the love and resentment in “romeo and juliet”

HA NOI OPEN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ENGLISH
ASSIGNMENT ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN
LITERATURE
THE LOVE AND RESENTMENT IN ROMEO AND JULIET“ ”


HA NOI,DECEMBER 2007
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PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In the 15
th
-16
th
centuries capitalist relation began to develop in
europe. The former towspeople became the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie
fought against feudalism because held back the development of capitalism.
The decay of feudalism and the development of capitalist relation
was followed by and great rise in the cultural life of europe. There was an
attempt at creating a new culture which would be free from the limitation
of the feuclal ideology of the middle ages. The epooh was characterized by
the thirst for knowledge and discoveries, by a powerful development of
individuality
In the 16
th
century capitalism began to develop in England as well as
in other European countries. However, it had some peculiarities. English
humamism was both anti-feudal and anti-bourgeois. It was directed against
the ignorance and oppression of feudal, against the grabbing and self-
interest character of the bourgeoisie. It was the ideology of the most

2. SOCIAL CONTEXT
At the beginning of the tudor period England was still largely rural,
consisting of small villages scattered across the country although the
largest city, Lodon, had 60000 inhabitants by 1500. during the sixteenth
century the population more than doubled (to over 4 million), and charging
agricultural habits (grouth of sheep, farming, deforestationp) led to social
and economic problems. Wool production became the leacling
manufacture in England. Landowners drove thousands of peasants off their
lards, turning thse lands into pastures or “enclosures” for sheep. There was
no work for the peasants and many of them became homeless, beggars rust
for riches was typical of the new class of the bourgeoisie. The most
progressive people of the county could not help seeing the growing power
of money, and the injustice caused by it. The government’s solutionto the
problem only made things worse. By the middle of the century there were
probably more than 10000 homeless people in the roods. In 1601 the firsr
poor lan was passed, and this meant that local people became responsible
for the poor in their area. The local authorites could raise money to provide
food, accommodation and work for the poor from their parish. The rise of
capitalism was also an important factor, in particular in the cloth tiade
which reach its apex in the 16
th
century. There were also a series of
important techological advance, such as impoorovements in the
manufacture af steel, and the increasing use of coal. The condition of
woman in England was one of the best in Europe, although of the course
the strain of bearing enormous families and the high proportion of death in
childbirth
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The invention of printing at the beginning of the period to ever-
increasing standerdization of the english language. There was a boom in

literacy by the end of the period, it is estimated that half the population
could read and write
3. LITERARY CONTEXT
Renaissance literature in England is in fact full of influences from
classical models. Even so quintessentially of english an author as
shakespear based the structure of his plays on the five ats preralend in
anciend ROME, the very terms”comedy” and “tragedy” reflect an
influence from the past. One may even cite ROMEO and JULIET’s
suicicle as an example of classical values rather than those of
ELIZABETHAN church.
The use of ghosts in renaissance dramma evolved from rather solid
figures in early to the sophisticated psychological devices populating
shakespoear’s tragedies. Tragedy as the fall of a single great person due to
fatal flaw developed into webster’s tatolly corrupt and brutal world. The
major influence on the english listerature of the renaissance was
surprisingly not dante but petrarch, who established the language in
europe. It is difficult for moders perhaps to realise fust what a
revolutionary step this wa: romantic love has become part of life in the
wertern tradition and it is hard to imagine a time when this language was
not yet conceived or formulated. In fact, in renaissance comedy to make
people laugh, another characteristic of renaissance literature, which may
elude the modern reader, it decorum and elegance.
Since the romantic period more emphasis has been placed on
sincerity and naturalress, but this was alen to renaissance literature which
thus may sometime seem artificial to modern eyes.
The progressive ideology of the renaissance was humanism. Human
life, the hapiness of poeople and the belief in man’s abilities became the
main bubjects in file arts and literature. The works of humanists
proclaimed equality of people regardless of their social origin, race and
religion. Humanism did way with the dark scholastic traching of the

