Book #42

[katikat]

"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare

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Shakespeare's drama about the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous if not the most famous tragedy in the world. And it's quite an interesting story, it really is - but my biggest problem was that it took place over the course of just a handful of days. Because of that, everybody's reaction seemed a tad extreme.

Romeo and Juliet came off as spoiled brats used to getting everything. Romeo, switching love interests like shoes. And Juliet, she had one whole conversation with Romeo and already demanded a ring. I know, I know, we are talking about the 16th century here, still... Both characters came off as very unappealing hotheads to me.

The real tragedy, in my opinion, was Romeo and Juliet's familial situation, the unreasonable hatred between their families, their parents' refusal to listen and willingness to sacrifice their children's happiness for monetary and social gain, that went especially for Juliet's family. It was their families' attitude that convinced the kids they had no other choice but to resort to such extreme measures that lead, in the end, to their untimely demise.

So, a good family tragedy. Star-crossed lovers? Not so much, at least in my opinion.

Comments

[keire_ke]

Romeo and Juliet is, I think, the biggest con pulled on the romance genre, ever, because the story is not a romance. It's what happens when two kids are left without supervision because the parents are busy with a pointless feud.

I really find it hilarious that people regard it as super romantic, when Shakespeare himself parodied the story (Pyramus and Thisbe) in A Midsummer's Night Dream.

[katikat]

The idea of star-crossed lovers never really appealed to me. I know that people find it romantic but I just don't. Eh :(

[keire_ke]

Oh, I love star-crossed lovers! Most of my ships seem to be star-crossed to hell and back. I mean, there was Sanzo/Goku, Edmund/Caspian, Charles/Erik... Although in the latter case they are obviously providing their own star-crossedness. And I love giving them happy endings. :) I'm more a fan of the "I will love you always and forever from an uncrossable distance, because duties/worlds/lion-gods/ideologies keep us apart, but never fear, the afterlife will see us reunited!" rather than "woe! I must kill myself and suffer for eternity because of Romantic Reasons!"

*cough* I think His Dark Materials may have given me issues.

(hey, there's a nifty reason for editing box!)