Human Struggle in Romeo and Juliet
Human Struggle in Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist, and poet who lived during the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his.
There are many reasons as to why William Shakespeare is so famous. He is generally considered to be both the greatest dramatist the world has ever known as well as the finest poet who has written in the English language. Many reasons can be given for Shakespeare's enormous appeal. His fame basically is from his great understanding of human nature. He was able to find universal human qualities and put them in a dramatic situation creating characters that are timeless. Yet he had the ability to create characters that are highly individual human beings. Their struggles in life are universal. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes their lives are full of pain, suffering, and failure.
In addition to his understanding and realistic view of human nature, Shakespeare had a vast knowledge of a variety of subjects. These subjects include music, law, religion, stage, art, politics, hunting, and sports. Shakespeare had a tremendous influence on culture and literature throughout the world. He contributed greatly to the development of the English language. Many words and phrases from Shakespeare's plays and poems have become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and poems have become a required part of education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas on subjects as romantic love, heroism, comedy, and tragedy have helped shape the attitudes of millions of people. His portrayal of historical figures and events have influenced our thinking more than what has been written in history books. The world has admired and respected many great writers, but only Shakespeare had generated such enormous continuing interest.
Love has existed in many forms throughout time. There is no better example than in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In this tale, when love is most apparent, the most crucial events occur to develop this "tragedy." The evident forms of love are love for friends, love for enemies, and love between lovers.
First, love for friends was, and is, a necessity for the characters. Romeo...