Review: Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a famous play written by the equally famous playwright William Shakespeare. Millions of people have hailed this drama as one of the best tragedies ever written for performance on a stage. It is the best known of Shakespeare's works, and the majority of the population automatically associates the man with the play, and the play with the man. Thousands of papers, documents, books, and films have been written on the topic of Romeo and Juliet, the vast majority of them being positive. However, recent reviews written by younger members of the population are harder to come by, and so yet another review shall now enter the fray. This one too shall say that Romeo and Juliet is an excellent play, and a perfect example of the talent and genius of writer William Shakespeare.

Most often, when attempting to formulate an opinion of Romeo and Juliet, the first thing that comes to mind is the language. It is in old English, and many find it difficult to understand. This alone is enough to knock off a few points in the opinions of most people. Before doing so, the reviewer should carefully consider the wisdom of holding this against the play. Shakespeare wrote the play in old English because that English was not old when he wrote it! It is grossly unfair to let this influence an opinion; there is no way he could have written it in modern English because modern English did not exist at the time. That all aside, the language is still English, and an individual should not have too much difficulty in understanding it. However, it may be desirable to read the play before seeing it preformed, as this allows the reader to stop and comprehend the meaning of confusing lines.

In reality, the language is quite well written; the usage of iambic pentameters, couplets, and other forms of rhythm and rhyme. When spoken, the words flow and create a sort of rhythmic beat. The soliloquies are quite good for the most part, although some of them are too long and seem to drone on. Some of Shakespeare's cleverness can be seen in the puns used by Mercutio. Many of the things Mercutio says have dual meanings, one obvious and serious, while the other is often a sexual joke or reference. It can be assumed from these puns that Shakespeare was extremely creative. Overall the language is an excellent example of Shakespeare's talent as a writer.

The story line is commendable as well. The story has many twists and turns that keep it moving without resorting to mindless action like many of today's screenplays. From Romeo's first meeting with Juliet, to their wedding, to Romeo's banishment, and finally their deaths, every event that takes place fits the tale perfectly, and almost nothing that happens seems awkward or out of place. In general there is plenty of cohesion, although some short sequences seem to take place for no purpose at all. For example, a short conversation between several servants and a musician that occurs in Act 4 Sc. 5 seems badly out of place, as it is completely pointless and has no bearing on the plot. However, such out of place scenes are quite rare and do not detract much from the overall quality.

The simple fact that Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy also turns away many people. It is against human nature to delve into something which one knows will have an undesirable outcome. Romeo and Juliet is one such thing; who wants to read a love story in which the lovers both die? In addition to the deaths of the lovers, the characters Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo's mother all die. Although Tybalt is an antagonist, he is "pretty cool" in the opinions of much of today's youth, and it is saddening to see him die. Mercutio is a very loveable character as well, and it is quite sorrowful to see him die. It is certainly tragic to witness the loss of so many characters, but the play is a tragedy, so sorrow should be expected. Or should it? Did Shakespeare have to make it a tragedy? Of course he did not, but that was what he chose to do. Whether or not this is a negative is left up to the reader.

Romeo and Juliet is an admirable work of literature and an excellent onstage performance. It far surpasses most other plays in the areas of language, plot, and drama. The play’s outstanding quality is best demonstrated by its longevity; after all these years, Romeo and Juliet is still known world-wide as a masterpiece. Despite a few minor flaws, Romeo and Juliet can be considered one of the best stage performances ever written. Read it or see it as soon as you can!