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romeo and juliet modern interpretation
viewpoints, attitudes and perspectives that underpin romeo and juliet
viewpoints, attitudes and perspectives that underpin romeo and juliet
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Food becomes stale, clothes go out of fashion, even houses can deteriorate and yet Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, written in 1595, is still captivating countless amounts of people today. The play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, written by famous playwright William Shakespeare, is a tale that evolves around the everlasting themes of Identity, Impulsivity and Fate. In Act 3 Scene 1, all of these themes are prominent to advance the story line and ultimately lead to both Romeo and Juliet’s death. The scene is comprised of a fight between Tybalt and Mercutio after Tybalt taunts Romeo. Romeo does not want to fight Tybalt since he was just married to his cousin Juliet. Mercutio, angered by Romeos unwillingness to fight, fights Tybalt himself. Tybalt
Considering ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is still being read, performed and has even been made into a number of movie adaptations, the play’s popularity is hardly affected by the estimated 421 years between the time it was first written and now. The themes Shakespeare incorporated are the major reason as to why the play is still so popular. The everlasting theme of Identity is a vital aspect in the play and is what ends up killing Romeo and Juliet, as it is their identities or more noticeably just their names that is the major conflict in the play, their families’ rivalry. Identity helps connect the audience as everyone has an identity and so it helps the audience feel sympathy for the lovers as they can’t escape the plague their identity has forced upon their lives. Impulsivity is also a prominent theme through out the play. It enthralls the audience which results in anticipation that leaves the audience not knowing what will happen next and wanting more. Lastly fate is a perpetual theme during the play. It helps the audience stay engrossed in the story’s plot as not only do some lines provide an unclear insight into the character’s future but also the inclusion of fate can help relate to many people’s beliefs as the idea of fate is such a talked about topic in todays society. It is therefore due to the themes of identity, impulsivity and fate that the play still relates to modern day
“For never was a story more woe than that of Juliet and her Romeo.” “The fearful passage of their death mark’d love” has endured in the minds of the audiences for more than a century. This essay will compare the two productions of Romeo and Juliet: William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan production and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film production. The endurance of the story of Romeo and Juliet comes from Shakespeare’s prestige and the popularity is maintained by countless versions of Romeo and Juliet including Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the movie. Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation has shone light on Romeo and Juliet for different types of audiences by utilising the universal appeal of themes, language and context.
Also in the beginning of the play a fight breaks out between the Montague and Capulet families and the Prince intervenes and after telling them to drop their weapons he says “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” Although this rule was given Tybalt challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo kept refusing to fight Tybalt which caused Mercutio to be outraged and draw his own sword. During the duel between Tybalt and Mercutio, Romeo intervenes and tries to stop them both but Tybalt puts his sword under Romeo’s arm and kills Mercutio. Romeo then fights with Tybalt and murders him and is banished from Verona. If Tybalt hadn’t been so aggressive with the whole situation Romeo wouldn’t have been banished, and Juliet wouldn’t have needed to come up with a plan that resulted in both of their deaths.
The tragic play Romeo and Juliet, by playwright William Shakespeare, is about star-crossed lovers from feuding families that end up dying for the love of each other. The theme of fate as a controlling force is strong in the play in a way that one little coincidence can change two children’s lives that are really not meant to be. The play’s main theme brings the two closer and closer together until the unfortunate death at the very end which is foreshadowed by the chorus. Fate changes their lives by the servant unable to read a list of names and Romeo sees Rosaline, the girl whom he fell in love with first, on the list which makes him go and
A timeless topic--fate and free will--still captivates society today. Fortune cookies, physics, and horoscopes all contribute to the obsession people have with this controversial debate over who manipulates life; fate or free will. No one is sure who really pulls the strings, but everyone has an opinion on the matter. Many famous plays center on this topic, and one such play that features characters’ views on fate and free will is Romeo and Juliet. This legendary play, written by William Shakespeare, has been beloved by people for centuries, as they contemplate who is the guiding force in life? The play discusses just this, while depicting the lives of Romeo and Juliet: two desperate teenagers each trapped in their own worlds, seeking love and freedom. The two “star-crossed lovers” are from feuding households, and each has their own distinct problems. Romeo jumps from girl to girl, never finding anyone to reciprocate his feelings until he meets Juliet. She is hidden from the world, and with every decision being made for her, she wants to control her own life, which she does with marrying Romeo. Although fate and free will are both undeniably found in the lives of Juliet and Romeo, it is ultimately fate and the way it manipulates the events, time, and the characters that brings about the untimely death of the two iconic teen lovers.
As already shown, both Romeo and Juliet are horrified to discover that they were family enemies. Despite of this, they both choose to devote their love for eachother. Given this point, it is unrequited love that brings Romeo and Juliet together. But this also means that they would have to get over the fact that their families hate each other. This eventually leads them to forgiving the rival family for all the hateful acts that have occurred against one another. This is not the only forgiveness that is experienced in this play. Tybalt is a Montague with a fiery attitude. After catching Romeo at a party he was not supposed to be at, Tybalt had it out for Romeo. Just after Romeo and Juliet’s wedding, Tybalt comes looking for him wanting to fight. Romeo does not want to fight because he now loves Tybalt since he is family to him, but neither Tybalt or anyone else knows this reason. Quickly Mercutio steps in and tells Tybalt that he will fight him in honour of Romeo. Sadly this leads to the death of Mercutio. Romeo is angry and in need of revenge, which creates an intense fight between Tybalt and Romeo. Romeo wins this battle, killing Tybalt. He leaves in a hurry, only to discover that he would be banished from Verona. The death of Tybalt is absolutely devastating to Juliet. Her cousin was murdered by her husband. But she did not hesitate to forgive Romeo, she did so right away. She knew that Romeo had a reason for this incident and decides to
Shakespeare’s eminent play, Romeo and Juliet, depicts the journey of Romeo and Juliet until their tragic death. The idea of fate is displayed throughout the play through the use of foreshadowing, suggesting that the outcome is predetermined from the prologue. The rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues influence the characters in the play deeply, creating peril in Verona. Furthermore, Romeo and Juliet’s excessive emotions cause the play to end in their inevitable deaths, which ends the “ancient grudge” between the “two households”. As the play progresses, the audience is presented with multiple possibilities as to how the unfortunate deaths of Romeo and Juliet are influenced.
