Romeo and Juliet

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AlexFudgeConsuela
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Re: Romeo and Juliet

Post by AlexFudgeConsuela »

I generally enjoy Shakespeare but Romeo and Juliet is definitely one of my least favourites. It's heavily romanticized by younger girls who've never read the play but only heard the story, and the problem is that it's not a love story at all, contrary to popular belief. It's a story of infatuation between a thirteen year old and a seventeen year old, and the plot line although dramatic, is a bit ridiculous. I think the moral to be drawn the story is the feud between the two families that lasted for several generations. Often people have a tendency to prolong animosity against others for no logical reason, but rather as a continuation of tradition. They're unable to look beyond that and understand that it's better to let go of what happened in the past and move forward. It's my opinion that Romeo and Juliet isn't about teenage angst and love- it's about making people realise that some things are better meant to be let go of. It took a tragedy to bring the two families together and bury the hatchet, when it shouldn't have had to take such dire consequences to make them realise that their fight was pointless. However, the chemistry between Romeo and Juliet gives teenagers unrealistic ideas of love and romance and fails to show them the distinction between love and infatuation and overall doesn't set the best impression, which is why this play is one of the rare Shakespeare plays I dislike.
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Kitkat1737
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Post by Kitkat1737 »

A lot of people have mentioned the language of the book which is beautiful, but I find that Shakespeare has the incredible skill to make anything sound poetic. Essentially, he has turned Romeo (a typical 17 year old who has no idea what to do with his desires and mistakes them for true love on a consistent basis from what we know of him) into one of the most romantic icons of all time. My best friend and I have this discussion with people on campus all the time. We hate this story. Yes, it was the cultural norm for women to be married young and Shakespeare even pointed that out when Juliet's father mentions that "younger than she have happy mothers made". (Or something along those lines, I don't have the book in front of me.) The thing that does bother me is the fact that people call this the "greatest love story of all time". "Of all time" implies today as well, which is certainly not the case. It is admirable that they would go so far for true love, but it is incredibly difficult for me to believe that this 17 year old who claimed to be in love with another woman at the beginning of the play and this 13 year old who is well... 13... can accurately make the claim they are in love. If that were to happen today, it would be the biggest catastrophe of the age. So while it is certainly an amazing piece, I cannot agree to it being "the great love story".
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Marie Reynard
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Post by Marie Reynard »

I agree that Romeo and Juliet is my least favorite of Shakespeare's plays. It's one of those stories that I spend thinking, "If just one sensible character would show up, the whole thing would be solved." I don't blame the teenagers for what happened, but the friar really should have known better. It is not a love story, it is a very sad story about teenagers who will never have the chance to become older and wiser.
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Zelex656
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Post by Zelex656 »

I love Shakespeare and truely love most of his other works but I really dislike Romeo and Juliet. The shallowness of Romeo in general but more specificly towards Rosiline and the hastiness of both of their actions through out just lead me to dislike it. On top of the misrepresented overkill of retellings of this story that all end happily ever after when the true story ends so tragically truely dilutes the water in good romances when everyone is trying to write a happier Romeo and Juliet. Give me Hamlet or Mid Summer' Nights Dream any day.
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hasan459
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Post by hasan459 »

romeo and juliet is my favorite romantic book.
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Blo0dwashed
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Post by Blo0dwashed »

The writing is superb but I can't help but not really like the storyline. Were it not for the beautiful writing one could argue that it is a story about two kids who want to get their own way and throw tantrums when they can't. It is too tragic. Did they truly die for love or was it just a crush? I will always wait for my Romeo and deep down I want a whirlwind romance like theirs, but I'd prefer mine to continue forever. (A girl can dream).
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jessgraziano2015
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Post by jessgraziano2015 »

I have read Romeo and Juliet many times through out the years and I have truly enjoyed it each time that I have. But, funnily enough, even though it is one of my favorite classics I have not read any of Shakespear's other plays.

I have read a few different versions of Romeo and Juliet, such as, one that translates the Old English into a more relatable dialect.

I completely agree with sissybear, each time I read Romeo and Juliet it is as if I am reading it for the first time. Each time I read it I am able to pick out different little details that I love about it.
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agent_books
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Post by agent_books »

I really like Romeo and Juliet. I love Shakespeare. I admire his passion for writing and plays. But I think that the story has a kind of weird twist as it has to it's ending.
Stand_tall
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Post by Stand_tall »

Romeo and Juliet, for me, was a good reading as it was read during freshman year for high school, I feel that the story has been a bit over used. I love the diction that Shakespeare has used with constructing the play but the promoting it as a love story really doesn't suit me, since we associate love stories with a happy ending. I would prefer if it more people would call it a tragedy because two lovers die before they can fully become close.
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derekstvp
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Post by derekstvp »

Actually, you would be very surprised at how many people do. Not that they should, but they do oddly enough.
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alwaysdaddygirl
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Post by alwaysdaddygirl »

Aloha,

One of my favorite romances book. Blessings. ?
"Death ends a life, not a relationship."
Mitch Albom
🦋
jokersw1ld
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Post by jokersw1ld »

I wasn't assigned Romeo and Juliet in high school but it's a great read, everyone should at least read it once.
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amb1339
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Post by amb1339 »

I remember reading this book in high school. Everyone else absolutely hated it, but I loved it. I recommend reading this to get a taste for Shakespeare's writing and to read the classic love story for yourself. It's better than the movies and pretty easy to understand.
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Caroline--1997
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Post by Caroline--1997 »

I enjoy Shakespeare's works, even Romeo and Juliet. I never truly believed that Shakespeare stood behind their relationship and attempted to communicate is as a healthy love. It is ridiculous and dramatic and their combined idiocy results in many more deaths than any romance should be able to stake a claim to. There are many hidden gems in all of Shakespeare's works, and this one is no exception.
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mauralynn
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Post by mauralynn »

I've read Romeo and Juliet several times, all while I was in high school. If I'm being honest yes, it was well written (as all of Shakespeare's plays are,) however it's definitely not my favorite. It just seemed overly cliche to me and cliche things are not personally my cup of tea. It's very tragically romantic, but if things had played out a bit differently I would have liked it a lot more.
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