Pyramus and Thisbe
The eternal story of true love was written long before Shakespeare told it to the reader. Back in the 1st century, the writer Ovid, in his poem “Metamorphoses,” described the death of two lovers who were not ready to live without each other. The heroes' names were Pyramus and Thisbe. They were born into warring families who could not accept the union of children. The lovers agreed on a secret meeting. Thisbe appeared on the spot earlier and saw the lion. In fright, she ran away and dropped the scarf, which was later torn by the predator. Pyramus saw his beloved’s torn scarf and thought that Thisbe had died. Unable to live without his beloved, he stabs himself with a knife. The heroine, returning to the appointed place, discovered a terrible picture and took her own life.
Shakespeare, of course, knew the poem and the characters in this story. This is evidenced by an episode in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream, where the actors rehearse a play about Thisbe and Pyramus.
Notes
. Inwood is a neighborhood in New York City, in the northern part of Manhattan.
. Schadenfreude (German).
. Marriage of convenience (French).
. Houseman, "The Shropshire Lad", XVIII.
. Here and below, quotes from “Romeo and Juliet” - translated by T.L. Shchepkina-Kupernik.
. S. Kierkegaard, “Either - or”: “The aesthetic justification of marriage.”
. Dante Alighieri, Inferno, Canto V, 100-142. Here and below, quotes from The Divine Comedy - translated by M.L. Lozinsky.
Italian interpretation
Further, the plot described by Ovid is developed in a short story created by a writer from Italy named Luigi da Porto. The work is called “The Story of Two Noble Lovers.” Here the names of the heroes appear - Romeo and Juliet, and the place of action - Verona.
The story was revised several times in Italy, after which it came to England. Soon a poet named Arthur Brooke wrote a poem based on the tragic story. It was this option that served as the basis for the creation of Shakespeare's great work.
History of creation
Perhaps world literature does not know a more famous author than William Shakespeare. But his main work is considered “Romeo and Juliet”. The author wrote this immortal creation based on three previously written short stories:
- “The Tragic History of Romeus and Juliet,” created in the mid-16th century by the then famous playwright Arthur Brooke. It was this that became the basis for Shakespeare's play.
- "Romeo and Juliet" by Italian writer Matteo Bandello.
- "The Story of Two Noble Lovers" written by Luigi Da Porto.
These works did not become popular, but they gave impetus to the writing of an immortal story about two young lovers who could not be together. For the modern reader, there is no secret about who wrote Romeo and Juliet.
The novel about love that tramples death was created by Shakespeare. The author wrote a brilliant work that will remain for centuries. It will always be easy and quick to read.
Compiler's Notes
The lecture has been reconstructed from the notes of Ansen and Griffin. Auden later published the introductory "Commentary on Poetry and Tragedy in Romeo and Juliet" in Dell-Laurel's edition of the play .
However, this article does not discuss the idea of romantic love, which forms the main topic of the lecture.
There is a story about a comic collision...
— Ansen writes that Auden attributed this story to “John Waugh,” but it is possible that Auden said “Evelyn Waugh.” Griffin reports that Auden, without naming the author, spoke about the wives of the French and Belgian ambassadors, with the neutral party being the wife of the British ambassador.
...Catharist heresy...
— The source of Auden’s reference to the Catharist heresy (a type of medieval Manichaeism) is Denis de Rougemont’s Love and the Western World (1939). Auden's skepticism about romantic love (in this and other lectures) is also consistent with de Rougemont's work.
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Romeo and Juliet. Part 3: is the story real...
William Shakespeare is not the first or fifth writer to be inspired by a dramatic love story. Many fans of the great tragedy “Romeo and Juliet” are concerned with the question: did Romeo and Juliet really exist ? Who really were Romeo and Juliet?
Shakespeare, inspired by the story of the relationship between Romeo and Juliet , the issue of “fathers and sons”, intrigues “from without”, and all this against the backdrop of warring family clans, retained the plot line, by that time treatises had already been written by many writers, leaving the scene in Verona .
William Shakespeare left the idea of the whole story, exactly repeating the course of events, while compressing the time period, thereby increasing the concentration of passions per square centimeter of a line, and, accordingly, the emotional outbursts of readers significantly. William Shakespeare also “rejuvenated” the girl – the main character; if Brook’s Juliet was 16 years old, Da Porto ’s was 18, Bandello ’s was 20 years old, then in Shakespeare’s tragedy she is just a child – 14 years old. And at the end of the work, the murder of Paris greatly fuels the raging heart flame of compassionate readers.
