Compare Romeo and Juliet Essay

Romeo and Juliet and pride and harm are twain of the most admirable and exquisite full treat ment ever written virtually the struggling heat of two opp 1nt forces. The falsehoods have had a great literary importance and slide by us a sense of dearest and marriage on its most dumbfound journey during the Elizabethan Era and the Napoleonic wars. Even though these two novels are from two divers(prenominal) eras and are quite divergent as a result of it, this essay entrust argue that twain Romeo and Juliet and soak and Prejudice are indubitable similar in the concern of lamb and marriage. Firstly, this essay will re give way a short amount of background signal regarding love and marriage during the Elizabethan era and in the turn of the nineteenth century. Secondly, the essay will talk about the comparison and distinction in love and marriage present in the novels. Thirdly, this essay will contend and hopefully conclude with the chosen thesis.During the Elizabethan era women were subservient to men and they were raised non to consider former(a)wise. They were expected to draw whomever the father would lodge appropriate. The Scottish protestant leader John Knox wrote Women in her greatest nonpareil was made to serve and obey man.( Alchin, L.K. Elizabethan Women.) The marriages were arranged to lay down alliances with other powerful families which becomes the obvious environment in the reckon about Romeo and Juliet. delight in was not significant between a man and a woman. sooner the importance of financial security and a life in ever more safety was prioritized finished the marriage of a wealthy suitor. In the play by Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is being arranged to marry Paris, a kinsman of the prince, a substantially suited husband for her disrespect of her disapproval. As Paris sings God resistance I should disturb devotionJuliet, on Thursday early will I ro engagement ye.(kisses her) Till then, adieu, and keep this holy k iss. ( Romeo and Juliet, 4.1 William Shakespeare) This is not a marriage for love and this typical prejudice of marriage is also passing present in Jane Austens give self-respect and Prejudice. One of the characters Charlotte amongst other, is suddenly convinced of a socially ideal marriage which was the most habitual way to unite in the turn of the nineteenth century.I am not romantic, you know I never was. I ask solely a comfortable home and considering Mr. Collinss character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fairish as most people can boast on ingress the marriage state. (Chapter 22. Page 193. hook and Prejudice. N.p. Planet Pdf). Most women decided to marry sort of than depend on other family members for financial support. Due to this extract or lack thereof, love and passion were presumed to be less inseparable in peoples rifles. Charlottes quote expresses more or less the plight woman had throughout th e turn of the nineteenth century. Its very plausibly that the Author of soak and Prejudice, Jane Austen intentionally tried to die womans position in love and marriage as they were. Shakespeare on the other hand probably had a slightly different agenda which was mainly to please the audiences. All though it is important to mention that Shakespeare presumably wrote about this social decay because he did not delight in of what was going on at the time. We might say that this includes the social precondition of women and their meager rights in love and marriage. Get thee a good husband, and use him as he uses thee.(Alls headspring That Ends Well 1.1.212-13) In Romeo and Juliet the thing of love dominates the play. My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep the more I give to thee, The more I have, for twain are infinite. (Romeo and Juliet 2.2, William Shakespeare).Love in this play is simply not one-sided. in that location is puppy love or shallow love which is th e love Romeo has for Rosalie, scarcely drawn to her appearances. This view of love is also present in the novel primp and Prejudice. One of the main characters Mr. Darcy speaks of the woman who later becomes his wife She is bearable but not menome enough to tempt me (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice,Planet Pdf p.14 Ch. 3) Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice are both acclaimed love stories which center around a man and a woman and their love for for each one other. The other characters obligate care to play their important role converging upon these lovers or lovers to be. In both stories we call for a strong opposing love due to a distinctness of social class as occurring in Pride and Prejudice between the middle class, the Bennetts and the Aristocrats Darcys and new money the Bingleys. In Romeo and Juliet the antagonistic love is more defined as a quarrel between two powerful families who will not by some(prenominal) circumstances find peace with each other. Two hous eholds, both also in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge disruption to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. (Romeo and Juliet, Prologue p.7 William Shakespeare). The kin of Montegue and the House of Capulet are the two families who are sworn enemies, never to reconcile until Romeo and Juliets deaths. Nevertheless both the novel and the play have in usual the opposing forces set in the story.These two main characters should not be together in love as a result of familiaritys rules. They both defy societys instructions and give in to love rather than reason. This way of writing was probably intentional by Shakespeare considering the Renaissance period was also about ecumenical ordination as in Humanism which was a significant factor in general in Shakespeares plays.