Thursday, February 4, 2010

Romeo and Juliet Connections

One of the reasons why Shakespeare's plays are so famous is because the audience can connect to them on so many different levels. In Romeo and Juliet, for example, readers might identify with either major character who is torn between parental expectations and personal desires. Readers might also connect with situations where a fight gets out of control or people hurt each other unintentionally. Take some time to ponder personal connections, literary connections, historical connections, or other connections that you can make to this famous tragedy. Share your connection on this post.

27 comments:

  1. In Romeo and Juliet most people find themselves unable to make connections, because this story takes place over 600 years ago. However, connections can be made.

    First, Romeo and Juliet reminds me of The Tellytubbies sometimes because everything is just such a daze. It seems like so many medieval things go on that it's magical, in a way.

    In addition, I found that I could personally connect to Romeo and Juliet. In modern times, there are plenty of girls that are completely obnoxious and only care about being popular. These kinds of people remind me of Juliet. Juliet is supposed to be the high and mighty perfect character of Romeo and Juliet but contrarily, she angers me. All she ever cares about is looking perfect for parties and taking hours getting dressed up, which is frankly obnoxious and annoying. This definitely relates to 2010, because there are so many girls that want nothing more than to look perfect, even though in most cases, the guys could care less how long it takes for them to get ready in the morning.

    Conclusively, although connections to Romeo and Juliet can be made, this process is very hard and time consuming.

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  2. Shakespeare's plays are made so that all types of people can connect with them and enjoy them even more. Romeo and Juliet is a play that many people can connect to on many levels, from parental disagreements to accidents that have a very bad effect. I personally can't think of any of my many mistakes that have had a terrible effect on someone else or major arguments with my parents, but I have had a more than a few disagreements with my siblings. There was one time where I wanted to date someone older than me by a couple years. My brothers, Adam and Josh, didn't like that idea because they thought that all guys only had those “bad thoughts'' on their minds constantly. Josh said that he would pretend that he just got out of jail and beat him up, while Adam played a bawdy song for my mom to demonstrate what is on teenage boys' minds. My mom, being the good mother she is, didn't listen to my brothers and she let me go out with the guy. Although this may not be the worst argument that could happen, it tends to happen very often, and it makes up my family. I don't mind, I love my brothers anyway.

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  3. A personal connection that I can make with Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet is rivalry between families. The Capulet's and The Mountegue's despise each others presence and are constantly competing to win at everything they do over any member of the other family. While my situation isn't quiet this severe, it reminds me very much of how my family is always trying to be better than our close family of friends, and vise-versa. My family is very close friends with this family, we get together for dinner and even spend holidays together. We love each others presence and relate in many ways, unlike the Montegues and the Capulet's. We do not verbally or physically fight, but there is an obvious on-going competition between our families. Whether its "look at my new car" or "hows your football team doing?", this brawling and jealousy flip-flops between our families, always trying to find who is better or can top the other. Our lifestyles tend to clash in several ways. Such as the way my parents have raised me, the responsibility and perks my parents have given me is very different than what they have given their children. I think every family has a different way that they think is the "right" way to raise children. Also, we tend to be materialistic, seeing who can buy what for a better deal. Another example are our views on dating, one family encourages young relationships, while the other wants their children to wait. Clearly, our families rivalry isn't nearly as severe or seirious as the one in Romeo and Juliet, but in many ways they are similar.

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  4. It is very hard for me to make a connection to Romeo and Juliet because times are very different today, than 600 years ago. For example when our class was watching the modern version of the movie, it was still hard to connect to the movie, but I managed to get some of it because of their actions.
    The older version was much more difficult because of some of the language used in Shakespeare's day. Also, the people didn't have all the resources as we do today, which made it harder to understand what they were doing. Today, people are killed unintentionally all the time, so its not uncommon.
    Girls these days care so much on their image, its crazy. Guys dont really care that much, especially coming to school some days. In my opinion, people shouldnt care so much, its annoying.

