Five days of July
The young representatives of noble families did not even suspect how quickly everything around them could change. But the only meeting of two young people became the starting point in the development of further events.
Bloody feud between two families
Medieval Verona has long suffered from a bloody conflict between two powerful clans. It lasts for so long that no one even remembers the real reason . Young Montague, not a stupid man, even believes that the long-standing conflict has long exhausted itself. This is an important touch to characterize Romeo.
The confrontation between the Montagues and the Capulets made the situation so tense that swords or knives could sparkle at any moment if anyone made a careless remark. What can we say about deliberate provocation!
The townspeople had long been tired of being afraid, because accidentally being near the place of fights was mortally dangerous. Either one of the fighters or a random passer-by could have died.
A variety of people are drawn into the black hole of quarrels, who are not even relatives of warring families. It was the servants from these two houses who first started the fight.
Then the nobility and even the heads of the clans joined the fight. A bloody massacre began again in Verona.
The incident was immediately reported to Duke Escalus, the current ruler of Verona. By the way, he is a historical character with a famous surname. In real life he was called Bartolomeo della Scala. The ruler was beside himself with anger and announced that in the event of another, already the fourth skirmish during his reign, the heads of the warring families would answer with their lives. He ordered a fine to be paid to the treasury. At least for some time the strife should have subsided.
The fun of young Romeo
The handsome and brave representative of the ancient and very powerful Montague family was still very young and was in a hurry to grow up. He, of course, received an excellent education and in the future was supposed to strengthen his family and worthily inherit the glory of his ancestors.
In the meantime, like all young men of his age, he is somewhat irresponsible and thinks more about having fun with friends. This is his portrait at the beginning of the work. But one problem gnaws at Romeo: so far he has not managed to win Rosalind’s favor. This beauty turned out to be unapproachable. The young man decided that she was the only one with whom happiness was possible. The arguments of his friends, who were trying to reason with his comrade, flew past his ears.
By chance, Romeo learns that in the evening there will be an annual ball at the Capulet house. Friends persuade him to go there and have a lot of fun, of course, after hiding their faces under masks. In addition, the risk of being exposed gives the sensations an extraordinary sharpness, and in visiting an enemy’s house there is a kind of daring and even fearlessness.
The prospect of a profitable marriage
The life of fourteen-year-old Juliet in her parents' house was carefree. From childhood, the girl was looked after by a nurse, a kind but stupid woman.
In those days, many did not consider early marriage and motherhood to be something out of the ordinary. This was the norm in medieval Verona. That is why the Duke’s relative, Count Paris, came to Capulet to ask for the hand of the beautiful Juliet.
For a short time the father doubted whether his daughter should get married at such a young age. Yes, of course, he knew that early childbirth could be dangerous for a young woman, but Juliet was born when her mother was not even fourteen years old. It was agreed that the count would arrive at the ball, where he would try to win over his chosen one.
For the girl, her mother’s message that Paris, an adult and experienced man, wanted to marry her, and today would be her first meeting with him, was somewhat unexpected. Young Capulet had not yet thought about marriage, but was fully aware that such an event would sooner or later happen in her life. Obeying her mother's will, Juliet begins to prepare to meet her groom.
Birth of love
On the eve of the ball, no one had any idea what events would happen that evening. But they were inexorably approaching.
Failed adventure
The prudent hosts invited guests to the feast according to a list, having previously discussed the candidates . These were mainly families in which there were Juliet’s peers. The event was like a brilliant parade of brides.
The festive bustle, fun and turmoil that reigned in the Capulet house contributed to the fact that several young guys with masks on their faces were able to penetrate the enemy’s holy of holies - his house.
For some time they managed to remain unrecognized. But a few words spoken by Romeo changed everything. Tybalt, Juliet's brother, heard him and realized who was standing in front of him. The hosts of the ball do not see anything wrong with the fact that the enemy’s son visited their house, because everyone knows about Romeo’s nobility.
The beauty's hot-tempered brother sheathed his sword. However, he considered such a daring visit of uninvited guests to be unheard of impudence and only postponed the showdown with the visitor for a while.
Meeting of Romeo and Juliet
The ball is in full swing. Noise, fun, dancing - everything goes according to plan.
Suddenly something happened that no one could have foreseen: young Montague saw a beautiful young lady and was simply enchanted, not yet knowing that she was from the Capulet family. And in an instant the world changed. Romeo understood:
- from now on he can live only for this girl;
- the unknown charmer is his true love.
It was at the time when Romeo, in the guise of a monk, tried to tell Juliet about this, Tybalt recognized the voice of the enemy. A young guy and a young girl, overwhelmed by mutual sympathy and almost love, had to find out that their hearts had opened to the enemy.
Juliet experienced despair and almost shock, because from childhood she was taught that the Montagues were the sworn enemies of their family, the embodiment of evil. But love turned out to be stronger than enmity.
For Romeo, who had previously decided for himself that there had long been no objective reasons for the continuation of the conflict between the two clans, the desire to find out more about his beloved was irresistible.
Having made his way into the garden and hiding, he heard a voice pronouncing his name. This is how he found out that he was not indifferent to Juliet. The description of this scene is so amazing that it has long been dismantled into quotes.
The main idea of the work
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare shows true human values that can destroy traditions. Love has no barriers: it is not afraid of any prejudices. Young people are ready to go against society for the sake of their happiness. Their love fears neither life nor death.
"Romeo and Juliet" is one of the most interesting works of William Shakespeare. The tragic love of the main characters Romeo and Juliet, described by the English playwright, still causes unprecedented popularity among readers. The hostility between two wealthy families, which have been feuding for several centuries, finally ends. It ended thanks to the great and pure love of two young hearts, who by an absurd accident left this world. The real feelings that the heroes carried through many hardships and hardships ultimately brought long-awaited peace to families.
