Greta’s review of Romeo and Juliet > Likes and Comments
128 likes · Like
Excellent review, Greta!
I read Romeo and Juliet when I way 18, and watched the play live at a Shakespeare Theater at 19. At the time I thought that this tragic story was the definition of true love. It's been 20 years, and after reading your fantastic and in-depth review, I realized that there is so much to the story that I then didn't (couldn't) realise :). I agree with many of your interpretations of this masterpiece. Wonderful. Stay safe, Greta.
Kimber wrote: "Excellent review, Greta!"
Thank you Kimber! :)
Pat wrote: "What an idiotic question!!"
Could you elaborate a bit on that rude comment?
Orhan wrote: "I read Romeo and Juliet when I way 18, and watched the play live at a Shakespeare Theater at 19. At the time I thought that this tragic story was the definition of true love. It's been 20 years, an..."
It's so strange because in my eyes Romeo and Juliet has not much to do with true love at all :D I guess it has a lot to do with perception and it‘s always just my opinion. However I‘m glad I could introduce you to a new analysis :) Thank you for the compliment!
I think your question makes perfect sense to anyone who has thought a bit about the play, Greta. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading your analysis.
Tristram wrote: "I think your question makes perfect sense to anyone who has thought a bit about the play, Greta. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading your analysis."
Thank you so much Tristram! In my opinion the question is very prominent and a difficult one, if you try to figure out what Shakespeare intended to say. In my opinion the play is a very psychological one and for that I absolutely enjoyed it :)
Thanks Greta for your very detailed analysis of the play. Really enjoyed the section where you question the depth of feelings of the characters for each other. You make a very fine observation : " As their relationship develops, they use less rhyme, which has the effect of making their language feel less artificial." I completely missed this and now have to revisit the book.
Thank you Vlad :) I really noticed something like this! When Romeo starts out going on about his love for Rosaline, he talks in the terms of very cliched love poetry of that time, which he is mocked for by his friends. In the famous balcony scene he again is very poetic, while Juliet with her "Romeo, o Romeo..." refers to his name and the barrier of their families feud standing between them. But after they spend the first night together and see each other for the last time reality sort of catches up with them and they start to see the actual situation, describing each other looking as dead etc. even though they kind of fail to ever have a real conversation...
So...you’re telling me there‘s no Happy End?😨 How sad! But seriously, great review, as always! And I definitely agree that this is more about passion than about love - to me, real love takes time, and these two, well, it’s basically a teenage one night stand based mostly on physical attraction. This is a tragedy, not a romance.
An excellent, detailed review Greta ........ I studied this at school, hundreds of years ago, and loved it :)
Greta wrote: "... The lovers’ haste raises questions about the legitimacy of their affection for one another. Do they truly love each other, or has Romeo merely a teenage crush and Juliet sexual desire, fear of being married to a stranger and a possible way out?..."
I read your review with great benefit. In particular the question above gave me new food for thought. It reminds me of the movie "Verbotene Liebe" (one of the last movie published in the GDR), based on the story "Der Sündenfall" by Helmut H. Schulz. It is about the illegal, because under age, love between an 18 year old son of a party official and a 13 year old daughter of a simple opposition leaning worker. Here too the question of maturity and depth of their affection. Another example of the profoundness of .longevity of the story of Romeo and Juliet. But then again it is also a reminiscence of the much older story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
Greta, what a comprehensive and thorough review! Like Richard, I read this in school eons ago and loved it.
Klaus wrote: "So...you’re telling me there‘s no Happy End?😨 How sad! But seriously, great review, as always! And I definitely agree that this is more about passion than about love - to me, real love takes time, ..."
Hahah :D surprise surprise, I hope you can bare the disappointment. To be fair, Shakespeare wrote it as a tragedy- not a romance. I think that the society sort of turned it into a romance. A teenage one night stand as you describe it is exactly the point. The entire story is an emotional overdrive and shows the (destructive) power of teenage emotions. I don‘t think that there is a clear message or social critique but it definitely shows through the lines.
