Their fate was decided before the play even began. The title, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead reveals it. Furthermore, the idea is also established when Guildenstern says, "Wheels have been set in motion, and they have their own rhythm, to which we are... condemned" (1.60). This is another passive phrase, no one sets the wheels in motion, it just gets done. It's a metaphor; the “wheels” symbolize destiny. “Pace” means the rate or speed at which something happens, changes, or develops. “They have their own pace” means that the rate or speed at which something happens, changes, or develops is beyond anyone’s control. Destiny has its own rhythm. “Condemned” means to sentence someone to a particular punishment. This casts fate in a negative light, compared to the previous passage, which described fate as a reward. A reward is the opposite of a punishment. There are therefore once again contradictions in Guildenstern's reasoning. Regardless, he asserts that we have no control over our