Renaissance Literature - Romeo and Juliet - 1835 Words

Renaissance Essay In what ways is ‘the other’ explored in two of the plays studied in Semester 1? Shakespeare’s plays have always had a hard-hitting effect on their audiences as they are often used as a vehicle to explore fears or concerns of the time. In the two tragic plays, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’, Shakespeare uses mythology, issues of power and sexuality and in particular concentrates on the concept of ‘the other’. In this use of the term ‘the other’ we are referring to foreign elements, people or objects not from or associated with mainstream society, and in the context of the essay, the mainstream society of England in Shakespeare’s era. ‘Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, so some of its cultural details†¦show more content†¦The frightening concept of exile would heighten the dramatic effect of the play for its audience. Apart from Romeo and Juliet, who have viewed each other as individuals and have rejected following their families beliefs, the Montagues ands Capulets have a prejudice towards each other, viewing the opposing house as ‘the other’. This results in tension and violence, spurned by a fear of the unknown as they fail to identify people as individuals and live by stereotypes of past conflicts, which in turn leads to the death of the plays protagonists. Morals to the story? Get to know people – romeo and Juliet wer unaware that they wer from rival houses It’s important to consider that in Shakespeare’s day ‘Italy was exotic, or ‘other’ (Romeo and Juliet Handout pg. 2) enabling him to write a play with more colourful and vibrant characters with a more extravagant plot and still maintain a sense of realism as the popular belief of Italy was that it was ‘a place of poetry, romance and sophistication; but also of violent passions, deadly feuds, treachery and sensational events’ (Romeo and Juliet Handout pg.2). The fact that Italy was regarded in this way enabled to plain to retain a sense of realism, as having these ‘sensational’ events unfold in England would be hard for the audience to accept, due to the mundane Puritan ideology associated with England in the era. ‘The other’ is an ideology that has been used in both ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ to portrayShow MoreRelatedSocial Classes Romeo And Juliet1562 Words   |  7 PagesMs. Groff World Literature 3 March, 2016 Social Classes Romeo and Juliet George Edward Woodberry once said, â€Å"Shakespeare is, essentially, the emanation of the Renaissance. The overflow of his fame on the Continent in later years was but the sequel of the flood of the Renaissance in Western Europe. He was the child of that great movement, and marks its height as it penetrated the North with civilization† (â€Å"George Edward Woodberry Quote†). The Renaissance, as Woodberry stated within his quote, wouldRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1264 Words   |  6 Pagestheater-going public the most important dramatist in English literature, Shakespeare occupies a well-known position in the world of talented authors. His canon contains thirty-seven plays, written in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Additionally, throughout the years, they continue to sustain critical attention, with the majority of his works circling tragedies, one being Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet speaks to the timele ss appeal of star-crossed lovers. TheirRead MoreConflict Within Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare1295 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Romeo and Juliet the theme of conflict is conveyed in many forms, mostly through physical violence; reflected in the era of the Renaissance where there was political turmoil and many European nations were at war. Shakespeare presents the theme in other forms as well; family versus family, sacred versus profane, parent versus child and language versus inner conflict. Conflict is a key in the structure of the play; it is highlighted in the beginning, middle and end. As an audience we areRead MoreSignificant Themes Found in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet 890 Words   |  4 PagesOn awakening from the long slumber of the Dark Ages, the Renaissance was a time of rebirth of culture in Europe. Writers of the time such as Christopher Marlowe and Sir Phillip Sydney created literature that was bold and innovative. Dramatists revived and reinvented the c lassical traditions of the Greeks and Romans, however no one seemed to match William Shakespeare in terms of variety, profundity, and exquisite use of language (http://www.online-literature.com). Known as the most famous loveRead MoreLove and Marriage in Renaissance Literature Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesLove and Marriage in Renaissance Literature In medieval Europe, the troubadours (poets of the southern part of France), like Guilhem IX, or Cercamon, first began to write poems about humble men falling in love with women who were admirer and adored by their lovers. Furthermore, intense love between men and women became a central subject in European literature, like between Tristan and Iseult, Lancelot and Guinevere, or Aeneas and Dido. But it was not question of marriageRead MoreEssay on Consequences of Love and Hate Explored in Romeo and Juliet1075 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare, the play Romeo and Juliet is written in a poetic disquisition that distinguishes many timeless themes. These themes transcend the boundaries of this perennial classic into the foundation of many prevailing modern-day literary workings. Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the late fifteen hundreds in the riveting city of Verona, Italy, where it has since been revered as one of the most preeminent and recognized play’s in history. Romeo and Juliet explores the extents of humanRead MoreLove and Marriage in Renaissance Literature1228 Words   |  5 PagesFurthermore, intense love between men and women became a central subject in European literature, like between Tristan and Iseult, Lancelot and Guinevere, or Aeneas and Dido. But it was not question of marriage. Actually, marriage and love did not match very well together but then Renaissance literature developed the concepts of love and marriage and recorded the evolution of the relation between them. In the Renaissance poetry, Donne, in The Good Morrow, celebrate love and sexuality in marriage. HoweverRead MoreThe Senseless Couple: Romeo and Juliets Tragedy1157 Words   |  5 PagesIs love worth it all? As publicized in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, reckless decisions may possibly lead to an unforeseen and dreadful conclusion. He also makes it known that if feelings about a situation are over dramatized they can cause a hazardous faux pas. That is exactly what Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Lawrence implement in Shakespeare’s tragedy. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the major characters cause the tragic outcome of the drama through their bad choices and decisions. Read More A Psychological Analysis of Romeo and Juliet Essay1744 Words   |  7 PagesA Psychological Analysis of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet was obviously not written to fit the psychoanalytic model, as the theories of Freud were not developed for centuries after Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote to Renaissance England, a culture so heavily steeped in Christianity, that it would have blushed at the instinctual and sexual thrust of Freud’s theory. However, in order to keep literature alive and relevant, a culture must continually reinterpret the themes and ideas of past worksRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1328 Words   |  6 PagesIn my time reading stories, plays, and poetry from British literature most of the things i am generally interested in reading is Shakespeare plays. Most notably, Romeo and Juliet as being one of my personal favorites.Throughout the entirety reading the play i’ve noticed how much the themes play a role in the effect the characters and their surroundings,resulting in a tragic ending. From some examples, how fate plays into Romeo and Juliet being â€Å" star-cross’d lovers† and, the theme of love playing