William Shakespeare's tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet, appeals to teenage audiences in 2010 because the themes that are explored are similar to the issues that young people are encountering in their daily lives. To what extent is this statement valid?
Planning:
Step 3: Explanation
Romeo and Juliet appeals to teenagers in 2010 because the themes used relate to what young people are experiencing in their daily lives. To what extent is this true?
Step 4:
Themes: True love, destiny, loss, fate and friendship.
Themes relation to today:
True love- Is seen to be harder to find today then back then.
Destiny- Is not believed by some teenagers today.
Loss- Is a problem that everyone encounters back then and today.
Fate- Is not believed by some teenagers today.
Friendship- Is still very important to teenagers today as it was back then.
Key ideas:
Themes that do relate to today: Friendship and loss
Themes that don’t relate to today: Destiny, true love and fate
Step 5:
William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet, does not essentially appeal to teenagers in 2010 due to the fact that they share similar themes in their daily lives. The theme of friendship and loss can relate to teenagers in 2010 but the themes of destiny, true love and fate are not encountered in every day life for teenagers in 2010.
Step 6:
Main paragraph 1:
In the play Romeo and Juliet the themes of friendship and loss can appeal to teenagers in today’s society as there everyday lives can relate to these themes.
Main paragraph 2:
The themes of destiny, true love and fate do not appeal to teenagers in today’s society due to the relevance of it to there daily lives. It is more appealing to them due to the fact that it is like a “fairy tale”. The themes of true love, destiny and fate are harder to believe in and find in todays society as it was back in Romeo and Juliet’s time.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet is appealing to teenagers in 2010 as it is like a fairy tale and they can also relate to some themes. William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, will be timeless and hundreds of years from now teenagers will be studying his plays and enjoying the fairy tale themes that can in some ways relate to them.
Step 7:
Main paragraph 1:
Theme: friendship
Evidence:
When Benvolio cares for Romeo and is interested in his problems. He is a true friend.
Page 13: (Act 1, scene 1, line 155) Benvolio asks Romeo what is wrong, comforts him, tries to cheer him up and guides him in the right direction.
Theme: loss
Evidence:
Page 97: (Act 3, scene 1, line 110) Benvolio tells Romeo that Mercutio is dead and Romeo is saddened.
Main paragraph 2:
Theme: Destiny/ fate
Evidence:
Page 37: (Act 1, scene 5, line 110) Romeo tells Benvolio and Mercutio that there are some consequences hanging in the stars in which he is referring to fate and destiny.
Theme: True love (love at first sight)
Evidence:
Page 53: (Act 2, scene 2, line 5- 25) Juliet is confessing her love for Romeo when they have just met.
Page 185: (Act 5, scene 3, line 120) Romeo toasts the poison to his true love Juliet and then dies to be with her.
Step 8:
The evidence show links to the main point through the themes.
Step 9:
Yes, my first to main pints link as they are the two themes that teenagers today can relate to and my other main points relate as they are themes teenagers today can not relate to as such.
Step 10:
Romeo and Juliet appeals to teenagers today because there are themes that relate to them and also themes that they wish they could relate too.
Essay
William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet, does not essentially appeal to teenagers in 2010 due to the fact that they share similar themes in their daily lives. The theme of friendship and loss can relate to teenagers in 2010 but the themes of destiny, true love and fate are not encountered in every day life for teenagers in 2010.
In the play Romeo and Juliet the themes of friendship and loss can appeal to teenagers in today’s society as there everyday lives can relate to these themes. The theme of friendship is expressed thoroughly throughout the main characters in Romeo and Juliet. A main example of friendship is when Benvolio cares for Romeo and is interested in his problems at the beginning of the play. “BENVOLIO It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?” (I, i, 155) This is when Romeo is saddened by the fact that Rosaline does not love him. He is depressed and is moping around when Benvolio, his kind friend, asks Romeo what is the problem. Romeo and Benvolio have a talk and this shows friendship. The theme of friendship links back to teenagers today as everyone has friends. Teenagers in 2010 need a good friend to talk to when they are having problems just like Romeo needed Benvolio. A main example of loss in the play Romeo and Juliet is when Mercutio dies. “BENVOLIO O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead. The gallant spirit hath sapired the clouds, Which too untimely here did scorn the earth. ROMEO This days black fate on moe days doth depend, This but begins the woe others must end.” (III, i, 110) This is when Mercutio has just been slain and Benvolio tells Romeo that he passed away. Romeo than has to deal with the guilt and shock of Mercutio’s death. This therefore represents loss. The theme of loss can relate to teenagers of 2010 as everybody will lose someone they love or cherish. It’s a part of life and no one can fight it. The themes of friendship and loss relate to teenagers of 2010 which helps Romeo and Juliet to appeal to them.
The themes of destiny, true love and fate do not appeal to teenagers in today’s society due to the relevance of it to there daily lives. It is more appealing to them due to the fact that it is like a “fairy tale”. The themes of true love, destiny and fate are harder to believe in and find in today’s society as it was back in Romeo and Juliet’s time. The theme true love (love at first sight) is evident in the play of Romeo and Juliet when Juliet and Romeo confess their love for each other only after meeting each other once before. “ROMEO It is my lady, O it is my love:” (II, ii, 10) This is after the Capulet party when Romeo sneaks to Juliet’s balcony and is admitting his love for her and hoping she will appear. “JULIET Be but sworn my love” (II, ii, 35) This is when Juliet walks out onto her balcony and is not aware that Romeo can hear her but is confessing she loves him to. This shows that Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other only after they had meet each other once which is very unrealistic in today’s society. Teenagers of 2010 find this theme hard to relate to as it is unrealistic and very rare to come across. They do however find this theme very sweet and dream of it for themselves in the future. The theme of destiny and fate becomes apparent when Romeo tells Benvolio and Mercutio that there are some consequences hanging in the stars. “ROMEO Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin this fearful date” (I, v, 110) In this passage Romeo is referring to the fact that his stars (sign) are telling him that there will be a consequence for going to the party tonight in which links to fate and destiny as in he can’t stop or fight it. Teenagers in 2010 find it hard to relate to the theme of destiny and fate, as it is again unrealistic and very “fairy tale” like. The themes of destiny, fate and true love don’t relate to teenagers in today’s society however they do appeal to them for their “fairy tale” like qualities.
In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet is appealing to teenagers in 2010 as it is like a fairy tale and they can also relate to some themes. William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, will be timeless and hundreds of years from now teenagers will be studying his plays and enjoying the ‘fairy tale’ themes that can in some ways relate to them.
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