“And they all lived happily ever after” – This might have been the last sentence of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet every other night back in the 18th century. We cannot be sure how theatre companies went about the happy ending of the so “[…] called greatest love story ever told” (Davies, 2001, p. 397) but scholars state that the plays blending of comedic and tragic elements has sometimes encouraged theatres to let their love couple live (cf. Smith, 2012, p. 158; McAllindon, 1991, p. 60).
This raises the question why Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet had to die, which can be answered in several ways. The paper is going to explore three different reasons: the (seemingly) inevitable fate of the “star-crossed lovers” (Prologue, 6), the danger of immature love and the feud with its consequences for society, family, and coming of age. Ultimately the paper will try to find out what Shakespeare might have wanted to tell his audience and how his messages are conveyed by recent film adaptations.
First of all it will be looked at the play’s history, the societal environment during its emergence and Shakespeare’s religious background which are of utmost importance to interpret the author’s ideas. Afterwards all three previously mentioned reasons for the couple’s death will be illustrated and analyzed. In conclusion the paper is going to argue that the play is an example of a man-made tragedy which had to end badly in order to open the audience’s eyes to the goings-on around them. Finally two film adaptations will be looked at in some detail, mainly concentrating on their endings and their justification for it.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 The play
- 1.2 Shakespeare's religious background
- 1.3 Shakespearean Tragedy
- 2. Fate
- 3. Religion
- 4. Immature Love
- 5. Coming of Age
- 6. The feud, its initiators and the effects of a patriarchal society
- 7. Conclusion
- 8. Cinematic Realization
- 8.1 West Side Story
- 8.2 Romeo + Juliet
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper explores why Shakespeare chose a tragic ending for Romeo and Juliet, investigating multiple contributing factors. The analysis aims to understand Shakespeare's intentions and how these are reflected in subsequent film adaptations.
- The role of fate and predetermined destiny in the play.
- The impact of religious and societal context on the narrative.
- The consequences of immature love and the characters' lack of maturity.
- The destructive nature of the feud and its patriarchal underpinnings.
- The theme of coming-of-age within the context of tragedy.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by questioning the conventional happy ending often attributed to Romeo and Juliet. It establishes the central research question – why Shakespeare chose death for his lovers – and outlines the paper's approach. The chapter briefly explores the play's history, its theatrical performance, and its literary origins, highlighting the adaptation from earlier works by Brooke, Boaistuau, and Bandello. It also touches upon Shakespeare's religious background and its potential influence on the play, as well as the broader context of Shakespearean tragedy. The introduction establishes the three key themes that will be examined in subsequent chapters: fate, immature love, and the consequences of the family feud.
2. Fate: This chapter delves into the concept of fate as presented in the play, starting with a definition and exploring the prologue's foreshadowing of the lovers' tragic end. The discussion highlights how Shakespeare uses the prologue to immediately establish the predetermined nature of Romeo and Juliet's destiny, shaping audience expectations and focusing their attention on the *how* rather than the *if* of the tragedy. The chapter analyzes how the idea of unavoidable fate permeates the narrative and its influence on the characters' actions and choices.
3. Religion: The chapter examines the role of religion in Shakespeare's time and its possible influence on the play. It discusses the uncertainties surrounding Shakespeare's own religious beliefs amidst the religious upheaval in 16th-century England, emphasizing that while his personal faith remains open to interpretation, religion undeniably held a significant place in the social and familial life of the era. This section sets the stage for analyzing the religious subtext and implications within the play itself, potentially connecting religious themes to the moral and societal implications of the tragedy.
4. Immature Love: This section focuses on exploring the nature of Romeo and Juliet's relationship and the role of their immaturity in contributing to the tragic outcome. It would likely analyze their impulsive actions, hasty decisions, and lack of experience, showing how these factors contribute to the escalating conflict and ultimately to their deaths. This analysis would link their immaturity to the broader themes of fate and the destructive societal forces at play.