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  5. Shakespeare’s play isn’t always easy to connect with; however, I can somewhat relate to some of the characters. For instance, my brother can easily be compared to both Mercutio and Benvolio. While he isn’t really hotheaded, he does have a large sense of humor. My brother is known as “the funny guy” and more often then not, ends up carrying on a conversation with jokes. Similarly, he is somewhat like Benvolio. Often, he tries to keep the peace and is the reasonable one in the family. My sister, on the other hand, can be compared to Lord Capulet. I have felt that Lord Capulet that is rather smart and he is a little more easy-going, which is probably why he never threw Romeo out of the party. My sister is like this. Brilliant and while not exactly easy-going, she isn’t known to get upset over small, unimportant situations. However, just like Lord Capulet, she can have a temper, but it is rare. I am most like Juliet’s nurse. Like her, I am somewhat on the crazier side of life and am often joking around. While Shakespeare’s plays are sometimes hard to connect with, there are clearly character personalities that are easy to relate to.

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  6. One connection I made with Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, is that I’ve unintentionally hurt someone. My brothers and I like to fight physically, but we’re just messing around. My mom always said, “It’s all fun and games until someone looses an eye”. We never listened to her; we figured we wouldn’t get hurt. But every single time we would fight, one of us ended up pretty injured. We didn’t mean to hurt each other. We were only messing around, just like it seems that Tybalt and Benvolio were. I’ve also done this with my friends. We don’t physically fight, but we do make fun of each other all the time. Someone always takes it a little too far and someone’s feelings get hurt unintentionally. It’s a common problem that happens to everybody. We think we’re just kidding around and that everything is okay, but we don’t realize that someone can actually get hurt by what you say or what you do.

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  7. In “Romeo and Juliet,” I can connect to Romeo in some incenses. Romeo is very pushy and doesn’t like to wait for things. Romeo wants things now and not later. This reminds me of him. Sometimes when I want to go to hang with friends and pretty much force them to go with me. When I talk to my parents, I beg and force them to let me go to a party or something. I also want things done quickly like Romeo. When I want to improve a grade in one of my classes, I rush and get it done as soon as possible. Rome is defiantly like me in “Romeo and Juliet”

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  9. Many people find Romeo and Juliet to be a wonderful and magical romance between two lovers; I found it to be the same way but may look at it different than other people. I find Juliet to be impulsive and greedy. Juliet sees Romeo and instantly loves him. Romeo is a very impulsive and kind of love crazed. They both love each other but don’t even know who each other are.
    Stories about love at first sight are fiction because love at first sight does not exist in the real world.

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  10. Connecting Romeo and Juliet with the personal essay I recently wrote, my parents expectations and personal desires are not far from what I am looking for in my perfect guy. My mom would choose a tall, dark, and handsome guy with a good sense of humor. My mom would choose someone with a good personality, that isn't clingy. My mom wants me to be treated with respect, honesty, and good communication. My step mom, Paige, would find me a social guy, that gets along with everyone close to me. He would have to like music, have a strong build with a healthy physique. Paige wants me to be treated with integrity and respect, as well as good communication and equality. He should be an open minded guy that is spontaneous, creative, and full of fun and laughter. My dad fells I should be with someone that is secure in themselves. They should have enough motivation to make their own way. My guy should be ready for fun. He should be healthy as well as caring with an athletic build. In my dad's eyes, my perfect guy should have interests in music, arts, cars, people and travel. He should care for me and others and be well spoken. My guy should be one that takes care of himself. Because it is my biggest attraction to guys, everyone in my family would choose a guys with hot hands for me.
    Another connection that I have to Romeo and Juliet is the fights that get out of control, along with the strives that carry on for no reason. I used to be like every other teenage girl that lived off drama. Everyday there was a new problem within our friend group. I been told before that our group has the worst drama some people have ever heard. Someone was always hating on another person in our group for a stupid reason. My best friend Yazmin and I both decided that we weren't going to let drama get to us anymore. We stopped getting involved with everyone else's fights and kept our own problems to ourselves. We stopped being the victims in every situation, and started looking at things as they really are. We still have members of our friend group that still thrive on drama. To me and Yazmin, when our friends play the victims, it is just pathetic. It has changed how we all get along and how close we are. I hope that the rest of our group will get over all the drama, and we can all stay close and continue to be friends.