middle ages. The development of a new social order presented great
possibilities for man’s creative power. That is why the humanist outlook
was with bright optimism, with belief in man’s great abiliteis and his high
mission
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PART B:DEVELOPMENT
1. BACKGROUND OF SHAKESPEAR
William Shakespear(1564-1616) is the great playwright and poet
of England and humanity in renaissance, the period is considering that
“the greatest advanced turning point from the past to that time which
humanity has never seen before , the poriod needed great people and
made a lot of them . ” William shakespear is the example. He was born
in the small town of strat ford upon-avon in the bussiness family. In
1578, when his family has difficulties, hehad to dropout. In 1585 he
went to London where he joined a theatrical company and worked as an
actor and a play wright. At that time, England ideology develops. In
1613, he left London and return native town after one year, he died and
was buried there.
He is the author of 2 poems, 37 plays and 154 sonnets. His
creative work is usually divided into three periods
The first period that lasted from 1590 to 1600 was marked by the
optimism so characteristic of all humanist literature. It is best reflected
in his brilliant comedies. The two gentlemen of verona(1594),a mid
summer night s dream(1595),twelfth night(1600).’ They describe the
adventures of young men and women, their friendship and love, their
search for happiness. In this period, the historical chronicles form
another group of plays written by him, such as: King Henry VI (partII)
(1950), King Henry(partII)(1959). . . . however the main subjectsof the
chronicles are not the lives and fates of kings but history itself and the
development of the country.

The second period (1601-1608) are his four great tragedies:
Hamlet,Prinee of Denmark(1601),Othello, The moor of
venice(1604),King lear(1605), and Macbeth (1605). They reflect the
deep unsolvable contradictions of life the falsehood, injustice and
tyranny existing in society
The third period (1609-1612). His plays differ from everything
written by him before. The playwright still touches upon important
social and moral problems. He introduces romantic and fantastic
elements, wich have a decisive role in his plays. Due to these
peculiarities the works of this period- Cymbeline(1609), The Winter’s
tale(1610) and The Tempest(1612) are called romantic drammas.
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2. BACKGROUND OF ROMEO AND JULIET
Romeo and Juliet was the first farmous play of Shakespear. It
was written in 1549, include 5 scences with poet and prose. This play
depend on the true story about resentment montague and capulet family
in verona. The play talked about love story between Romeo and Juliet
in feuding of two families every became worse when Romeo killed
poeople in capulet family and Romeo was hard labour. Juliet had to
married another so she drink sleeping pill to pretend to be die in 42
hours to wait Romeo returning. Romeo came back seeing Juliet died
and he drank poison soon. Juliet wake up seeing Romeo died so she
suicided by sword of Romeo . Capulet and montague family went
The play was romantic butdeeply. It was not only praised the
love, but reflect. Social face at that time.
3. THE LOVE AND RESENTMENT IN ROMEO AND
JULIET.
Romeo is a montague who is in love with Juliet. Juliet is a
capulet, the only problem with this is that the two families have a
ongoing fuge between them romeo at this point in the story is standing

quietlly undet Juliet‘s bacony, Juliet was standing on her balcony, and
not realising Romeo was there because it was dark Juliet was
expressing her love to Romeo and Juliet at the first sight he felt in love
with Juliet. In his eyes, Juliet is the most beautiful girld. He campared
het with the best things. Such as”it is the east and Juliet is the sun”
compared her eyes with stars, even she was more beautiful than all
Two of the fairest stars in all the heave
Having some business, do intreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return
What if her eyes were there, they in her head
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lampo, her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
At the start of act 2 , Romeo is very immature in saying a few
things , like.
“Cast it off”,meaning that Juliet shoudn’t worry any more
because Romeo is there to save her and protect her.
Romeo can also be impracticable in the way he acts and the way
he expresses his love to Juliet. For example”I’ll be new baptized”
meaning that Romeo will change his surname and not communicate
with his family
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Juliet wondering that why does she love Romeo who is her
enemy. Why Romeo is a montague. If she is not a capulet, he is not a
montague that is good. She wishes she can wipe out her surname.
O Romeo are therefore thou Romeo
Deny they father and refuse thf name
Or, if thou will not, be but sworn my love
And I ll no longer be a capulet’
Romeo and Juliet , the star crossed lover, the perfect sadly losing

