writer refer to a pair of characters in a development meeting as “our Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” and you have absolutely no idea who the heck they are talking about. Worry not, chances are high someone else in the room is pretending they understood the reference as well. This is a term whose use is fading in an inverse correlation with modern studio executives increasing ignorance of Shakespeare.

In the context of screenwriting, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” refers to a storytelling device that involves introducing minor characters who play a small role in the overall plot of the story, but who are given their own subplot or narrative arc within the larger story.

This technique is named after the characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” who are minor characters in the main plot but are given their own storyline within the play. In screenwriting, the term is used more broadly to describe any secondary characters who are given their own subplot or narrative arc that runs parallel to the main plot.

For example, in a romantic comedy, the main plot might be about the two main characters falling in love and overcoming various obstacles to be together. However, there might also be a subplot involving the best friend of one of the main characters, who is struggling to find love and is going through a series of comical misadventures.

The film “When Harry Met Sally” features what many consider to be the most immensely satisfying Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deployed on screen in modern times. Like the protagonists, this Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pair (played by the late Carrie Fisher and the late Bruno Kirby) are also looking for love and they eventually find it. Some wonder if their cathartic moment of finding each other and how that delightfully plays out in the rest of the film possibly outshines the union of what’s supposed to be the coupling of prime focus. An article in the Atlantic makes a compelling case to this end.

Using the “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” technique can add depth and complexity to a screenplay, as well as providing opportunities for comic relief or character development. However, it is important to ensure that the secondary plotline does not distract from the main plot and that the overall story remains coherent and engaging.