question about romeo and juliet
Tue, 12 Oct 2004, 08:04 amWalter Plinge13 posts in thread
question about romeo and juliet
Tue, 12 Oct 2004, 08:04 amWhat in your words does "star-cross'd lovers" mean?
Re: answers about romeo and juliet
Wed, 10 Nov 2004, 05:45 amWalter Plinge
The play itself uses a sufficient amount of fate images to support the supposition that the star cross's lovers are "fated" to die and become the punishment that buries the feud.
I read the last line of the prologue to suggest that what is "missed" in the prologue will be corrected during the course of the play; providing we pay attention.
What I feel the prologue misses is the role choice plays in the destruction of the two lovers. Romeo's choice to defend his honour rather than honour his wife is a good place to start. It wasn't fate that caused Mercutio's death, it was Romeo's choice to try to stop the duel. It wasn't fate that killed Tybalt, it was Romeo's choice to cast aside his duty to his wife and embrace his honour in its place.
In Sonnet 116 Shakespeare gives us a fairly clear picture of his view of love and its nature. Romeo and Juliet face many of the same choices throughout the play and yet respond differently. How do thier choices measure up to the premise of Sonnet 116? Romeo fails the test, Juliet passes.
The prologue suggests fate, but also suggests that that supposition may be flawed.
My view anyway
g
I read the last line of the prologue to suggest that what is "missed" in the prologue will be corrected during the course of the play; providing we pay attention.
What I feel the prologue misses is the role choice plays in the destruction of the two lovers. Romeo's choice to defend his honour rather than honour his wife is a good place to start. It wasn't fate that caused Mercutio's death, it was Romeo's choice to try to stop the duel. It wasn't fate that killed Tybalt, it was Romeo's choice to cast aside his duty to his wife and embrace his honour in its place.
In Sonnet 116 Shakespeare gives us a fairly clear picture of his view of love and its nature. Romeo and Juliet face many of the same choices throughout the play and yet respond differently. How do thier choices measure up to the premise of Sonnet 116? Romeo fails the test, Juliet passes.
The prologue suggests fate, but also suggests that that supposition may be flawed.
My view anyway
g