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Romeo and Juliet
Jan. 29th, 2011 05:57 amSo I read the play we're going to be studying in various forms for the whole next semester.
I do not get why it's supposed to be some grand romance. I mean, really, there's a couple bits sound like sonnets, all sighs and love metaphors, but the whole of it is eyes meeting across a crowded room and one kiss before they're proposing marriage. A bit fast! And it's pointed out on stage, there's no mistaking it. Mercutio goes on about Roseline, not knowing how quickly Romeo changed his mind, and the Friar tells Romeo off to his face. What's the word for a teenager who goes from sighing and sulking in his room, hiding from the sun, convinced he'll die for lack of loving one woman, and then whoosh, sees another pretty girl and just as his friend predicted it wipes the first one clean from his mind? It's not a great lover. Inconstant, fickle, and about as teenage as it's possible to be. He lurches from disaster to disaster thinking each and all the absolute end of the world and creating almost all his own trouble.
And then there's Juliet.
What an idiot.
The major obstacle to their marriage isn't enmity between their houses, it's being bloody stupid.
If you meet a boy at a party do you run off and marry him the next day?
Well if you're a couple weeks short of 14 that might sound like a great idea.
But then, hearing he's banished and you're supposed to marry someone else, do you
(a) point out you're married
(b) accept your father chucking you out and go live with your husband and try and fix things later
or
(c) kill yourself.
If the first and only thing you think of is (c) then hello, Juliet.
Honestly, the whole overcomplicated 'fake your own death' thing could be avoided. Your dad says get married or get chucked out? You want out! Oh, sure, he starts off saying he'll drag you there on a hurdle, but his final word on the matter is
An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend;
And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee,
And that's a problem how? To be precise, in what sense is that not the same problem you'll have after the grand poison plan? Making everyone think you're dead so you can run away is functionally necessary because... why? Why not just run away after he chucks you out? Stupid stupid everyone.
Romeo killing himself... well I can see why he did that, really; he's a young man, he's just seen a friend killed from his actions trying to stop a fight, killed a man, been banished, lost his wife, that's a pretty damn bad day. Hmm, couple of days, less than a week. Also, it seems like everyone's staying up all night making preparations or sneaking in to their lovers or both. One gets the feeling it might all have worked out rather better if anyone at any point got a good night's sleep. But Romeo had actual problems. Still, killing himself isn't exactly going to make anything anywhere any better. Make a misery for his parents, her parents, everyone's parents.
Did I mention she's 13? He's probably about the same. Her mother reckons she was a mother by 13 so it's a perfectly good age to get married. Three cheers for progress, is all I can say.
Star-crossed lovers?
Bleurgh.
Why is this one so popular?
I do not get why it's supposed to be some grand romance. I mean, really, there's a couple bits sound like sonnets, all sighs and love metaphors, but the whole of it is eyes meeting across a crowded room and one kiss before they're proposing marriage. A bit fast! And it's pointed out on stage, there's no mistaking it. Mercutio goes on about Roseline, not knowing how quickly Romeo changed his mind, and the Friar tells Romeo off to his face. What's the word for a teenager who goes from sighing and sulking in his room, hiding from the sun, convinced he'll die for lack of loving one woman, and then whoosh, sees another pretty girl and just as his friend predicted it wipes the first one clean from his mind? It's not a great lover. Inconstant, fickle, and about as teenage as it's possible to be. He lurches from disaster to disaster thinking each and all the absolute end of the world and creating almost all his own trouble.
And then there's Juliet.
What an idiot.
The major obstacle to their marriage isn't enmity between their houses, it's being bloody stupid.
If you meet a boy at a party do you run off and marry him the next day?
Well if you're a couple weeks short of 14 that might sound like a great idea.
But then, hearing he's banished and you're supposed to marry someone else, do you
(a) point out you're married
(b) accept your father chucking you out and go live with your husband and try and fix things later
or
(c) kill yourself.
If the first and only thing you think of is (c) then hello, Juliet.
Honestly, the whole overcomplicated 'fake your own death' thing could be avoided. Your dad says get married or get chucked out? You want out! Oh, sure, he starts off saying he'll drag you there on a hurdle, but his final word on the matter is
An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend;
And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee,
And that's a problem how? To be precise, in what sense is that not the same problem you'll have after the grand poison plan? Making everyone think you're dead so you can run away is functionally necessary because... why? Why not just run away after he chucks you out? Stupid stupid everyone.
Romeo killing himself... well I can see why he did that, really; he's a young man, he's just seen a friend killed from his actions trying to stop a fight, killed a man, been banished, lost his wife, that's a pretty damn bad day. Hmm, couple of days, less than a week. Also, it seems like everyone's staying up all night making preparations or sneaking in to their lovers or both. One gets the feeling it might all have worked out rather better if anyone at any point got a good night's sleep. But Romeo had actual problems. Still, killing himself isn't exactly going to make anything anywhere any better. Make a misery for his parents, her parents, everyone's parents.
Did I mention she's 13? He's probably about the same. Her mother reckons she was a mother by 13 so it's a perfectly good age to get married. Three cheers for progress, is all I can say.
Star-crossed lovers?
Bleurgh.
Why is this one so popular?