Do you ever long for a love that seems eternal, only if it lasts for a moment and the whole world turns against you? “Romeo and Juliet”, by William Shakespeare, is a play about two young teens from enemy households who fall in love, only for it to end tragically. It is a timeless classic with many modern adaptations as it resonates with all generations in every part of the world. It is a story of adolescence and love, along with reality and tragedy. We see ourselves in these teens and see beauty in their story. Romeo and Juliet is a timeless classic because it can happen in a modern day situation as well.
The same plot idea can be used in many different settings, not that just of the 16th century. Parents oppose the love of their children all the time in the modern world. This is why Romeo and Juliet is often remade as a modern retelling. Instead of conflict from enemy families, there can be conflict coming from different races, religions, socioeconomic status, ableness, age, sex, etc. The point is, many people are not able to be together for one reason or another, usually because of tradition or taboo. If I could direct the play of Romeo and Juliet in a modern setting, I would make the two lovers the same sex.
In the article, Sawara Malika says, “There are a lot of men and women, girls and boys, who were in love and were unable to be together. I was one of these cases. If they are really in love, they have to break these barriers. ” There is a lot of opposition towards samesex relationships, which is being fought against in the gay rights movement. Many people in all parts of the world are unable to be with the ones they love because of law, tradition, and what’s “wrong” or “unnatural”.
This is such a common issue that still eeds to be accepted, so I would use this in my modern retelling. By having the two lovers be the same sex, I would express a message of equality and how unreasonable and harmful this opposition is. I believe this would be a fresh approach to a play done so many times. It is a real world issue happening in the modern day, affecting many. It would give reason to conflict for the lovers as to why they cannot be together. It is a “forbidden” love, like that of Romeo and Juliet. It is a new way to look at the story, and the setting can be in either the 16th century or modern times.
Depending on the setting, the two lovers may end up being executed instead of taking their own lives. This seems like a more tragic ending than that of the original play. The play will potentially deviate from the original Shakespearean play for the sake of situation, but that will not necessarily be bad. The play “Romeo and Juliet”, by written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century. A difference in time is apparent in the play, and sometimes make the viewers feel that the story does not relate to our modern lives.
Because of this, the play has been modified, keeping the overall plot, to fit the modern and young eye. The story is the same; rival households, love at first sight, and the death of the two lovers. The fact that the same plot can be used in a modern setting tells us about our world and love. Love has been a constant theme throughout history, and rarely do overall plots completely change with time periods. There are still reasons as to why two people cannot be together in the modern world, so this play is still relevant.
Romeo and Juliet” has been reworked so it can be understood by the younger generations in the modern times. It is often simplified to be understood at a middle school level. Luke Palder, 14, says “You know the families will drop it, and that wakes us up to the error of our own ways, so you could adapt this to any time period. ” He explains how the plot can be used in essentially any time period and setting because it is universal and so versatile. From the play, we learn how rivalry can be dangerous and love can affect us in different ways.
We learn about how we feel about their star-crossed love and how they had to take their lives. This is why this play can connect to everyone. In different parts of the world in different points of history, conflicted love isn’t new. Couples cannot be together for one reason or another in every part of the world. With its universal theme connecting to everyone, the play has been retold many times in different settings. It is the same play and plot, but with just different settings. By doing this, audiences can see how the story of the two lovers relates to their real world and life.
It has been simplified so that children can understand and relate to the play. We know that hate does not end up well, and the play displays this theme. This works everywhere, and that is why Romeo and Juliet is such a timeless classic, and can be remade in thousands of different ways. This is the reason for its fame and why it is made out to be the most known love story of all time. William Shakespeare is the mastermind behind the star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. This play essentially made known the widespread idea of rebellious teenagers.
In his time, teenagers probably weren’t exactly the same as in our time, but it started to be that way. In the modern day, teens are known to be rebellious against their parents, impulsive in nature, and naive in life. The concept of adolescents being this way is relatively new, and Shakespeare has a lot to do with it in his play, “Romeo and Juliet”. “Romeo and Juliet” is a story of two young lovers rebelling against their parents by deciding to be together. They are very young, teens, who fall in love and act upon impulse.
They know not of life’s hardships and experiences, only concerned with their own selfish needs and the not the wishes of their parents. This sounds a lot like today’s take on modern teenagers. Shakespeare was the one who used the idea of these rebellious teens and adolescence in his writing. He “invented” teenagers, or rather, created the idea and made known the nature of adolescent boys and girls and their wholly rebellion. If not for Shakespeare’s play, the nature of teenagers would not be well recognized until probably much later.
Shakespeare understood teenagers, and that is why he was able to write about them. According to the New York Times article on “How Shakespeare Invented Teenagers”, “He loves his teenagers even as he paints them in all their absurdity and nastiness. ” Shakespeare understands these teens and knows how they tend to act. If not, he wouldn’t be able to write “Romeo and Juliet” very realistically. He expresses his love for teenagers through this story and the outcome of it, no matter how tragic. The play clearly expresses the adolescent stage in life in a way that it still resonates 400 years later.
The fact is, teenagers are still of the very same nature, and how Romeo and Juliet acted still reflects the modern day nature of our very own teens. Whether we like it or not, we can relate to the two lovers with their impulsiveness and inexperience. We act that way or have acted that way in at least one point in our lives. In reality, we may have acted in the same way that these two young adults did some point in our own adolescent stages. Despite the harsh reality and the frustration put on us by the two lovers caught up in their adolescent stupidity, the play still manages to be wonderful.
Many of us fancy the idea of a “forbidden” love and how spectacular adolescence is; caught up in the moment where nothing else matters. Their love is a sprinkle during a drought; short-lived and weak, but an escape from reality nonetheless. It is a short moment of glory before the cruel reality faces them. Although they are frustrating teens, we see ourselves within them, longing for a love like the one they shared, even if it is only a moment in time. This is what makes this play “wonderful”.
