Love vs. Lust:

In Shakespeare’s famous play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Romeo and Juliet are described to be star crossed lovers that are so devoted to each other that they would even kill themselves if they could not be together. However you have to wonder whether it was love that they were feeling or was it lust. Romeo proposes to Juliet hours after they meet for the first time, and Romeo was so attracted to Juliet because of her looks and beauty and not necessarily for who she was as a person. This would be Lust instead of Love as it was about physical and visual attraction. Another factor could be their young age as Juliet was only 13 years old and Romeo was 16. Because they were so young they wouldn’t have experienced a lot of love in their lives therefore they may think that they are in love when they are actually just physically attracted to each other. You also have the fact that Romeo was so in love with Rosaline and then as soon as he meets Juliet he completely forgets about her, which shows that what he is feeling is not really love, it is more similar to feelings associated with lust.

Extended Response: Representations of Love with 'Romeo and Juliet'

Love is one of the main themes behind Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. This theme of love is portrayed through many different representations of love. The play starts of with Romeo being hopelessly and immensely in love with Rosaline. Romeo describes this kind of love like torture, as he cannot do anything but think about her. “Not mad, but bound more than a madman is; shut up in prison, kept without my food, whipt and tormented…” (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 50-52). This line from the play, whilst it is a slight over exaggeration it shows how tortured Romeo is by love, it is all consuming and overwhelming.

Quite different to Romeo’s representation of love, is the viewpoint that love is all about the physical and sexual aspects. The main character that has this viewpoint is Mercutio. Mercutio’s character often makes dirty humor and refers to the fact that love is for fun and is only about the physical aspects. “If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark” (Act 2, Scene 1, Line 33). This line is referring to the fact that Mercutio thinks that love is all about appearances, because he thinks that without appearance there would be no love.

Finally the last main representation of love is the love that Romeo and Juliet feel for each other. This love is all about fate and what is written in the stars. They feel as though it is their destiny to be together. Romeo sees Juliet to be light that has pulled him out of the darkness he was in because of Rosaline. “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth lamp; her eyes in heaven” (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 19-20). This shows how much Romeo is influenced by the fact that she is so light and bright like a star or an angel. It also offers a contrast from the darkness he felt for Rosaline. Shakespeare’s technique of ‘foreshadowing’ is used to hint at the fact that fate will take its part, and because Romeo and Juliet’s love relates so much to the stars and destiny, it mainly applies to them. “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life” (Act 1, Prologue, Line 6). This line hints to the fact that they are going to die even before the play begins, but it also highlights how it is their fate and that it is destined to happen just like their love.

Notes on Marriage Customs

Expectations of daughters in Elizabethan England:

The most important thing that a daughter can do is to be honest and also to be a virgin until they are married, because if they do not have these things they are considered to be nothing.

17th Century rules regarding marriage:

The main rules regarding marriage state that you can only be married between the hours of eight and twelve and not on a holy day. The marriage must take place in a church or chapel. People under the age of 21 must have a guardian present to give consent. The minister is not to marry any person without a license.

Marriage Customs:

At seven years of age a girls father’s could match them with a husband, at nine she started getting dowry, at twelve she was old enough to consent to the marriage (although many women did not have a choice). At the age of sixteen she will actually get married. The engagement was done in two stages, the first being of an agreement to marry and the second being the taking of an oath. The chastity of a women was their principal virtue, if they did not have that no man would look after her, and they would also receive serious implications.

Empathy Responce

Scenario: It is 2012 and a girl in her late teens has started dating someone who she believes is her true love. Unfortunately, her parents, family and friends don't approve of the relationship and are trying to force her to end it. Her parents have even gone so far as to say that they will disown her if she doesn't stop the relationship. In her diary she writes down her feelings about the whole situation. What does she write?

Dear Diary,

Why is this my life? Why are my family and friends turning on me? The only person who supports me is Ethan, but my parents forbid me to see him. My parents don’t like him because of his family background and because he is not socially sophisticated like my family are. Why can’t I be with someone I really love and be happy, instead of being with someone my parents approve of but being sad and unhappy for the rest of my life.

I love Ethan so much, and can’t imagine living without him. But everyone is trying to get me to break up with him, my parents are even going to disown me! What is even worse is that even my friends don't approve of him. I can expect my parents to disapprove of him, but my friends! The people I trust the most. I don’t know what to do, I have no one to turn to except Ethan, but if I do turn to him my parents will disown me.

Last night Ethan asked me to run away with him, and I am seriously considering it. But I don't know what to do about my family and friends because if I leave, I will never be able to come back, and I am not sure if I am ready to leave my parents. But at the same time I love Ethan so much that I am willing to do anything to be with him.

All the romance movies show how love concurs all, and I truly believe this, but if I choose my true love I will lose everyone else that I love. Why does my family think that they can tell me what to do and say that it's the best thing for me, when I know that it is not!!!! WHY DOES MY LIFE HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS!!!!!!

"Love Story" By Taylor Swift Discussion Questions:

Outline the subject matter of the poem?

The subject matter of the poem is a modern version of Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet”. The song outlines young love and the struggles that young people face. The song makes particular reference to the fact that they are using the story of “Romeo and Juliet”. An example of this in the song us the line “'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter, And my daddy said stay away from Juliet. But you were everything to me, I was begging you please don't go”, this is making particular reference to the story line of the original play, as Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers from families that hated each other. For example Juliet says “ My only love has sprung from my only hate.” This is reflected throughout the song aswell.

Why is the poem entitled “Love Story”? Use evidence from the lyrics to support the titles significance and relevance.

The poem is entitled “Love Story”, because it is story that they are telling us about their love and the struggle to get it. Stories always have climax’s and plots and are not always simple, which is a reflection of their love. The line in the poem, “This love is difficult, but it's real, Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess, It's a love story, baby, just say yes”. This line makes particular reference to the fact that it is a love story, but it also shows how they recognize the story when she says, “This love is difficult, but it’s real”.

 Describe the relationship between the two characters.  Who are they?

The two characters are young and in love, they are slightly dramatizing their relationship in a make believe story, however it is still reflecting their true feelings and emotions. An example of their true love is the line in the song, “I love you and that's all I really know”, this line shows how they don't really know what else is happening but they do know that they love each other.

What evidence is there to suggest that these lovers have to overcome obstacles in their relationship?

The lovers have to overcome struggles of status and family as highlighted in the line, “'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter. And my daddy said stay away from Juliet”. There are obviously some issues between their families that are preventing them from being together as her dad tells Romeo to stay away from her. But eventually they work out their issues when he asks her to marry her and he says, “I talked to your dad, you'll pick out a white dress, It's a love story, baby, just say yes”.

What themes and issues are explored in the lyrics and through the video clip?

The theme that is mostly explored throughout the lyrics and video is the theme of forbidden love. The two lovers are not socially accepted together, but they will still do anything to be with each other. “So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew, So close your eyes, escape this town for a little while”, this line from the song shows how they are hiding their relationship and how their love is forbidden, but they still love each other enough to stay with it.

How does the “Love story” end for Romeo and Juliet in the song? Is this how it ends for the Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? Why does Taylor Swift end her song this way? What perspective is she writing from and why would they want the story to end this way?

“Love Story” ends with them being together happily with all their problems resolved. However this is unlike Shakespeare’s version where they both take their own lives. Taylor Swift wanted to end the story this way to make it a happy story that people would want to listen to. However she is also showing people that things can work out and love does not always have to end tragically. She is offering a nice contrast to Shakespeare version that people might actually relate to.