The work of the great playwright William Shakespeare can be divided into several periods. The first of them is characterized by early tragedies, the texts of which are permeated with faith in justice and hope for happiness. This is followed by a transitional phase. And finally, the period of late gloomy tragedies.
If we analyze the play “Romeo and Juliet”, then the negative mood of the poet here can be observed quite clearly. Indeed, in the play, life, as they say, is in full swing, in the foreground are good people who conquer the forces of evil. However, the inhumanity shown by the playwright is not so unarmed. She overshadows life, threatens her and takes revenge.
The appearance of the play “Romeo and Juliet” was a significant event in the history of not only English, but also world literature. It was the beginning of a new, so-called Shakespearean stage.
An analysis of the dramatic work “Romeo and Juliet” suggests that social issues became the basis of the tragedy in it. Showing these relationships in the play and reveals its historical significance.
History of creation and time
The play “Romeo and Juliet” is one of those works of the author that were written by him in the earliest period of his work. Shakespeare created his famous play between 1591 and 1595.
Consider the plot of Romeo and Juliet. The analysis of the work very briefly describes the story proposed by the playwright. She tells us about the alleged death of the main character, the news of which led to the suicide of her beloved youth. This was the reason that the girl also took her own life.
A similar plot was first described long before the creation of this play. He met in the poem "Metamorphoses", created by the ancient Roman writer Ovid. The work was written in the 1st century BC. It tells of two lovers - Piram and Phiobe, who lived in Babylon. The parents of the young were against their meetings, and then they agreed on a night date. Fioba came first and saw there a lion hunting bulls, whose face was in blood. The girl decided that the formidable predator tore apart her beloved boy, and ran away, dropping her handkerchief on the road. The lion tore this shawl and smeared it in blood. After that, a young man came and, deciding that Fioba was dead, he himself stabbed himself with a sword. The girl returned to the appointed place, saw the dying Pyram, and immediately rushed to the sword.
This story was used by Shakespeare when writing his comedy Midsummer Night's Dream. Only there, the story of two lovers was presented to the audience by an amateur theater.
This plot wandered from work to work. So, he was described in one of the Italian short stories, and then turned into an English poem, created in 1562 by Arthur Brooke. And only a little later, Shakespeare became interested in this story. He somewhat altered the English version of the ancient Roman poem. Its effect was reduced from nine months to five days. At the same time, the time of year during which the events took place changed. If initially it was winter, then at Shakespeare it passed into the summer. Also a great playwright was added a number of scenes. But the most basic difference from all previous options lies in the deeper content of the plot. This allowed the play to take its rightful place in the history of world literature.
Plot
So, what is the story described in the play Romeo and Juliet? An analysis of the work may briefly introduce us to this plot. The entire period during which the tragic events unfold, covers, as already mentioned, only five days.
The beginning of the first act was marked by a scuffle of servants belonging to two different families in a state of enmity with each other. Surnames of owners - Montecchi and Capulet. Further, representatives of these two houses join the brawl of the servants. Do not stand aside and the heads of families. Tired of the hostility that continued for more than one day, the townspeople with difficulty were able to separate the fighters. Prince Verona himself arrives at the scene with an appeal to end the clash, threatening the violators with death.
Montecci's son, Romeo, comes to the square. He does not participate in these fights. His thoughts are completely occupied by the beautiful girl Rosalina.
The action continues in the house of Capulleti. Earl of Paris comes to the head of this family. He is a relative of Prince Verona. The count asks for the hand of Juliet, who is the only daughter of the owners. The girl is not yet fourteen years old, but she is obedient to the will of her parents.
Plot development
In the house of Capulet, a carnival ball is organized, on which, wearing masks, the young men from the house of Benvolio and Montecca penetrate. This is Mercutio and Romeo. Even on the doorstep of the house, Romeo was seized by a strange alarm. He told his friend about her.
During the ball, Juliet met her eyes with Romeo. It struck both like lightning, engendering love in the hearts.
From the nurse, Romeo learned that the girl is the daughter of the owners. Juliet also learned that the young man was the son of a sworn enemy of their home.
Romeo carefully climbed over the wall and hid in the greenery of the garden of Capulet. Soon, Juliet entered the balcony. The lovers talked to each other and took an oath of love, deciding to unite fate. The feeling so swallowed them that all the actions of young people were committed with extraordinary firmness.
They told their story to the confessor of Romeo, the monk Lorenzo, as well as the confidante, the nurse of Juliet. The priest agrees to hold a secret wedding ceremony for the young, hoping that this union will finally make two rival families reconcile - Montecca and Capulet.
Unexpected turn of events
Further, the plot tells us about the clash that happened on the street between cousin of Juliet Tybalt and Mercutio. Between them there was an exchange of caustic barbs, which was interrupted by the appearance of Romeo. The latter, having married Juliet, believes that Tybalt is his relative, and by all means tries to avoid a quarrel. And this despite the fact that Juliet's cousin insults Romeo. Mercutio stands up to protect his friend. He pounces on Tybalt with his fists. Romeo stands between them. However, Tybalt manages to inflict a fatal blow to Mercutio.
