ROMEO AND JULIET- A TRAGEDY OF MISGUIDED LOVE

Romeo and Juliet- A Tragedy of Misguided Love



Romeo and Juliet- A Tragedy of Misguided Love

Introduction

Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare's tragedy of star-crossed lovers, is one of the most popular romantic tragedies in English literature. The drama has been reworked and adapted to the likes and times of audiences from the sixteenth century until today. Shakespeare himself adapted his drama from a folktale that originated at least one hundred years earlier than his play. Despite the changes in the story over the centuries, whether they were made for religious, political, or social concerns, at the core of this drama is a tale that has not been changed and that reaches deeply into the psyche (Charney, 1993). It is a story about growing up, experiencing love, rebelling against authority, surrendering to the power of fate, and facing mortality—of friends and lovers as well as one's own. In a capsule, Romeo and Juliet is a play about life. The drama's consistent popularity proves it (Charney, 1993). Everyone, at some stage of their lives, can relate to Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet- A Tragedy of Misguided Love: A Discussion

"My only love sprung from my only hate." Juliet discovered that the family which her own family hates, which Romeo takes part in is actually the person she fells in love with. "Too early seen unknown and known too late!" Juliet realized that she have never know about Romeo, but when she finds out about Romeo, she realized it's too late because she has already fallen in love with him. "Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed." Even though she's from the noble birth of the Capulet, she has decided to go against her own family and she must loves a Montague, which is the family that has a feud with the Capulet (Epstein, 2005).

In examining the nature of Romeo and Juliet's relationship, it is important to achieve an understanding of how love is viewed in this play. In some ways, the young lovers' emotions reflect the practice of so-called courtly love that was prevalent in the Middle Ages and affected the European literature of the Renaissance. Although courtly love influenced a part of Romeo and Juliet's relationship (Epstein, 2005), by definition Romeo's affection for Rosaline is more closely identified with the language, conventions, and sentiments of this type of relationship.

In the Act 1, Scene 5 we see that Romeo is asking who Juliet is, when Tybalt recognizes Romeo's voice. Tybalt is furious that Romeo has crashed the party. He wants to fight Romeo. Capulet interferes, yelling at Tybalt to not destroy the party.

Romeo is heard talking to Juliet for the first time. Note that just before Tybalt leaves the scene, he speaks in rhyme. Then as Romeo and Juliet speak, they also talk in rhyme. This continues, sometimes with Romeo beginning a rhyme and Juliet finishing it, and vice versa. The rhyming helps to soften the mood, building up to Romeo ...