Romeo and Juliet

jdluvr06

Does anyone else feel like this story is completely unromantic? I can't help but think that Romeo was an emotional man whore on the rebound and that Juliet was trying to stick it to her parents.

JaxInBlue

Daughter of a high school English teacher here.  Each year, when it was time for R&J in freshman English, I got a reminder that it was one of Shakespeare's tragedies, that Romeo is a clod, and that if he had been listening to himself as Juliet lay there, he'd realize he wasn't describing a dead person.  Plus, really young girl, probably older guy, and that all these adults were complicit in their actions.  Completely took all the fun out of Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo turn...

But yeah, can't see it as a romantic story, so thanks, Mom.  Lesson worked on at least one person. 

emmyg65

It's deeply dysfunctional and troubling.

wandajune6

I completely agree. I remember reading it in high school and struggling to like or respect either character.

Peaseblossom55

I agree completely unromantic....

arrippa

When I first read it in high school, I admittedly thought it was romantic. After reading it again in college, I was struck with just how whiny and disturbing they were. I think Much Ado and even As You Like it are more romantic.

JCbride2015

Former high school Freshman English teacher here. It's a tragedy. Honestly I always felt way more sad about Mercutio's death than either of the lovers. However, there are some beautiful pieces of poetry in the play. I especially love the morning-after scene.

Leonardo's Romeo will never be ruined for me. The Baz Luhrman R&J is one of my favorite movies and I could watch it over and over.

But no, it's not really romantic and I'll never understand why couples are always comparing themselves. This is not a story you should want to emulate! The Great Gatsby is the same way for me. Great book, not a love story you want to copy.

Edited for paragraphs, damn TK.

climbingsingle

emmyg65 said:

It's deeply dysfunctional and troubling.

Yes, this. 

arrippa

JCbride2015 said:

Former high school Freshman English teacher here. It's a tragedy. Honestly I always felt way more sad about Mercutio's death than either of the lovers. However, there are some beautiful pieces of poetry in the play. I especially love the morning-after scene.

Leonardo's Romeo will never be ruined for me. The Baz Luhrman R&J is one of my favorite movies and I could watch it over and over.

But no, it's not really romantic and I'll never understand why couples are always comparing themselves. This is not a story you should want to emulate! The Great Gatsby is the same way for me. Great book, not a love story you want to copy.

Edited for paragraphs, damn TK.

That's why I always laugh when someone says their wedding theme is the Great Gatsby.

Inkdancer

Not romantic at all. As a matter of fact, I find a lot of the "great romances" of canon deeply concerning. (Jane Eyre, anyone?)

I mean, I can see why an immature teenager would attach to it: "no one understands us, I would die for our love, it's so inteeeense". But the key word there is "immature".

Cookie Pusher

It's the story of what happens when you let kids run around without supervision (with weapons, no less!)...

mysticl

I call it a cautionary tale for parents.  If you forbid your kid to date someone specific they are just going to climb out the window, shimmy down the drain pipe and meet them at the corner and then you have no idea where they are or what they are doing.  If you let them date the person (provided the kid isn't a murderer or something of the sort) it will probably fizzle out at some point whereas the forbidden aspect makes them want to cling to it to prove you wrong.  

Then there is the fact that five minutes before seeing Juliet Romeo was madly in love with another girl.  

ladyamanuet

What's interesting is that it is actually structured like a comedy... until they kill themselves, that is.  Comparing it to other plays of the day (when plays of certain types - comedy, history, tragedy - had specific structures), it matches the structure of a comedy.  And after a professor showed that to me and I reread it AS a comedy, I enjoyed it a lot more.

Still not romantic though, as moving and beautiful as some of the writing is.

KeptInStitches

Completely not romantic. Romeo and Juliet is what happens when a man-child transfers his affections to someone way too young for him on a whim. It always ends in tears.

selenathegreat

I find the general idea of star-crossed lovers romantic, but not those two particular dumb kids. I do enjoy the play, though. I got to play Tybalt in a summer camp once...stage fighting is fun!!

larrygaga

Well I dunno, when your boyfriend murders your cousin it's kinda hot. 

Inkdancer

selenathegreat said:

I find the general idea of star-crossed lovers romantic, but not those two particular dumb kids. I do enjoy the play, though. I got to play Tybalt in a summer camp once...stage fighting is fun!!

Tybalt is the best character in the whole play.

CMGragain

Romeo and Juliet is not about true love.  It is a play about two very young teenagers who are obsessed with each other.  Chances are that their marriage would not have worked out, especially since Romeo had a history of being fickle.

If you want to see a movie about true love, try "The Best Years of our Lives" and bring Kleenex.

jdluvr06

I'm relieved so many people here agree with me. When I talk about this with my friends they think I'm a killjoy.

phira

Not romantic. And neither is the Great Gatsby. Good lord, Gatsby is SUPER DEPRESSING.

I might not be remembering Romeo and Juliet correctly, but I seem to remember that Mercutio was all, "Guys I'm dying," and no one seemed to notice till he was dead.

jdluvr06

Well... I loved The Notebook but I didn't see that as tragic. I saw it as happy sad. I get why Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare's most popular work because the verse is so beautiful, but the story isn't. Lol. My fave Shakespeare is a Midsummer Night's Dream. I have a thing for any story involved fairies. 

JCbride2015

My favorite Shakespeare is actually Richard III.  I'm a weirdo.

And Ian McKellan in the movie is basically the masterpiece of his career.  So there's that.

Peaseblossom55

I love A Midsummer NIght's Dream, I've performed in it and also in MacBeth.  Hamlet is such a good one too.

ladyamanuet

King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream for me...

pinkshorts27

And suddenly, I know what books I'm reading this summer. So many good ones and has been forever since I read them!

ladyamanuet

@shrekspeare Man, I don't know if I could name a favorite. I do have a long canvas I painted with Shakespeare insults though - because no one insults like The Bard

CMGragain

Anyone familiar with "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)"?  We saw it in London, and laughed all the way through it! 

slothiegal

JCbride2015 said:

My favorite Shakespeare is actually Richard III.  I'm a weirdo.

And Ian McKellan in the movie is basically the masterpiece of his career.  So there's that.

OMG.  I literally just started squealing at work.  That's my FAVORITE, and I've never met anyone else who feels the same way!!    

Fran1985

http://youtu.be/lwnFE_NpMsE

Blergbot

It's a toss up between Hamlet and King Lear for me. Macbeth is a close third. R & J is waaaay down the list for me, though I love the Baz Luhrman version. Anyone else love Cymbaline?

sarahufl

shrekspeare said:

I feel like they definitely could have handled the situation better. But I also think as people get older, we get a lot of cynicism towards it because we know that love isn't really like that, so it kills the magic we felt when we were little and had known about it. 

I can definitely see how people feel like it's romantic, kind of the same way people think super stalker Edward and Christian Grey are romantic people. And I think that's fine. The issue is when people start wanting romances like that because they don't realize a) the creepiness, and b) the consequences. 

Mostly it just irritates me because Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare's most popular play, while Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, and Hamlet are much better by far. People just like to cry over teenagers, hence A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. Blegh.

I saw Al Pacino do Merchant of Venice a few years ago. One of my all time favorite stage productions I have ever seen (and I have seen tons). Seriously, he was magic.