romeo and juliet. is it really a romantic love story?

Curt · #1 (**permalink**) 12-28-2008, 11:52 AM

i mean, they committed a suicide. i don't understand why many people find this story romantic. if i become a father i'll never let my children to read this crap. i don't wanna hear my daughter saying'daddy,i'll put a knife in my chest if you says no to marrying my boyfriend. like a juliet. wouldn't that be romantic?'

travelgirl8424 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-02-2009, 08:30 PM

It really isn't a romantic love story, but rather a good example of a"tragedy"in the Greek sense. Like most literature, it isn't meant to be taken literally as an example of how you should be or act when it comes to love.

Apple of Discord · #3 (**permalink**) 01-05-2009, 09:01 PM

Literature isn't always meant to be taken literally. There are things like symbolism, metaphor, and so on to look for when reading. The play Romeo and Juliet by W. Shakespeare is staged as an English tragedy with five acts, with an epiphanic moment right before the hero's demise. The entire thing is structured similarly to Macbeth, King Lear, and all the other Shakespearean plays.Personally I don't find the whole tragic suicide thing romantic either. I don't associate love with violence.

marisa · #4 (**permalink**) 02-02-2009, 05:25 PM

technically, it isn't. and in shakespeare sections romeo and juliet is in the tragedy section.I guess people compare it to romance, is because they couldn't live with eachother and died for one another.Not the greatest role model of a book.Except i dont think young children who still say daddy should even be reading this book, let alone being able to understand all the old english words.