5. Coming of Age: This chapter explores the theme of coming-of-age within the context of the play, examining how the characters' experiences and choices are shaped by their youth and their journey towards adulthood. The analysis would likely focus on how their immaturity contrasts with the expectations of adult behavior within their families and society. The chapter will explore how this tension contributes to the overarching tragedy and its themes.
6. The feud, its initiators and the effects of a patriarchal society: This chapter would delve into the history and dynamics of the Montague-Capulet feud, analyzing its origins and how it impacts the characters' lives and choices. The analysis would focus on how the feud's patriarchal structure reinforces existing power dynamics, contributing to the escalating conflict and hindering the ability of Romeo and Juliet to overcome their challenges. The chapter would discuss how the feud mirrors and reinforces broader societal problems in the play's world.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Tragedy, Fate, Religion, Immature Love, Feud, Patriarchal Society, Coming-of-Age, Film Adaptations.
Romeo and Juliet: A Comprehensive Analysis - FAQ
What is this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of a research paper analyzing Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The analysis focuses on understanding why Shakespeare chose a tragic ending for the play, exploring themes of fate, religion, immature love, the destructive feud, and the coming-of-age narrative.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The paper explores several key themes, including the role of fate and predetermined destiny, the impact of religious and societal context, the consequences of immature love and lack of maturity in the characters, the destructive nature of the Montague-Capulet feud and its patriarchal underpinnings, and the theme of coming-of-age within the context of tragedy.
What is the central research question?
The central research question is: Why did Shakespeare choose a tragic ending for Romeo and Juliet? The paper investigates multiple contributing factors to answer this question.
What chapters are included in the paper?
The paper includes the following chapters: 1. Introduction, 2. Fate, 3. Religion, 4. Immature Love, 5. Coming of Age, 6. The feud, its initiators and the effects of a patriarchal society, 7. Conclusion, and 8. Cinematic Realization (exploring West Side Story and Romeo + Juliet).
What does the introduction cover?
The introduction sets the stage by questioning the conventional happy ending often associated with Romeo and Juliet. It establishes the central research question and outlines the paper's approach. It briefly explores the play's history, Shakespeare's religious background, and the broader context of Shakespearean tragedy. It also introduces the three key themes: fate, immature love, and the consequences of the family feud.
How does the paper address the theme of fate?
The chapter on fate delves into the concept of predetermined destiny as presented in the play, analyzing the prologue's foreshadowing and how the idea of unavoidable fate permeates the narrative, influencing characters' actions and choices.
What is the role of religion in the analysis?
The chapter on religion examines the role of religion in Shakespeare's time and its potential influence on the play. It discusses the uncertainties surrounding Shakespeare's own religious beliefs and how religion impacted the social and familial life of the era. The analysis explores the religious subtext and implications within the play.
How does the paper analyze Romeo and Juliet's relationship?
The analysis of Romeo and Juliet's relationship focuses on their immaturity, impulsive actions, hasty decisions, and lack of experience. It shows how these factors contribute to the escalating conflict and their deaths, linking their immaturity to the broader themes of fate and destructive societal forces.
How is the theme of "coming-of-age" addressed?
The chapter on coming-of-age explores how the characters' experiences and choices are shaped by their youth and their journey towards adulthood. It examines the contrast between their immaturity and the expectations of adult behavior within their families and society, showing how this tension contributes to the tragedy.
How does the paper discuss the Montague-Capulet feud?
The analysis of the feud delves into its history and dynamics, exploring its origins and impact on the characters' lives and choices. It focuses on the feud's patriarchal structure, its reinforcement of power dynamics, and how it contributes to the escalating conflict, hindering Romeo and Juliet's ability to overcome their challenges.
What film adaptations are discussed?
The paper discusses the cinematic realizations of Romeo and Juliet, specifically analyzing West Side Story and Romeo + Juliet.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
The keywords are: Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Tragedy, Fate, Religion, Immature Love, Feud, Patriarchal Society, Coming-of-Age, Film Adaptations.
- Quote paper
- Anika Kehl (Author), 2013, Why William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" had to die, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/279031