Happiness that ended in tragedy
It became impossible to live without each other. How can you breathe if your hearts don't beat nearby?
Married, united before God
The lovers understand that there is no opportunity yet to open up to their family. And so the matchmaking of Count Paris happened inopportunely . At this difficult moment, the true character of the young Capulet is revealed:
- she is ready to go against her parents’ will;
- For the sake of love, the girl agrees to secretly marry Romeo.
These steps may seem insignificant to modern readers. However, in medieval Verona, such an incident could cover the entire family with terrible, indelible shame. And even the blood couldn’t be washed off. In this light, fragile Juliet looks completely different: she fights for her feelings and defends the right to love.
And this despite the fact that two people close to her fought in a mortal duel, and Romeo, who desperately opposed the duel, still killed Tybalt. The pure soul of the young wife does not even allow the thought that it was her husband who became the culprit of the tragedy.
A chain of mismatches and tragedies
But how to prevent the implementation of his father's plan? Friar Lorenzo, who had secretly performed the wedding ceremony for the young couple the day before, came up with a witty idea:
- Juliet should not contradict her parents: let the preparations for the wedding continue. But on the eve of the celebration, the girl will drink a special potion. In the morning everyone will decide that she has died and will bury her in the crypt. Forty-two hours later, the young wife will come to life again.
- During this time, the messenger sent to Romeo will bring him news, and the husband will be able to hug his beloved.
- After this, the couple must live in exile for some time, and when passions subside, they can return to Verona.
Juliet accepted the monk's offer and followed the instructions exactly. And at first everything went according to the script: the Capulets placed their daughter’s body in the family crypt.
However, Romeo did not receive the letter, but learned about his wife's death from his servant. Arriving in Verona, he immediately went to the Capulet crypt, having purchased a reliable, powerful remedy from the pharmacist in advance.
The fight with Paris only briefly delayed the execution of the decision. Having killed the count, Romeo said goodbye to his young wife, beautiful even in death (so he believed), and drank poison.
Soon the dream, similar to death, left Juliet. But what she saw horrified and plunged her into despair. There was not a drop of poison left inside the bottle, and the beauty plunged her own husband’s dagger into her heart.
Only this terrible and, in essence, absurd death of the lovers stopped the enmity between the noble families of Montague and Capulet.
Realism of the plot
It is hardly worth forgetting that Shakespeare wrote a play for the theater, but not a chronicle of events . In the short duration of the performance, the actors must very clearly and captivatingly tell the audience a touching story, reliably reflect the image of the decisive Romeo and the image of Juliet, so fragile and courageous.
Love, which flared up in an instant and became stronger than death, like the story itself about the sad fate of two young representatives of noble families, is still a theatrical story that covers only five June days. And it is written in such a rich language that the play can well be called a quotation source.
And even though in life many things happen completely differently, this wonderful fairy tale about pure love that has overcome centuries-old enmity wins the hearts of people. And the names of Romeo and Juliet have already acquired a household name: they began to call lovers.
Nurse's Daughter
There was another riddle in the text that I could not figure out for a long time. This is a nurse's monologue about how her daughter died 11 years ago. The woman names the dead child Suzanne, and then Juliet. She insists: the children were similar and the same age. So who died then, Suzanne or Juliet? We don't know for sure. We can assume that Juliet died, and before us is Suzanne. What does this give us? More than it seems. First, we finally understand why Juliet's mother is trying to destroy her. And secondly, the issue of incest is removed and the trusting relationship between the nurse and Juliet is explained.
All the characters in the tragedy care about their own benefit. And if the nurse says that Juliet is not the daughter of Capulet, her head will fly off her shoulders. When the father yells at Juliet, forcing her to marry Paris, the nurse tries to reason with him: they say, you can’t do this with your daughter. Capulet cuts her off: mind your own business. And suddenly the nurse says: “I’m not talking about betrayal.” I can’t yet interpret this phrase, but it is very strong. So they both know something. And I like that there is a secret left, which maybe someone will reveal later.
Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film stars 17-year-old Leonard Whiting and 16-year-old Olivia Hussey
Capulet definitely had a close relationship with the nurse herself. At night, when they are preparing together for the wedding of Juliet and Paris, Capulet calls the nurse by name - we did not know that she had a name - and wonders if she has stored sweets for the holiday. “All your sweets are just finger-licking good!” - he adds. - “Oh, you old libertine! Go to your bed! Otherwise you won’t get up until noon tomorrow!” - the nurse waves him off.
When I am asked what this Shakespeare tragedy is about, I explain: it is not about love, but rather about hypocrisy. And if in the traditional presentation Romeo and Juliet die due to a tragic coincidence, then in the true interpretation the environment of the main characters is interested in their death. Romeo and Juliet had a lot of help in dying. And everyone got something from it. Mother dreamed of destroying Juliet - she did. The Prince of Verona, a relative of Paris, wanted money - and he got it by deliberately pitting representatives of warring clans against each other and fining them for brawls. Friar Lorenzo, who married Romeo and Juliet, sought to establish his status - and he did: he was called a saint. And only two old men - Montagues and Capulets - were left with nothing. Without heirs and without wives - Romeo's mother died of melancholy, and Juliet's mother says that her grave is already close.
In Baz Luhrmann's version (1996), Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio), trying to sort out his feelings for Juliet (Claire Danes), indulges in recreational drugs
If you take into account all these nuances, a different atmosphere of the work emerges. And I really hope that the play in the new translation will be staged. Shakespeare today, against the backdrop of the devaluation of cultural values, sets a new bar for the perception of artistic material. It will be read differently not only in Russian, but also in other languages. And even in English, since no one understands the archaic text anymore and proper adaptation is needed.