Juliet's House
According to the history of Luigi Da Porta , the events of the drama take place in the period 1301 - 1304 , this is the time of the reign of Bartolomeo I Della Scala (Shakespeare called him Escalus), in addition, Dr. Giuseppe Franco Viviani determined the exact date of the events taking place - 1302.
Luigi Da Porto is also an interesting witness , who in the annotation to “The Story of Two Noble Lovers” mentions the story of his friend Peregrino. The tragic story deeply touched the heart of Da Porto, especially since his own all-consuming love for the young Lucina Savorgnan was in many ways reminiscent of the story of Romeo and Juliet of the archer Peregrino .
The wit, emotional mood and curious details of the work of the English playwright Shakespeare made the suffering readers believe in the reality of what was happening. So, did Romeo and Juliet really exist? It all depends on which side of the barricade you are on; if you are on the side of scientists - chroniclers and bibliographers, then the answer is clear - no, Romeo and Juliet did not exist , and all architectural evidence is the machinations of the cunning authorities of Verona to attract tourist masses. And if you are on the side of the love-thirsty army of fans of the famous work, then, of course, yes, William Shakespeare wrote a real story about Romeo and Juliet !
Romeo and Juliet. Part 1: there is no more beautiful story... Where Romeo and Juliet lived in Verona Romeo and Juliet. Part 2: there is no sadder story... About the tombs of Romeo and Juliet in Verona Romeo and Juliet. Part 4: love lives at: About the Juliet Club in Verona
Svetlana Conobella, from Italy with love.
www.konobella.it
Svetlana Conobella, from Italy with love.
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About konobella
Svetlana Konobella, writer, publicist and sommelier of the Italian Association (Associazione Italiana Sommelier). Cultivist and implementer of various ideas. What inspires: 1. Everything that goes beyond generally accepted ideas, but honoring traditions is not alien to me. 2. A moment of unity with the object of attention, for example, with the roar of a waterfall, a sunrise in the mountains, a glass of unique wine on the shore of a mountain lake, a fire burning in the forest, a starry sky. Who inspires: Those who create their own world, full of bright colors, emotions and impressions. I live in Italy and love its rules, style, traditions, as well as know-how, but the Motherland and compatriots are forever in my heart. Editor of the portal www.allitaliano.it: Tatiana Kryachko.
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Romeo and Juliet: who they really were
Of course, it is impossible to say unconditionally what exactly Shakespeare was inspired by. However, there are historical facts that leave their mark on the minds and imagination of great creators. This tragedy began with the existence of King Afonso IV the Brave of Portugal, who had a son in 1320. His name was Pedro. It was he who became the hero of the most dramatic love story in his country.
Romeo and Juliet Source: Pinterest
When Pedro was 14 years old, his father decided to marry him to the Spanish Princess Constance. Everything would be fine, but the young man was in love with one of her ladies-in-waiting - a blond girl named Ines de Castro. The prince's first priority was duty, not feelings. Therefore, obeying his father, he married Constance. However, this union did not prevent him from simultaneously building a relationship with a pretty maid of honor. When, in 1345, his legal wife left this world prematurely, the prince considered it a blessing for love.
Pedro did not hide his relationship with the maid of honor, which incredibly angered the king, who was planning a second dynastic marriage for his son. At any cost, Afonso IV intended to separate the lovers. While the king was thinking about how to organize a new marriage, the couple began to live together. Ines managed to give birth to the prince four children. The surprising thing is that, unlike the legitimate son Pedro, Ines’s children grew up healthy. This fact also worried Afonso IV, who made sure that the future heir was a worthy contender for the throne, and not a half-breed. Intent on protecting the dynasty, he decided to imprison Ines.
K. Bryullov. “The Death of Inessa de Castro” Source: Pinterest
Ines de Castro asked Afonso IV to spare her life. She was ready for lifelong exile, if only her children, and, by the way, his grandchildren, were not left without a mother. However, the king was adamant - the woman was killed in front of the children.
Pedro was furious. The conflict led to a two-year civil war, where the prince became the instigator of the schism by opposing his father. The dispute came to an end in 1357 - Afonso IV died, and Pedro became king of Portugal. First of all, he found the killers of his beloved and punished them: on charges of heartlessness, they were literally deprived of their hearts.
What happened next was madness. The newly-made king ordered Inez's body to be taken out of the grave and seated her on the throne as a queen. All courtiers were obliged to kiss the hand of the corpse.
Alcobaça Monastery Source: Pinterest
Later, Pedro nevertheless buried his beloved in the church of the Alcobas monastery. Opposite, another sarcophagus was made, in which Pedro himself was supposed to lie after death.
