William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare presents Romeo & Juliet's early relationship as a

love-hate affair. By this I mean that although they love each other

immensely, they are surrounded by the hate of their two families. You

see the hate of the two families from the outset, as you will see in

this essay.

In my essay I will be looking at what Shakespeare has done to make us

see Romeo & Juliet in a certain way. I am also going to look at the

reason for the chorus; The set up of the scenes; Shakespeare's use of

comparisons; his use of language; why Shakespeare uses Rosalind and

Paris in the early part of the play; Romeo & Juliet's first meeting

and that famous 'Orchard Scene.'

Romeo & Juliet is thought to have been written between 1594 and 1596,

and was written by the literary genius, William Shakespeare. William

Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon,

and was educated at the local Grammar school, but surprisingly he did

not go to university.

Shakespeare has presented Romeo & Juliet in a very particular way in

the play, so we can see the way they change when they meet for the

first time.

Shakespeare has presented Romeo to us, in the early scenes of the

play, as a wimpy and soppy young man, mopping over a woman.

' Out of her favour where I am in love'

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(I.II.166)

Shakespeare has also portrayed Romeo as a young romantic and very

poetic in his language.

'And she is fair I love,

(I.II.204)

In this poetic line, Romeo is saying the woman he loves is beautiful.

(The woman in question is later revealed as Rosalind).

Romeo is around 16, and like anyone around that age he wants to get

sexually involved with women, and is frustrated that his love will not

loose her 'chaste.'

'Nor ope her lap to saint seducing gold'

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(I.II.212)

So, Shakespeare has made us see Romeo as someone who falls in love