The emotions people feel while reading Shakespeare are astounding. The story of Romeo and Juliet is a story that will both make one cry, laugh, and be confused all at the same time. The amount of highs and lows in just the first couple acts are unworldly, and when going deeper into the story itself it only escalates tenfold. Shakespeare impacted his audience through his writing because his audience was left with so many scenarios of what “really” was going on in the play, putting the on a roller coaster of emotions and leaving them to fill in the gaps in his writing with one’s own input.
One of his first emotion portrayed within the writing is love. As said by Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juilet,”Her beauty is too good for this world; she’s too beautiful to die and be buried. She outshines the other women like a white dove in the middle of a flock of crows.
When this dance is over, I’ll see where she stands, and then I’ll touch her hand”(William Shakespeare)… Rome’s emotions go up and down all throughout the first act. He was depressed and lonely in the first few scenes and went to the party to let off some depressing steam. But when seeing a girl so beautiful that he ditched the woman he was so in “love” with along with his depression, all those feelings he felt vanished at that moment. He would do anything to meet her, anything to love her.
For Romeo and Juliet to take the meaning of love at first sight literal, takes it to a whole new level. The feeling of confusion is defiantly normal for the reader in this situation; especially since they met, kissed, and fell in love all within a couple hours of a party they accidently bumped into. “…I trust your words. Just all me your love and I will take a new name. From now on I will never be Romeo again'(Willliam Shakespeare).
Normally, couples would get engaged after dating for a little while, then get engaged for a short while then get married. This process takes years to happen; but for Romeo to willingly change his name to any name Juliet sees fit is indicating marriage in a way. It’s another layer of confusion that deepens the level of highs and lows. When they got married it was very out of the blue. No one really thought they were going to do it so quickly. Most thought it would be a phase like some teenagers go through. This portrays the unnecessary highs of the roller coaster Shakespeare puts us on. Making the reader go through many reactions while reading. Love is a very powerful emotion and can drive lovers to do anything and everything to be together. As these two showed, love can take anyone on a crazy ride.
There are lows that majorly changed the mood of the book along with the mood of the audience. “… Come, bitter poison, come, unsavory guide! You desperate pilot, let’s crash this sea-weary ship into the rocks! Here’s to my love! (Romeo drinks poison) Oh, that pharmacist was honest! His drugs work quickly. So I die with a kiss'(William Shakespeares). Throughout the rest of the story the book takes us on some lows of the coaster. When the book show just how cruel women were treated then; most by their own “loved” ones. Men thought of women as property with roles to play a man’s life; but some of the deepest lows for the book were the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, etc. These deaths showed just how cruel the world was then. Mercutio dying due to a meaningless feud between Capulet and Montague. Romeo killing Tybalt for revenge, then the perfect plan for the two star crossed lovers to finally run away went to ash. And they both end up dead. This was an all-time low for the book. Shakespeare sprinkled some humor here and there, but it doesn’t overpower the depressing and wonderous tone he’s put on the readers soul while reading.
These lows give the book a type of character that makes Shakespeare’s writing to addicting and interesting. Understanding the nurture of the era then helps to give reason to all of the craziness that goes on during this time. (Romeo speaking)” …the sun itself has never seen anyone as beautiful since the world began. (referring to Rosaline)” (also Romeo) “Her beauty is too good or this world; she’s too beautiful to die and be buried. She outshines the other women like a white dove in the middle of a flock of crows. When this dance is over, I’ll see where she stands, and then I’ll touch her hand with my rough and ugly one”(William Shakespeare). During this time; the Bubonic Plague was around shortening the lifespan of all living things. So teenage years were marring years and old was around 30 years of age.
So, love was a give and go type deal. Romeo was influence by his surroundings and those surroundings altered his mind and actions. Same for Juliet; they both went through mood swings that affected their emotional state and vulnerability. And as the reader, we are taken on that ride of emotional states there’s a multitude of highs and lows. Example of both being when Romeo was depressed before the party(low) and when he meets Juliet at the party, and they forget about all troubles and only think about each other(high). The nurture affects the overall understanding of the book and helps readers take in what’s going on a little more logically. True love comes in many shapes and forms that takes all readers on a wild roller coaster of many enjoyments, and dreadful moments. Taking the era and emotional states of both Romeo and Juliet, their love was necessary to stay sane in such a crazy environment. Their love took all readers on a journey that change the way we perceive love.
The Story of Romeo and Juliet. (2022, Mar 07). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/the-story-of-romeo-and-juliet/