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  11. It is very hard to relate to the play of Romeo and Juliet. For one I have never been married, died or anything like that. Taylor Swift’s song, Love Story does explain Romeo and Juliet, with a different ending. I played this song to see if I could think of any connection. Now I have never had a true love or anything like that. I could not think of anything, but this really got me thinking of all the ways Romeo and Juliet could have ended.

    Link to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E

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  12. For me a connection with Romeo and Juliet is hard to come by. A connection I had though was that with the "Odyssey". In the "Odyssey" Odyssues makes a long journy through the mythical Greek world. In Romeo and Juliet their love goes through a long journey even though it only is a few days. The parents could also symbolize the monsters. Friar Lawrence and Juliet's maid represent the gods that help Odysseus. Paris is the suitors that are trying to court Penelope. That is the connection with "Romeo and Juliet" I make.

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  13. I love the play, Romeo and Juliet. I have read it five times, and each time I read it, I learn new things. I can relate to Romeo very well because I have a friend who is very much like him. My friend often chases after his heart instead of what his head says. He chooses passion over reason. My friend is fickle in the way he chases after girls like a puppy will chase after a bone. He often pays a price for his actions and is learning to listen to his head. Many people can relate to this play. I have many friends who argue with their parents about grades and their futures. I also know people who hate each other for no apparent reason. Have you ever seen a commercial for Verizon wireless or AT&T? In Verzion’s commercial they mention how bad AT&T is, and in AT&T’s commercials, they mention how bad Verzion ‘s survace is. It is funny that both phone companies hate each other so much. They look like they have fun disusing the other company. This is a perfect modern day example of the Capulet and Montague’s.

    As I was looking over some of my other classmates comments, I was angered by what they had to say. I don’t understand where they get the idea of girls caring about their image so much. It has nothing to do with Romeo and Juliet! They blame Juliet and other girls for caring about their image, when the men in this play are the ones with the image issues. The men of both houses are always competing with each other and they want to always look better then the men of the other house. I suppose this is also the same in real life. Everyone has their different styles and idea of what is “cool.” I feel like there is competition in different clicks around school; Goths, popular people, sporty people.. ect. People dress to impress.

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  14. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is the story of a boy and a girl and forbidden love. The parents of the two star cross lovers had augured and fought for decades. Then one night the fate of the two lovers changed. Though I have no personal connects with this I have seen, as I’m sure many of us have, this common story portrayed in many movies and books since Shakespeare’s time. West Side Story is a modern version of a Romeo and Juliet romance. Both lovers are from powerful groups in society, both their families fighting each other. When they meet its love at first site, they are in love, but of course this causes more problems between the two families. The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks, shares that same story. Two young soles fall in love, the love is rejected by their parents, and the story ends in tragedy. Now the basic plot is the same for many more movies and books, but of course the story has been changed some, twisted and turned. But it’s the same story none the less; we all have seen evidence of a rendition of this classic story.

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  15. In my opinion I find that it is very difficult to connect with the story Romeo and Juliet. While watching the movie during class I have been able to make more connections than while we are reading the book. I find that the more recent version is easier to relate to because it is more of like today’s world. One connection that I have found is that the society in both of these worlds including ours doesn’t hold back when it comes to displaying all of the gore that goes on in everyday life. I find this quite interesting how the people in those societies don’t care that much about what goes on and what the young children see and what conclusions they make from those actions they see. And this is true for both societies. The one that dates back to 600 years ago and the one that dates back to only a few years ago.

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  16. In Romeo and Juliet, it is hard to connect to it because the story is so old. But one connection I was able to make with the story was with how two houses always fought with each other. This is similar to this time of age because of our different gangs. Two famous ones that everyone references to are the Bloods and The Crips. Similar to the Montague’s and the Capulet’s they are constantly fighting and causing raucous. It also endangers the citizens around the feud.

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  17. Romeo and Juliet written by the iconic William Shakespeare is bursting at the seams with connections that many may make to modern day conflicts and events. All too often high school romances are built on nothing but deep infatuation with a person because of certain physical features or complexion. As in Romeo and Juliet, couples that meet this way refuse to look beneath each other’s skin and into the soul and personality of their partner. Romeo and Juliet’s “true love” is nothing but strong impulse and physical attraction to one and other. Simply put, both high school couples and Romeo and Juliet hold strong desires to come off as being the perfect couple and to look like the seemingly flawless pair destined to be together. Because of trends like these, the average high school student’s vision of the perfect relationship may become skewed, and in reality William Shakespeare may influence our generation more than most realize.