there lives for their great love of each other. The tragic death had many
characters to blame, but it is impossible to pinpoint the full
responsibility on one individual character. Many of the characters in
“Romeo and Juliet me each other for example, the prince blames the
two families and feud their deaths he believes that if certain thing were
different than this whole mess wold not have accuried. If this terrible
feud were not accurring than there would have been no objection to
Romeo and Juliet getting married.
Tis but thy name that is my enemy
Thou art thyself,thought not a montague
What s montague?it is not hand,not foot’
Not arm, not face, not any othe poart
Belonging to a man o, be some other name
What s in a name? that which we call a rose’
By any other name would smell as sw
Juliet wants Romeo to cast off his name because it is her enemy
and only surname. If he doesn’t bring this name he still Romeo with
heart and love.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that tille. Romeo, doff thy name
And for thy name, which is no part of thee.
And then, shakespear initial introduces Romeo to be a romantic
sentimentalist, who is over obsessed with his own emotions. Romeo,
however, loses thse personality traiths towards the end of the play and
becomes more mature offer falling deeply in love with Juliet. His love
for her strorg and over- whelming.
How cam st thou hither, tell me, and where fore?’
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb
And the place death, considering who thou ard

If any of my kinsmen find thee here
A trong love make a noble and beautiful feeling,
Help people over come themselves and difficulties.
With love s light wings did I o orpeerch these walls’ ’
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For srony limits cannot hold love out
And what love can do, that dart love attempt
Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.
Although their love is beautiful, deeply and strongly,thay cannot
overcome lawsof seciety and their love had bad effect. The reference to
Romeo and Juliet’s star crossed lovers’ hints that Romeo and Juliet
were meant to die because it was their desting. There fore this is what
fate had planned for their lives. It suggests Romeo and Juliet were just
a small part if a bigger poicture and their love and death’s spiralled on
chain reaction within verona. These chain reaction caused bigger events
to occur, such as the new proclaimed brothership and friendship
between montague and capulet” oh brother montague, give me thy
hard”. The cease of hatred between montague and capulet would have
made a huge difference to the city of verona. There would be less
fighting and unnecessary hurt and pain due to the family’s feud. The
city of verona would have been more united.
Thy drugs are quick thus with a kiss I die –
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end
O clurl, drink all and left no friendlly drp
To help me ofter? I will kiss thy lips
Haply some poison yet deth hang on them
To make me die with a restorative
In one of Shakespear’s most masterful pieces, he depicts a tragic
love story in which love conquers all but at what cost? The truth is in
this play, love is the victor, but with horrible consequences. Loves lives

on survices, but only at the loss of live. Shakespear constantly velates
love with tragedy, stating that love is in fact fleeting and impermanent.
The only way for love to live forever is if it dies young.
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PART C: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLAY
The significance of the play “Romeo and Juliet” is the art of
character setting of the author Shakespear. By his fine- true – writing,
Shakespear had brought to reader the portrait of a person, who came
over themselves, won man’s heart.
Through the play, William Shakespear not only spraised the
beautiful love of Romeo and Juliet, he also reflected face of society in
England at that time. When the freedom, equality, humamity are not
existance so Romeo and Juliet’s love may be had a good perfect.
In the play “Romeo and Juliet” the man was described by simple
and modest words of shakespear which brought reader chlser to the
character, feeling sad when the character sad, feeling pain when the
character was poain. So the play closer to the reader. Beside that, the
play left for mam valuable lessons. Although, the play is tragedy play, it
have humanist about man and their abilities.
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REFERENCE
1. outline of american literature
2. L. cortes nikiforova O soudlenkova(1987),”english
American literature”
3. www.boos.google.com
4. www.sv2 123 helpme.com
5. www.enotes.com
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