The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 19.0648 Thursday, 13 November 2008
From: Felix de Villiers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Nov 2008 09:10:23 +0100
Subject: All-Male Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Theatre
Comment: SHK 19.0638 All-Male Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Theatre
The failure of Romeo and Juliet to abscond seems plausible to me. Everything
happened so quickly. Their secret marriage was already an act if wild defiance
to their families. They barely had the time to make such plans. Then we often
have two souls in us: one that rebels and the other that holds back and 'obeys'
and can't so easily challenge authority. The young lovers would have needed time
to plan their next move. Escape and a fait accompli marriage would probably have
led to dire consequences. Shakespeare knew from the start that he was writing a
tragedy which leaves us with two eternal youths, their failure and their
triumph. That is the main point of the play rather than things people could or
couldn't have done. (I would have expanded this theme more but don't have the time)
Felix de Villiers
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