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  18. Most people don’t realize that Shakespeare’s plays are extremely easy to connect to. They automatically assume that since these plays were written about 500 years ago the entertainment he created didn’t have situations that happen today; but in reality these theatrical productions are no different from life today. Romeo and Juliet is probably one of the plays were connections can be easily made.
    For example, there’s the family feud between the Montagues and Capulets. This doesn’t just symbolize fights between families, but also sports teams, schools, gangs, and maybe even friends. There’s a “feud” between the Arapahoe High School (AHS) and Legacy High School (LHS) marching bands. The reason for this hatred between the two bands isn’t really clear; it’s just there. AHS band students dislike the LHS band kids, and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual. Also, there’s the school rivalry of Arapahoe High School and Heritage High School. I don’t know if there is a true cause of this rivalry, but Arapahoe kids and Heritage kids automatically have a hatred for students who attend their rival school. In the book The Freedom Writers Diary, there are entries that are about Romeo and Juliet and how the kids in Ms. Gruwell’s class made connections with their own lives to the text. Long Beach, California, is notorious for gang fights, and the conflicts these young students live through are exactly like Romeo and Juliet. There are rivalries between gangs for reasons unknown to those participating is this turf war, all they know is what others have told them and they don’t question it.
    Another reason Romeo and Juliet is easy to connect to, is the thought of “love at first sight.” Everyone has at least considered the idea of “love at first sight” once in their life, some believe in this fantasy, but others realize it’s only fiction.
    Everyone has been hurt intentionally or unintentionally by someone at some point of time in his or her life. This is another reoccurring theme in Romeo and Juliet. Just like Mercutio and Tybalt battled it out verbally and physically, teenagers also participate in this absurd activity. Mean girls like Massie Block, from the New York Best Selling book, The Clique, is a perfect example of this kind of catty behavior. Massie will stop at nothing to acquire what she wants, even if it takes a nasty comment or two to reach that prize. Example number two for this crazy hatred is a fight many a middle schooler witnessed a few years back at Powell Middle School. Two girls were in an argument and this certain disagreement ended up with a fight. This fight wasn’t one of those sissy “cat fights” this struggle was full out, hair was flying everywhere and I bet the girls were planning on clawing the other’s eyes out. They weren’t fighting for pride and glory; these teens were in a conflict about a guy, unlike the Montagues and Capulets who fought for dignity.
    The reasons stated above are not the only connections to Romeo and Juliet out there, and I can think of plenty more, but those said are the probably the most relatable topics. Those who find it hard to relate to classics like Romeo and Juliet seem to look at the more obvious connections, and not the ones underneath it all, and hopefully they too can find those links in ways they never expected.

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  19. From personal to historical connections and everything in between; I can relate Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet to what I have experienced. A personal connection I have with the play is the best friend, Mercuito, being a goof and a little bipolar. I have a friend that possesses the same type of qualities that Mercuito does. Even though my friend is not completely bipolar, sometimes he would be better off saying he is. Furthermore literary connections are a different story because I cannot say I relate them all to a good thing. I have never really liked all the Shakespeare or the Edgar Allen Poe’s. I can relate this to the two families that are in a feud. Sometimes it is a fight between the two, like the text and I have sometimes. The thing that both have lived to deal with is each other. Even though they are not happy with the other, sometimes its good to let the other get away with things. For example the whole freshman class having to read Shakespeare because it is a requirement. Finally within history only a few events can be related back to Romeo and Juliet. The Cold War can be related because even though a shot was not fired the two countries got their point across pretty clear. Shakespeare takes a little digging around to find the correct meaning, but when you do a great message is shows; As Russia and the USA showed during the Cold War.

