Student Essay on Shakespeare in Fast Forward

Shakespeare in Fast Forward by William Shakespeare

Essay

William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is about two lovers from two different feuding families who end their life because their parents disapprove of their love. After falling in love at first sight with each other, Romeo and Juliet plan to elope in secret the very next day. After five days of their first meeting, they both die. Romeo drinks a kind of poison when he thinks Juliet is dead. Juliet stabs herself with a dagger when she finds Romeo dead. Romeo and Juliet's love, misconception, and death happen so fast, the whole play could not have happened in real life.

Today, people do not fall in love as rapidly as Romeo and Juliet. In the fifth scene of act one, Romeo and Juliet see each other for the first time across a hall filled with guests at Capulet's feast. Capulet is Juliet's father. Romeo says to himself, "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night" (I.v.54-55). He is referring to Juliet and is falling in love with her relying alone on her physical appearance. After they meet and talk, Juliet says, "My lips, two blushing pilgrims ready stand / to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss" (I.v.97-98). Juliet is already talking about kissing Romeo on the first day they meet. The love between Romeo and Juliet is already unlike contemporary love. After the feast is over, Romeo and Juliet meet in Capulet's orchard. After Romeo expresses his love for Juliet and when they are getting ready to part, Juliet says, "Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow" (II.i.144). Romeo and Juliet have met for the first time and Juliet is telling Romeo to set up their wedding and send her word about it by the next day! Romeo and Juliet are very quick to love when they hardly know anything about each other.