| , Research Paper
Romeo and Juliet is the renowned tragedy of “star-crossed lovers.” This fictional tale by William Shakespeare, the widely acclaimed author of many enduring sonnets, poems, and plays, is a brilliant masterpiece that has survived the test of time. Shakespeare sets to entertain with this vivid story fixed between two feuding households and two lovers-to-be from opposite sides of this “war.” In this atmosphere of violence and hate, uneasily held in check by authority, the two main characters are fated to meet and fall in love, and so the story is set into motion. Much like Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet lacks nothing in varying displays of emotions and action. Theatre patrons everywhere will be enthralled.
This tragic drama starts with a prologue describing the essence of the piece. A ancient feud, set in Verona, is the main conflict of the show. From these two feuding families we are introduced to Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet. Destiny makes its popular play in this Shakespearean show and fates these two young children to love. Without consent of their families these two secretly marry. Unknown of her child’s happy state, Lady Capulet arranges a marriage for her daughter. Between banishment, tardy letters, and miscommunication, these two lovers are finally together only in death. Finally able to bury hate, their parents realize their folly to late. The calamity lies not just in the death of these two children, but also in their parents inability to see what truly matters in life.
Not always easy to follow for the average theatre patron, the Shakespearean language has a depth and beauty that can sometimes only be appreciated by those
scholars of his writing. Old English as it is, is often quite different in meaning from daily English spoken and written today. Yet no matter what verse Romeo and Juliet is written in, it is a marvelous tragedy that can entertain and influence. Offering a different twist to an old story, Shakespeare develops his characters to perfection, adding qualities that are human but fictional. With a technique utterly
his own, Shakespeare captivates and enchants his audiences with this tale of woe.
The appeal of the play to me was that of the development of themes and characters. Adding almost a touch of melodrama to this show, are characters cut
out of specific molds. Yet from these molds we see underlying shadows and depth that is not originally expected. You can see the story unfold without even looking up from each page. Realistic is a word that would best describe Romeo and Juliet, for the audience can imagine a number of real life scenarios that would mirror the very pattern of this play.
This show is an entertaining and engaging tale of tragedy. I immensely enjoyed reading, seeing, and performing it. Romeo and Juliet is an invaluable
drama that will continue to trouble, move, and captivate its audiences for decades to come.
Bibliography
Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
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