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Universal Truths In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Decent Essays

“Art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth. For art establishes the basic human truth which must serve as the touchstone of our judgement.” - President John F. Kennedy If one were to find themselves either strolling past or peering into a freshman class amidst their in-depth study of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, he or she would overhear students delving into various concepts and ideas, connecting these to their everyday lives and the world around them, that not only provides them with a deep-rooted influence, but rather that they make a lasting impact on. One of Shakespeare’s most tragically brilliant works, Romeo and Juliet, stands as an essential piece in the puzzle of the society that we all recognize today. Thus, it is …show more content…

As some may say, Shakespeare is “... a common vocabulary...he wrote what we all know.” (Petri, 374) This is because the plays contain underlying meanings that any person or event can relate to in some way. Romeo and Juliet can be related to different concepts of different age groups. Indeed, the most prevalent issue that the play encompasses is the teen age. “Shakespeare created this humanity, which now seems as organic to us as the spring.” (Marche, 385) In the play, lovers Romeo and Juliet are faced with numerous conflicts that impede their being together. In this, one could easily interpret different messages from another, such as “...how fast a bad decision can lead to a complete catastrophe.” (Rose, 391), “... yourself [and] the things you’ve done in your life…” (Rose, 391), or even “...how pride, regret, a lack of mutual understanding and interference from the outside are obstacles to resolving conflicts peacefully.” (Janmohamed, 380) Likewise, Shakespeare’s plays can be applied to multiple current and/or well known world events. For example, Shakespeare’s work Julius Caesar was an open representation of the anti-apartheid movement. “In a way, Nelson [Mandela] was the Caesar of the ANC…” (The Washington Post, 377) In a similar way, Romeo and Juliet, when put into the context, can demonstrate the beginnings of war in Iraq- the two lovers “...have been kept apart by the cycle of violence resulting from the feud between their fathers.” (Janmohamed, 379) just as the Iraqi citizens were thrown into war and violence because of an ancestral disagreement. Not only this, but the infamous character Capulet (Juliet’s father) can be a symbol of the

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