Romeo loses his best friend, who died defending his honor. This enrages the young man. He kills the Tybalt who appeared on the square, for which he is threatened with execution.
The terrible news came to Juliet. She grieves over the death of her brother, but at the same time justifies her lover.
The monk Lorenzo convinces Romeo that he should hide before the moment forgiveness will be granted. Before his departure, he meets with Juliet, but together they manage to spend only a few hours. The dawn that came along with the trills of the lark informed the lovers that they were to be separated.
Meanwhile, Juliet's parents, who do not know anything about their daughter’s wedding, are again talking about the wedding. Rushing events and Count Paris. The wedding is scheduled for the next day, and all the pleas of the daughter to the parents to wait a bit remain unanswered.
Juliet is in despair. She goes to Lorenzo. The monk offers her to go on a trick and pretend to be the docile will of her father. In the evening, she needs to take the miraculous potion, which will immerse her in a state similar to death. Such a dream should last forty-two hours. During this time, Juliet will already be taken to the family crypt, and Lorenzo will tell Romeo about everything. Young people will be able to escape somewhere until better times.
Before the decisive step, Juliet was seized with fear. However, she drank the entire bottle.
Tragic ending
In the morning, parents discovered that their daughter was dead. The whole family plunged into inconsolable mourning. Juliet was buried in the family crypt.
At this time, Romeo hides in Mantua and waits for news from the monk. However, it was not the messenger Lorenzo who came to him, but the servant Balthazar. He brought the terrible news of his beloved's death. The monk, the messenger Lorenzo, never met with Romeo. A young man buys poison at a local pharmacy and travels to Verona.
The last scene takes place in the tomb. Romeo curses the evil forces that took Juliet from him, kisses her for the last time and drinks poison.
Monk Lorenzo was just a moment late. He could no longer revive the youth. At this time, Juliet awakens. She immediately asks him about Romeo. Upon learning the terrible truth, she thrust a dagger into her chest.
At the end of the story, Montecchi and Capulet forgot about enmity. They extended their hands to each other and together began to mourn the dead children. On their graves, they decided to put golden statues.
Love theme
So, we briefly learned the plot of the poem "Romeo and Juliet." Analysis of the work tells us that its author, describing the tragedy of man, turned first of all to the greatest human feeling. The poem is literally imbued with the poetry of love. Moreover, a high feeling gets an increasingly powerful sound as the action approaches the finale.
We continue our acquaintance with the play “Romeo and Juliet”. Analysis of the work allows us to understand that it is nothing more than the pathos of love. Indeed, from the monologues of the main characters it is clear that young people not only admire each other. In their speeches, love is recognized as a divine feeling, receiving a proud, solemn and ecstatic confession.
Moral issues
What else would Shakespeare want to tell the world? "Romeo and Juliet" (analysis of the work directly points to this) raises many moral problems. They are not limited to the image of love inspiring and uniting two young people. This feeling develops and later grows stronger against the background of other options that show us the relationship between a woman and a man. And Shakespeare told us about them with a different accent of artistic expression. Romeo and Juliet (analysis of the work makes it clear to us) have a high sense, the grandeur and purity of which contrast with other forms of relationship.
The viewer sees the most primitive version at the beginning of the play. These are very rude expressions of servants that women were created only so that they could be pressed against the wall.
Further, a brief analysis of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet tells us that there are other carriers of this moral concept. The author assigns such a role to the nurse who expresses similar thoughts, but only in a milder form. She persuades her pupil to forget Romeo and marry Paris. Such a clash of morality leads to an open conflict between the girl and the nurse.
What else does the analysis of Romeo and Juliet point to us? Shakespeare does not accept another version of a man’s relationship with a woman. It is described in the request of Paris to the old Capulet. For that time, this way of creating a family was quite common. Paris asks for Juliet's hands, not even knowing about her feelings. This is quite clearly shown to us by the analysis of Romeo and Juliet. In the second scene of the first act, Shakespeare, through the mouth of the old Capulet, says that before asking for the girl’s hands, she needs to be looked after immediately. However, further Juliet's father himself guarantees Paris the favor of his daughter, being confident in her submission to her parents.
We continue to study the poem "Romeo and Juliet." Analysis of the work tells us that the count never once told the girl about his love. The behavior of Paris changes somewhat after the imaginary death of the bride, although even so, the chill that occurred in those days of conventions slides in his actions and statements.
Comedy plays
What else can a brief analysis of Romeo and Juliet tell us? Shakespeare combines in his work the romantic side of love with the quirks of passion and some oddities. The author indicates that a high feeling does not allow a person to continue to live in his usual rhythm, making him not what he was before.