( Renaissance Humanism and Shakespeare.) Both Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice paint marriage as one of lifes most important choices. Even though this is the case, it is considerably important to ensure that Pride and Prejudice has a slightly closer focus on family over husband whereas Romeo and Juliet leans more toward love for husband over family in my opinion. The reason for this is the personalities of the women in the Novel and the Play. Both Juliet and Elizabeth are strong distaff characters who are being presented as very respectable human beings despite their flaws. In a way we can say that both authors, Jane Austen and William Shakespeare speak for the women at that time and their difficult situations in love and marriage. fretfulness, love and loathe is also a common denominator in these stories. These three words as a whole provide us with an overall understanding of these books. Passion as source of consistency, love as a diversity present in different elements, and hate as an enemy to love to create balance.All though there are quite a a some(prenominal) similarities between the novel and the play, there are als o a few contrasts present in the books which are important to consider in an depth psychology of love and marriage. The play Romeo and Juliet has an overwhelming amount of overpowering force of love in it which supersedes everything. The love Romeo and Juliet has for each other is almost obsessive, and self-destructive as a result of it. (Love is a smoke raised with the pot of sighs world purged, a fire sparkling in lovers eyes Being vexd a sea nourishd with lovers tears What is it else? a madness most discreet, A choking gall and a preserving sweet. ( Romeo and Juliet, 1.1, William Shakespeare.) Romeo speaks of love as he has read in books, but incredible experienced. Romeos passionate feelings develop into a deadly love at the end of the play when the couples  sad destiny prevails and they both die by their own hands. Pride and Prejudice do not have this uncontrollable intense love. The novel focuses more on the consummation of marriage and stability in life, financial an d the image of respectability rather than the passionate lusty love. It is important to remember that love is also one of the themes of Pride and Prejudice and that the love in which the main characters Darcy and Elizabeth have for each other at the end of the novel is some of the reasons why this book is so successful.Even though the excessive love is more present in the play about Romeo and Juliet as a result of their wide-open passion as archetypal lovers, it is relatively different than what we see in Pride and Prejudice. Both stories have a background of societys expectation in love and marriage such as Juliets arranged marriage to Paris and Elizabeths friend Charlottes marriage to Mr. Collins an overbearing, and ridiculous heir to the entailed Bennetts estate. In the play about Romeo and Juliet they are being referred to as star-crossed lovers Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes .A pair of star-crossd lovers take their lif e Whose misadventurd piteous overthrows. Doth with their death bury their parents strife.( Romeo and Juliet, the Prologue. p.7, William Shakespeare,) The stars functions as an opposition to Romeo and Juliets destiny and is there-for an indication of a not intended universal love as we can see clearly at the tragic end of the play followed by the death of the two young lovers. Pride and Prejudice have a slightly different ending. It has lot more satisfying completion where the two main characters finally can live a fulfilled life together despite the societys heavy burden of commandment which the reader of the novel was most likely able to anticipate through-out the novel. We see that Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice have an seeming(a) distinction at the end of the two books towards the consideration of meaning. Clearly Romeo and Juliet is a forced equation whereas Darcy and Elisabeth are more likely to be predestined.By analyzing some of the similarities and contrasts in lo ve and marriage in the two books I find the similarities no more substantial than the contrasts. This might be a result of the underlying elements that keep on grasping the connections as we see it. Some of the leading aspects of this influence are the love against all odds in Romeo and Juliet versus the more predestined version in Pride and Prejudice. another(prenominal) important element is shallow love which presents it-self in both books through the ignorance of the characters. We see similarities in the societys established rules of marriage and the characters capacity to oppose to these decrees. Then again there is an over-powering and obsessive force of love in Romeo and Juliet which is not accounted for in Pride and Prejudice. Due to these almost exclusively balanced analogies and divergences I cannot conclude with the chosen thesis and instead I accept the equity of exceptional authorship.Work citedAlchin, L.K. Elizabethan Women. Elizabethan Women. Www.elizabethan-era .org.uk, 16 May 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New York Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2011. Print. Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. N.p. Planet Pdf, n.d. Http//www.planetpdf.com/. Planet Pdf. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Alls Well That Ends Well Entire Play. Alls Well That Ends Well Entire Play. Http//shakespeare.mit.edu/allswell/full.html, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. Renaissance Humanism and Shakespeare. Http//www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SAYLOR.ORG-ENGL401-RENAISSANCE-HUMANISM-SHAKESPEARE.pdf. The Sailor Foundation, n.d. Web.