刘帅 2008级商务英语本科一班 014103081024
Abstracts:
Love and violence exist at the same time in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The tragedy reflected the characteristics of William Shakespeare’s period. Romeo and Juliet’s love is full of renaissance humanists of romantic emotional appeal. Some young men were killed because of the violence of fight; it is the fault of love? Or other thing else?
Key words:
Love; Violence
Chapter One: the introduction about the author
William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called English’s national poet and the “Brand of Avon”. His surviving works, including some collaboration, consist of about 38 plays, 154sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political context throughout the world. Shakespeare is one of the founders of realism in world literature. He was a great master of the English language. Shakespeare was a handsome, well-shaped man, very good company, and of very ready and pleasant smooth wit. He was called the “gentle Shakespeare” “gentle will” among his friends. Ben Jonson said: he was (indeed) honest, and of an open and free nature; had an excellent fantasy, brave nations, and gentle expressions.”
Chapter Two: the introduction about the main plots of Romeo and Juliet
Almost everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet; it is one of the world’s most famous love stories. It is frequently staged, and has been made into a film and adapted for musical. West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet are the story of two ‘star-crossed’ young lovers, whose families are engaged in a bitter feud. Romeo and Juliet fall instantly in love with each other. But because of their families’ hatred, their happiness and youth were wasted. They died in the most tragic way.
The story took place in Verona, a city in Italy. There were two huge family groups, the Montague family and the Capulet family. They have a long-standing feud. However, they gave birth to a pair of unfortunate lovers.
Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other deeply at the first sight at the Capulet’s grand party. In the garden, with the moonlight, they expressed their love; but the young lovers were afraid to ask their parents’ consent to their marriage because of the foolish old quarrel between the Capulet and Montague. They got marry secretly with the Friar Laurence’s help. It seemed that it was the line that the situation would turn around, but that very day a dreadful thing happened.
Lady Capulet’s nephew-Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo’s friend. When Romeo saw that his friend was dead he forgot everything, so he killed his dear Juliet’s cousin on the very day of his wedding and was sentenced to banish. Juliet was full of sorrow; her meeting with Romeo would be a last farewell. Misfortunes never come singly, Juliet was forced to marry count Paris. That
night Romeo secretly climbed Juliet’s room. It was a true farewell. He had to leave in the morning. It was never hope the arrival of the dawn.
Before got marry Juliet took the sleeping death medicine following the advice of Friar Laurence who set a letter to Romeo to tell him the fact. However, Romeo didn’t receive the message. With grief and madness, with poison, he came to Juliet’s tomb. Because he thought Juliet had already dead he took the poison. Just the moment Juliet woke up ,seeing her husband’ death Juliet suicide at once. When priest Friar Laurence told their loving story to their family members, the two families finally broke their barriers. They turned their conflicts and hatred into friendship. A golden status was set to memory their great love.
Chapter Three: the great love of Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet fall instantly in love with each other, but their love is a destined tragedy because of the feud between Capulet and Montague. Great true love gives the hero and the heroine courage to pursue the free love and their happiness. Although Juliet knows Romeo was a Montague, she can not help resisting her love to Romeo.
“Ah! Why are you called Romeo?” said Juliet. “Since I love you, what does it matter what are you called?”
“Call me but love, and I will be new baptized; henceforth I never be Romeo.”
Romeo and Juliet declared their love. Romeo swears his love: Lady, by yonder blessed noon I swear, that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops.
And Juliet declares her love: My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.
So they got married secretly under the great pressure, but the misfortune is not end.
Romeo was sentenced to be banished, and Juliet’s father was planning make his daughter marry Paris. It was a hopeless situation. It was a farewell. Even there was no hope, the lovers didn’t give up, and they fight for their love with reality.
Juliet has to marry Paris, but she had prepared to take the sleeping potion which can make a person appear dead. “I will do it; talk not to me of fear!” this is the power of the great love.
Things seem to be well. However, the messenger was delayed, and Romeo’s servant tells him how his young wife was dead and lying in the grave.
“It is so?” cried Romeo, heart-broken. “Then I will lie by Juliet’s side tonight.”
Romeo drank the poison, and the poor Juliet woke up of her sleep and she drew her Romeo’s dagger and thrust it through her heart.
The power of love is so great that beyond our thinking. Nothing can divide the lovers. Although the society not allowed free loving, with true love, people would never retreat. Just like the hero and the heroin they never stop struggling with the feudal emotion and arranged marriage. They represented the new opinions about love. To some degree they were more individual about their private thinking. If they fell in love with each other they would throw all the prejudice. Even they were not accepted by others or by the wild society; they still followed love and never mind ending their lives. Love is innocent. No matter how hard the reality is, love is always the most powerful thing to make you life significant.
Chapter Four: the violence in Romeo and Juliet
Violence exist in Romeo and Juliet with the love, three men were killed: Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris.
Tybalt is a quarrelsome young man. He is a troublemaker who loves fighting. He is very
angry when Romeo appears at the Capulet’s ball. He wants to fight him straight away. He is only prevented from doing this by Juliet’s father. More than anyone else, he is the person who keeps the feud between the Montague and the Capulet alive. He was killed by Romeo, but we are not particularly sorry.
Mercutio is one of the most likeable characters in the play. He is young and lively. And he is always talking and joking. He teases Romeo about being in love with Rosaline. He is also loyal and honorable. When Romeo is insulted by Tybalt, he springs to his den fence. Even as he dies from the wounds inflicted by Tybalt’s sword, he is brave. He pretends that it is only ‘a scratch’. His death is one of the saddest parts of the play.
Paris is a handsome young man, pleasant and courteous. Because he is a cousin of the prince of Verona, he is a most eligible suitor for Juliet. He courts her in the correct way: by asking permission from her father. Paris seems too truly for Juliet. He sorrowfully mourns at her grave. He is also brave when he approaches Romeo at the tomb and dies in the fight. Romeo is saddened at his death. He knows that Paris was an honorable man.
Conclusion:
Romeo and Juliet is a world-famous love story. The great love has been touching people generation to generation. The tragedy is Shakespeare’s earliest success, a play of youth and love, which combines a tragic situation with comedy and gaiety. Violence also exists in it, and all the violence and death were on account of the feud and the love.
Bibliography:
1，《不可不知的莎士比亚名剧》 Jennifer Mulherin（英）著 外研社 2，《莎士比亚,狄更斯名著故事》 王勋，纪飞 编译 清华大学出版社 3，《英国文学简史》 刘炳善 编著 河南人民出版社
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