Analysis of Romeo and Juliet (Grade 8) clearly indicates that in some scenes the main character is simply ridiculous. The author shows the reader an intolerant and passionate feeling of a girl who first knew love. At the same time, Juliet in comic scenes is faced with the cunning of the nurse. An inexperienced girl requires a servant about the actions of Romeo. However, she, referring to fatigue or bone pain, constantly postpones the conversation.
Where else is comic book present in the play Romeo and Juliet? An analysis of the work allows us to make unambiguous conclusions that it has more humor and cheerfulness than in other Shakespearean tragedies. The author is constantly releasing a growing tragedy. At the same time, the love story ceases to be high romance. It is as if it lands and passes into the plane of ordinary human relations, but at the same time it is not belittled at all.
Shakespeare expresses an unprecedented breadth of view of love in his work Romeo and Juliet. The analysis of the play confirms that almost all the actors express their attitude in one way or another to the feeling that arose between Romeo and Juliet. In this case, the assessment of the love of young people is given by the characters depending on their own positions. But, nevertheless, the artist himself proceeds from the fact that this high feeling has all-pervasive power and is universal. At the same time, it is purely individual, unique and unique.
The power that changes a person
The analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet” is also proved by the fact that love is a demanding feeling that makes a person become a fighter. There is no cloudless idyll in the play. The feeling that arose between young people is subjected to severe testing. However, neither the boy nor the girl think for a second whether they should prefer love or choose hatred, which traditionally determines the relations of the Montecchi and Capulet families. Romeo and Juliet seem to merge in a single rush.
However, even a brief analysis of Romeo and Juliet convincingly proves the fact that, despite the high feeling, the individuality of young people did not dissolve in him. Juliet is not at all inferior to Romeo in decisiveness. However, Shakespeare gave his heroine more direct. Juliet is still a child. She had two weeks left until her fourteenth birthday. Shakespeare inimitably recreated this youthful image.
Juliet has not yet learned to hide her feelings. She sincerely loves, grieves and admires. She is not familiar with irony and sincerely does not understand why you need to hate Montecca. This girl expresses her protest.
All immaturity of Juliet’s feelings and behavior disappears with the advent of love. She grows up and begins to understand the relationship between people much better than her parents. As the daughter of Capulet, she was able to rise above class prejudices. Juliet preferred to die, but did not begin to marry the unloved man. Such were her intentions, so she began to act.
An analysis of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet clearly indicates that with the advent of love, the girl’s actions are becoming more confident. She was the first to start a conversation about the wedding and demanded that Romeo not put off the matter, and the next day she became her husband.
Tragedy of love
Studying the analysis of the work performed in the play “Romeo and Juliet” (Grade 8), you can make sure that the high feeling of young people is surrounded by hostility.
The girl dies, almost without knowing the happiness of the love that she created and dreamed about. There is no man who could replace her with Romeo. Love cannot be repeated, and without it, life will simply lose its meaning.
However, after a brief analysis of the work of “Romeo and Juliet”, we can confidently say that the cause of suicide of the girl was not only the death of her lover. Waking up from the spell of the drug given to her by the monk, she realized that the young man laid hands on himself only because he was sure of her death. She just needed to share his fate. In this, Juliet saw her duty. That was her last wish.
Yes, the heroes of the play took their lives. However, at the same time they pronounced a harsh sentence on the existing inhumanity.
That light of love, which was lit by Romeo and Juliet, has not lost its strength and warmth in our time. Something close and dear to us is in the constancy and energy of their characters, as well as in the courage of their actions. We warmly welcome the nobility of their souls, which found expression in their rebellious behavior and the desire to assert their own freedom. And this topic, without any doubt, will not lose its relevance and will excite people forever.
Against whom was the rebellion raised?
Some literary scholars believe that the play shows us a clash of fathers and children. At the same time, a conflict erupts between inert parents and progressively-minded young people. However, this is not at all true. . , , . , - , , . , .
The love of Romeo and Juliet confronts hatred. Young people not only expressed their protest about old views and relationships. They showed everyone an example of how you can live completely different. Enmity should not separate people. They should be united by love. This high feeling in Shakespeare's play is opposed to the philistine inertness in the power of which is the Capulet family. Such great love is born from faith in the greatness of man, from admiration for his beauty, from the desire to share the joys of life with him. And this feeling is deeply intimate. It connects only a boy and a girl. However, their first irresistible attraction to each other becomes the last due to the fact that the surrounding world has not yet matured for love.
Nevertheless, the play does not leave us hope that everything will change for the better. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, there is so far no sense that freedom has been destroyed and evil has conquered all aspects of life. Heroes do not feel a sense of total loneliness, which will subsequently overcome Othello, Lear and Coriolanus. Romeo and Juliet are surrounded by true friends, the noble monk Lorenzo, the servant of Balthazar, the nurse. Even such a hero as the Duke, despite the fact that he expelled Romeo, nevertheless pursued a policy against the existence and further incitement of civil strife. In this tragedy, power is not opposed to the main character and is not a force hostile to him.