How Shakespeare presents Romeo & Juliet's early relationship.

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SHAKESPEARE PLAY

Romeo & Juliet

                                 

By Ben Wilson

How Shakespeare presents Romeo & Juliet’s early relationship

(Up to Act II, Scene II)

        Shakespeare presents Romeo & Juliet’s early relationship as a love-hate affair. By this I mean that although they love each other immensely, they are surrounded by the hate of their two families. You see the hate of the two families from the outset, as you will see in this essay.

In my essay I will be looking at what Shakespeare has done to make us see Romeo & Juliet in a certain way. I am also going to look at the reason for the chorus; The set up of the scenes; Shakespeare’s use of comparisons; his use of language; why Shakespeare uses Rosalind and Paris in the early part of the play; Romeo & Juliet’s first meeting and that famous ‘Orchard Scene.’

        Romeo & Juliet is thought to have been written between 1594 and 1596, and was written by the literary genius, William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon, and was educated at the local Grammar school, but surprisingly he did not go to university.

        Shakespeare has presented Romeo & Juliet in a very particular way in the play, so we can see the way they change when they meet for the first time.

        Shakespeare has presented Romeo to us, in the early scenes of the play, as a wimpy and soppy young man, mopping over a woman.

‘ Out of her favour where I am in love’

(I.II.166)

Shakespeare has also portrayed Romeo as a young romantic and very poetic in his language.

‘And she is fair I love,

(I.II.204)

In this poetic line, Romeo is saying the woman he loves is beautiful. (The woman in question is later revealed as Rosalind).

Romeo is around 16, and like anyone around that age he wants to get sexually involved with women, and is frustrated that his love will not loose her ‘chaste.’

‘Nor ope her lap to saint seducing gold’

(I.II.212)

So, Shakespeare has made us see Romeo as someone who falls in love very easily, and as a romantic and poetic person. Shakespeare has also clearly shown Romeo’s age by telling us of his desire to get sexually involved with his love, and when told no, he sulks. These are all key aspects as we move through the play.

        Shakespeare has presented Juliet to us, in the early scenes of the play, as completely the opposite of Romeo. As we see early on in the play, her parents are pushing Juliet into marriage, to the ‘valiant Paris.’

‘Well think of marriage now’

(I.III.89)

Juliet does not want to get married, which shows that she doesn’t fall in love easily.

‘It is an honour I dream not of’

(I.III.66)

But Juliet is a very obedient child, and says that she will look at him with the intention of liking him.

‘I’ll look to like’

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(I.III.97)

She is telling her mother that she will try to like Paris, and so she is obeying her parent’s orders, to a certain extent.

Juliet is also very young, younger than Romeo, being only 13 years old, nearly 14.

‘Come Lamas Eve at night shall she be fourteen’

(I.III.17)

You will se that Juliet’s, along with Romeo’s, age plays a part in the play later on in this essay.

Juliet is also a very intelligent and independent young woman. I can tell you this as it is quoted in a critic’s line:

‘Although Juliet ...

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This student has answered the question mostly successfully and has used evidence from the text and has commented on this evidence. At times the answer has diverted away from the original question. It's important to always remember the 'big' question. ***