Yes, this one was definitely romanticised by society. You just need to look at the list of adaptions on Wikipedia to find out how that could happen :D Apart from those bad, bad teensy emotions, I think one of its biggest goals could be to critizise that weird honour code and blood feuds. The Capulets and Montagues have basically spent their time killing each other for years if I remember that correctly.
Klaus wrote: "Yes, this one was definitely romanticised by society. You just need to look at the list of adaptions on Wikipedia to find out how that could happen :D Apart from those bad, bad teensy emotions, I t..."
Yes, the honor codes and blood feuds are definitely a prominent theme, as well as social conventions that force too young girls into marriages to older man they don‘t even know. The heightened teenage emotions then just turn it into an unpredictable mess.
A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!
Thank you for this thoughtful review, Greta! I particularly liked your point about the question of Romeo's, and Juliet's, motivations. BTW, if you are ever in Verona you can visit some sites associated with Romeo and Juliet. The Casa de Giuletta and Juliet's Balcony are at the heart of the old city, along with a museum that looks at the cultural impact of the play in cinema and popular culture. One can also visit "Juliet's Tomb," in the old monastery of San Francesco al Corso. Many thanks once again!
Mark wrote: "A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!"
Mark I definitely think you should. It‘s one of those classics that everyone "knows" but mostly doesn't know at all. Social understanding somehow turned into an idealized love story and romance, but that really is not what Shakespeare does.
Paul wrote: "Thank you for this thoughtful review, Greta! I particularly liked your point about the question of Romeo's, and Juliet's, motivations. BTW, if you are ever in Verona you can visit some sites associ..."
Wow Paul! Thanks a lot for so much additional information, that is great! If I ever do travel to Verona I definitely have to visit all of those places :)
I‘m glad you enjoyed my review and thank you for your compliment and comment !
Greta wrote: "Mark wrote: "A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!"
Mark I definitely think you should. It‘s one of those classics that everyone "knows" but mostly doesn't ..."
Oh alright then Greta!
back to top
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Kimber
(new)
Nov 14, 2020 05:29AM
Excellent review, Greta!
reply
|
flag
*
I read Romeo and Juliet when I way 18, and watched the play live at a Shakespeare Theater at 19. At the time I thought that this tragic story was the definition of true love. It's been 20 years, and after reading your fantastic and in-depth review, I realized that there is so much to the story that I then didn't (couldn't) realise :). I agree with many of your interpretations of this masterpiece. Wonderful. Stay safe, Greta.
Kimber wrote: "Excellent review, Greta!"Thank you Kimber! :)
Pat wrote: "What an idiotic question!!"Could you elaborate a bit on that rude comment?
Orhan wrote: "I read Romeo and Juliet when I way 18, and watched the play live at a Shakespeare Theater at 19. At the time I thought that this tragic story was the definition of true love. It's been 20 years, an..."It's so strange because in my eyes Romeo and Juliet has not much to do with true love at all :D I guess it has a lot to do with perception and it‘s always just my opinion. However I‘m glad I could introduce you to a new analysis :) Thank you for the compliment!
I think your question makes perfect sense to anyone who has thought a bit about the play, Greta. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading your analysis.
Tristram wrote: "I think your question makes perfect sense to anyone who has thought a bit about the play, Greta. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading your analysis."Thank you so much Tristram! In my opinion the question is very prominent and a difficult one, if you try to figure out what Shakespeare intended to say. In my opinion the play is a very psychological one and for that I absolutely enjoyed it :)
Thanks Greta for your very detailed analysis of the play. Really enjoyed the section where you question the depth of feelings of the characters for each other. You make a very fine observation : " As their relationship develops, they use less rhyme, which has the effect of making their language feel less artificial." I completely missed this and now have to revisit the book.
Thank you Vlad :) I really noticed something like this! When Romeo starts out going on about his love for Rosaline, he talks in the terms of very cliched love poetry of that time, which he is mocked for by his friends. In the famous balcony scene he again is very poetic, while Juliet with her "Romeo, o Romeo..." refers to his name and the barrier of their families feud standing between them. But after they spend the first night together and see each other for the last time reality sort of catches up with them and they start to see the actual situation, describing each other looking as dead etc. even though they kind of fail to ever have a real conversation...