During the teenage years of the brain “…the part of the brain that requires a person to make responsible decisions, understand consequences, and process problem solving is under heavy construction, and much of the time dysfunctional” (Wolner). Teenage brains think on impulsivity because of this Romeo and Juliet committed suicide on acts of impulsivity that would have been solved if they thought rationally. Romeo led off of impulsivity because of his love for Juliet. Juliet on the other hand had bad adult inference in her life, which did lead to her acting on impulsivity.
“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a play about two lovers from different families that have an internal feud between them. It ends in both lovers, Romeo and Juliet, committing suicide as they could not openly live with each other. An important idea in this play is that of the impetuosity of youth and the rash decisions that young people may make. This idea is continuously brought up throughout the play and is explored through the concepts of overreacting and being blinded by anger, desperation in forbidden love and taking your life for love.
Shakespeare sets the fight on a very hot day. This gives us passion and tiredness. Benvolio says that he and Mercutio should “retire” because “the Capels are abroad, and if we meet we shall not ‘scape a brawl” because “these hot days is the mad blood stirring”. The technique used here is dramatic irony, as the audience know that there will be a fight. There are more examples of dramatic irony in this scene. Mercutio says “we should have none shortly or one would kill the other”. The audience know that this is actually the case, that death will soon happen in the play. We also know that Romeo is now married to Juliet, and that is why he is not returning Tybalt’s banter. Romeo says “I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise till thou shalt know the reason of my love”, telling Tybalt that he loves him, but that all will become clear later. Unfortunately, there is no later for
Thought the play, these lovers go through many obstacles that range from arranging a wedding and finding a time to meet to Juliet trying to get out of marrying Paris. The entire time fate is tossing them around. Romeo realizes this after he kills Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, in a brawl. At first, Romeo does not want to fight because Romeo and Juliet are already married at this time and he knows that they are cousins. Tybalt asks for a brawl from Romeo but Mercutio fights instead. Mercutio gets killed by Tybalt and that is what makes Romeo mad and fight Tybalt.
Even though, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet over 500 years ago the struggles and social pressures portrayed in the play are still present in the cutthroat society of high school. Two perfect themes that are shown tremendously throughout Shakespeare’s time and our modern times are; “Love” and “Fate”. These are constantly running through people’s minds all day as they try to unravel them. No matter the time period there will always be similarities especially between the teenager years.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of an ancient feud where the children of two families at war fall deeply in love with each other. Set in the 16th century William Shakespeare’s play has many different themes running throughout it, which include love, hate, death and conflict. The play opens with a fight but ends with suicide that creates peace between both families who unite from their losses. The conflict, violence and aggression in the play happen from revenge and an ancient family grudge. An audience from the 16th century would have enjoyed Romeo and Juliet because of the real life drama and tragedy the play goes through. The patriarchal society gave women absolutely no rights and they had to obey their man’s ordering a patriarchal system. The theme of conflict is revealed as the characters argue over Juliet’s disobedience.
The classic play Romeo and Juliet by the famous playwright William Shakespeare is one of the most beautiful love stories of all time and has captured and inspired readers everywhere. Regardless of the fact that it was written in the 1500’s, it is still being performed and extolled today. There is a multitude of reasons for such continuance of the play. First of all, its everlasting themes of love and hate enable people to deeply relate to the story. Secondly, its memorable characters deeply imprint on the minds of readers. And lastly, above all, is its magnificent language which many writers today regard in awe. These three elements make the acclaimed play, Romeo and Juliet, one of the most timeless stories of our lives.
In the tremendous play of ‘Romeo & Juliet’, Shakespeare’s ways engages the audience straight away. The astounding methods he uses hooks the audience into the play and allows them to read on, wondering what will happen. The tragic love story of Romeo & Juliet, as mentioned in the prologue, sets a variety of themes throughout Act 1 Scene 5. Many of the recognisable themes are: youth and age, revenge, forbidden love, fate, action and hate. The main idea of the play is a feud that had been going on between two families, The ‘Montagues and Capulets’, the son of the Montagues and the daughter of the Capulets fall in love and the story tells us how tragic, death, happiness and revenge find them throughout the play.
Romeo and Juliet is regarded as one of William Shakespeare’s most tragic love stories, which has its influence on many aspects of the entertainment industry. In the context of this play, there are uncertainties surrounding whether the fatalities occur as a result of free will or under the uncontrollable force of fate. Through Romeo and Juliet’s premeditated encounter, Shakespeare indicates that fate is primarily responsible for love at first sight. Simultaneously, Romeo and Juliet are also portrayed as victims of their own destiny which induces their misfortunes and deaths. Apart from being one of the major themes, fate is also a main contributor to the outcome of the play.