The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.0409  Friday, 28 February 2003

[1]     From:   Mari Bonomi <
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        Date:   Thursday, 27 Feb 2003 10:52:01 -0500
        Subj:   RE: SHK 14.0396 Re: Questions

[2]     From:   D. Bloom <
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        Date:   Thursday, 27 Feb 2003 12:21:41 -0600
        Subj:   Re: SHK 14.0396 Re: Questions


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Mari Bonomi <
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Date:           Thursday, 27 Feb 2003 10:52:01 -0500
Subject: 14.0396 Re: Questions
Comment:        RE: SHK 14.0396 Re: Questions

I still maintain (while I agree that Juliet is a far stronger
personality than Romeo and frankly a more interesting one) that the
reason for the closing couplet is quite simple:

There are few rhymes for Juliet, fewer still that would make sense at
the conclusion of the story line.  However "Woe" and "Romeo" is a most
convenient closing.

Mari Bonomi

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           D. Bloom <
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Date:           Thursday, 27 Feb 2003 12:21:41 -0600
Subject: 14.0396 Re: Questions
Comment:        Re: SHK 14.0396 Re: Questions

L. Swilley  on the last line of R&J:

>>>Romeo & Juliet:  The final line of the play reverses the name order
>>>of the title to Juliet & her Romeo. Might it be because she has finally
>>>won power over a patriarchal society?
>
>Since Juliet is the main character in this tragedy, the one who is most
>seen 1) insisting on taking her position in the adult society, then 2)
>trying to conceal it, it seems most appropriate that she should be the
>focus of the last line of the play, a line that identifies her as the
>principal subject of the play, Romeo her "charge".

Not to be a kill-joy or anything, but Romeo rhymes with "woe." (And
"gentle" ekes out the pentameter line.)

I spent a happy few minutes thinking of rhymes for "-et." I couldn't
find anything that either substituted adequately for "woe," or provided
the ribaldry necessary for a satisfactory parody. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
don

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