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  20. I can connect to Romeo and Juliet because when I was in third grade our family friends the Smiths and the Jones never spoke to each other again because of what their kids did so long ago. The youngest Smith, Andrew and the youngest Jones, Emerald were both happily playing on the monkey bars. Andrew then “anciently” “pushed” Emerald of the monkey bars, causing a life long feud. They never invited each other to Superbowl or New Year’s parties, and never gone on Fourth of July camping trips together again. Eventually families in that same circle start to take sides. Still to this day the two families do not speak to each other. This is just a connection that pertains to this circle of friends; the majority of people can’t make these connections because they do not look deep enough to find them.

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  21. I connect to Romeo and Juliet in the way of parents fighting inbetweeen families. It was a fight between our parents and are neibors parents. The all started just because they got mad at are dogs barking so they called animal control and they left us a warning. This shoked my parents after being friends with them for years but now to this that still is a problem.

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  22. I can possibly can connect to Romeo and Juliet on how friends fight. How they will start to play around and push each other then start calling names once one hits one and starts fighting serious. I have never had to deal with parents fighting between parents before. And with How Romeo killed Tybalt for killing his "best friend" Marcuciho he was basically in shock from it. He didn't think of what was going to happen after he killed him. And that's the same now and days people hurting each other with the saying "Think before you speak" and doesn't think. With friends we say things that just come to mind so we can seem bigger and that were not scared. Same with those days. Be are just jealous, eager, think they're stronger and better. Everyone has there little ways to connect to Romeo and Juliet and those are my connections, and maybe the same to others.

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  23. I can connect to Romeo and Juliet, because I know two families that fight and they hate each other. They are the Proctors and the Esterbrooks. I think it is so funny how they fight over little stuff like they won’t even let one another on each others lawns. It reminds me so much of the Capulet’s and the Montague’s. They fight over people being in their property and stuff. One thing they don’t have is the forbidden love. Its all boys like no girls sneaking behind the backs of the parents to be with the boy. I think it is silly that families fight I think people should get along and love eachother

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  24. After reading the tale of Romeo and Juliet, I realized that I have many of the same traits as the hot headed family members of the Capuletes and the Montegues. In many ways my bothers and I are very hot headed and we will never attempt to sole problems our problems by talking in a civilized manner. Instead we take the problems and try to solve them with brute force and hatefull words. Even though we are from the same family we always act as if we are mortal enemies. I bid thee adieu, thou shall quarrel with thy bretheren.

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  25. I connect with the play Romeo and Juliet, because I know how you can unintentionally hurt someone, whether it is physical or through talking. You cannot take back what has already happened. Just like putting toothpaste back into the tube once it is all squeezed out. I have done this, not the toothpaste, but I have hurt some people I didn't mean to hurt. Yes, it was an accident but I can never take it back, and that has ruined a few relationships that could have been good. The Capulets and the Montagues do this all the time, they hurt each other, but like when Mercutio died, it was an accident. And although it was an accident both sides (Capulets and Montegues) believed it was on purpose, so they fought for no good reason. And more people were injured, if they had just talked it out and seen that they are really quite alike, they could get along and forget this stupid rivalry. End of story.

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  26. Although the scene for Romeo and Juliet occurred many years ago its relevance is still prominent today. I could personally connect to Juliet when he father disowned her for not obeying him. Juliet was loved by her father; therefore the situation was not critical. My mother disowned me everyday. When she disowned me she did not love me, but Lord Capulet still loved Juliet after she refused to marry Paris, he have been angry but he still loved her. Shakespeare truly captures the finicky fancies that permeate the human gene, for all of time humans have been fickle in their pursuit for happiness, Romeo and Juliet’s time is not an exception, in is the normal state of life; forever will people have petty brawls and Romeo and Juliet illustrates that truth beautifully

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  27. Although Romeo and Juliet's story took place over 500 years ago, many of the events that occurred relate to today's events. Many young adults/ teenagers feel that their parents are too over protective. Many children's parents won't let their kids date who they want to date because they feel that they are not good enough for their child. Young adults want to have their freedom and date who they want to, but most of the time parents have good reasons for the rules they set. Now a days, children are starting to become more rebellious, doing what they want to. This causes problems, such as in Romeo and Juliet. The end result may not be as bad as death, but many hearts can be broken. One more connection I can make is that this story relates to the tale of Beauty and the Beast. These two stories relate to one another because in both tales the main characters found love when they were least expecting it. This shows that you can find love anywhere, even when you already think that you have found your true love.

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