From the Bookshelf of Classics of the Western World…

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

Why we're reading this: Pretty much everything William Shakepseare did is a classic. Same with Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.
[close] Pretty much everything William Shakepseare did is a classic. Same with Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Mar 19, 2012 David rated it it was amazing

Review of Romeo and Juliet

The thing about Romeo and Juliet is, are they for real? I am certainly not in a position to dispute the incredible talent of William Shakespeare; it’s undisputed. He is credited with inventing over 1800 words, 1200 of which are still in use. But Juliet is such a loving, generous girl that she seems as exaggeration. Romeo, on the other hand, is a young man who whatever he feels, he feels deeply. Even so, how many people in real life would react so rashly in seeing the de Review of Romeo and Juliet

The thing about Romeo and Juliet is, are they for real? I am certainly not in a position to dispute the incredible talent of William Shakespeare; it’s undisputed. He is credited with inventing over 1800 words, 1200 of which are still in use. But Juliet is such a loving, generous girl that she seems as exaggeration. Romeo, on the other hand, is a young man who whatever he feels, he feels deeply. Even so, how many people in real life would react so rashly in seeing the dead body of their true love as to take their own life? Certainly not an action for any sane person to take. So, it seems that love is portrayed as a kind of insanity, and is that really what true love is? Perhaps Shakespeare is telling us that what we commonly think of a romantic love is not real love. True love elevates those who experience it, but maybe it has a down side as well. And so the question that Shakespeare brings to mind in Romeo and Juliet is, just exactly what is true love? What are the fruits of it? The fruits of the relationship between Romeo and Juliet are, in the end beneficial. Perhaps no the lovers themselves, but to their respective families who choose to resolve their differences rather than to see anymore suffering, especially by those who are largely innocent.

That being said, the play cleverly reflects the political situation in England at the time. The country had been in turmoil over the several decades previous to the first performance of Romeo and Juliet in 1595. At the root of the trouble was religious in nature, with Protestants (The Church of England) and Catholics at war. The conflict between the Montague’s (Romeo’s family) and the Capulet’s (Juliet’s) is the backdrop for the plot. The religious conflict in England was also a rivalry between two relatives: Elizabeth, Queen of England and her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, a Catholic. Perhaps Shakespeare was trying to show through Romeo and Juliet how the innocent suffer most in such conflicts, and, indeed it could be said, all conflicts between groups, whether families or nations.

There several other themes apparent in Romeo and Juliet. For example, what causes the young lovers to die? One explanation is fate. The Prologue refers to the lovers as “star-crossed”, indicating the role of fate in the events that lead to what befalls them. There are several coincidences that take place that indicate this; Romeo finds out about the Capulet’s party by chance, Mercutio dies from a wound made in an unlikely manner. Some see the Hand of Providence since the play takes place in a Christian context. Romeo, Juliet and Friar Lawrence all call on this higher power to help them. Since it results in a good thing - the end of the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s - then there is some credence to that thought.
Finally, it seems there is the role of passion. The lovers are too young to know what love really is and their actions, particularly leading to their deaths, indicates they really were in the throes of passion. In Shakespeare’s day, the Christian world, especially the Catholics, thought that love that gratified selfish desires was to be avoided.
A hint to the original meaning of the story of Romeo and Juliet is given by the author of the poem,
“The Tragical Historye of Romeus and Juliet” by Arthur Brooke, who borrowed the idea from and Italian book, “Il Novellino” of 1476. Brooke tells the reader in the preface to take note of comes of unholy passion and secret love, and of disobeying the wishes of parents and the laws of the land. Shakespeare’s prologue also tells us the principal characters are going to meet a tragic fate. So I think it is a cautionary tale meant to draw a parallel to the political situation of the time, with passion about religion dividing the royal family, Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth. Nine years before the play was first performed, Elizabeth had had Mary beheaded.
...more

Like · see review

Nov 19, 2013 Thomas Fullmer rated it it was amazing

Group Home Bookshelf Discussions

Photos Videos

Send invite Members Polls