So...you’re telling me there‘s no Happy End?😨 How sad! But seriously, great review, as always! And I definitely agree that this is more about passion than about love - to me, real love takes time, and these two, well, it’s basically a teenage one night stand based mostly on physical attraction. This is a tragedy, not a romance.
An excellent, detailed review Greta ........ I studied this at school, hundreds of years ago, and loved it :)
Greta wrote: "... The lovers’ haste raises questions about the legitimacy of their affection for one another. Do they truly love each other, or has Romeo merely a teenage crush and Juliet sexual desire, fear of being married to a stranger and a possible way out?..."I read your review with great benefit. In particular the question above gave me new food for thought. It reminds me of the movie "Verbotene Liebe" (one of the last movie published in the GDR), based on the story "Der Sündenfall" by Helmut H. Schulz. It is about the illegal, because under age, love between an 18 year old son of a party official and a 13 year old daughter of a simple opposition leaning worker. Here too the question of maturity and depth of their affection. Another example of the profoundness of .longevity of the story of Romeo and Juliet. But then again it is also a reminiscence of the much older story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
Greta, what a comprehensive and thorough review! Like Richard, I read this in school eons ago and loved it.
Klaus wrote: "So...you’re telling me there‘s no Happy End?😨 How sad! But seriously, great review, as always! And I definitely agree that this is more about passion than about love - to me, real love takes time, ..."Hahah :D surprise surprise, I hope you can bare the disappointment. To be fair, Shakespeare wrote it as a tragedy- not a romance. I think that the society sort of turned it into a romance. A teenage one night stand as you describe it is exactly the point. The entire story is an emotional overdrive and shows the (destructive) power of teenage emotions. I don‘t think that there is a clear message or social critique but it definitely shows through the lines.
Yes, this one was definitely romanticised by society. You just need to look at the list of adaptions on Wikipedia to find out how that could happen :D Apart from those bad, bad teensy emotions, I think one of its biggest goals could be to critizise that weird honour code and blood feuds. The Capulets and Montagues have basically spent their time killing each other for years if I remember that correctly.
Klaus wrote: "Yes, this one was definitely romanticised by society. You just need to look at the list of adaptions on Wikipedia to find out how that could happen :D Apart from those bad, bad teensy emotions, I t..."Yes, the honor codes and blood feuds are definitely a prominent theme, as well as social conventions that force too young girls into marriages to older man they don‘t even know. The heightened teenage emotions then just turn it into an unpredictable mess.
A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!
Thank you for this thoughtful review, Greta! I particularly liked your point about the question of Romeo's, and Juliet's, motivations. BTW, if you are ever in Verona you can visit some sites associated with Romeo and Juliet. The Casa de Giuletta and Juliet's Balcony are at the heart of the old city, along with a museum that looks at the cultural impact of the play in cinema and popular culture. One can also visit "Juliet's Tomb," in the old monastery of San Francesco al Corso. Many thanks once again!
Mark wrote: "A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!"Mark I definitely think you should. It‘s one of those classics that everyone "knows" but mostly doesn't know at all. Social understanding somehow turned into an idealized love story and romance, but that really is not what Shakespeare does.
Paul wrote: "Thank you for this thoughtful review, Greta! I particularly liked your point about the question of Romeo's, and Juliet's, motivations. BTW, if you are ever in Verona you can visit some sites associ..."Wow Paul! Thanks a lot for so much additional information, that is great! If I ever do travel to Verona I definitely have to visit all of those places :)
I‘m glad you enjoyed my review and thank you for your compliment and comment !
Greta wrote: "Mark wrote: "A great review and summary of this story Greta, I'll have to try it one day!!"Mark I definitely think you should. It‘s one of those classics that everyone "knows" but mostly doesn't ..."
Oh alright then Greta!
