reading response: ROMEO & JULIET

       As you know, I have been reading the book "Burned" by Ellen Hopkins, and quite frankly after reading it for over two weeks I realized that I didn't like the book. Nothing happens. However, I was able to write two blogposts off of it but it wasn't because of the plot line or the book its self. It was more of, my response to the twisted Mormon society that the book takes place in. So, I thought to myself why am I reading a book that I don't enjoy? And because of that I've taken a break from the dark and depressing Ellen Hopkins books.
       Mainly because we're studying this in class, I am currently re-reading (for like the 100000th time) Shakespeare's tragedy: Romeo & Juliet. To most of the world "Romeo and Juliet" is a heart warming love story, not only is it heart warming, but its probably the most classic and beloved love story of all time. Everyone desires love like that. I'm sure that even the most "safe" and boring people really do dream about running away and experiencing something "forbidden," sneaking around under the moonlight in balconies all secretive, it's probably every teenage girl's fantasy. But as reading this with a different perspective I'm realizing the sickening irony shakespeare put into this play. As if to mock... pretty much everyone....
       In school, we were given a sonnet to read, in which Shakespeare says the opposite of everything you would usually say in a sonnet. like, "her lips aren't red like coral," and "music sounds much nicer than her voice." We learned how Shakespeare was mocking all the other sonnet writers and kind of waking everyone up. I mean, it is pretty ridiculous. This may not sound romantic but I don't care how pretty any girl is, scientifically her eyes cannot shine brighter than the sun. They just can't or being on the same planet as her would blind you let alone burn you to death. I feel Shakespeare was thinking like this when he was writing that sonnet. Like me.
       But now, reading Romeo & Juliet after having that discussion in class, I'm realizing that irony of Romeo and Juliet's tragedy is trying to make the same statement as his sonnet. Juliet is only 14 years old. 14!!! I know that this is set in an older time period where life starts younger, but still thats not even a high school girl in our society. Do you know how many girls don't find "true love" in middle school? let alone high school, let alone college! even 40 year old women still get married and start families. Juliet had her whole life ahead of her when she met Romeo, who knows what such a wonderful young girl could accomplish in her life. I know that in the 1500's it was normal to marry in your teenage years, so this may not have supported Shakespeares intentions but it sure does prove mine. Juliet thinks that Romeo "loves" her, when the irony is, (and I think shakespeare must have done this intentionally) just before Romeo met Juliette, in like the second scene of the play, he was going off about "Roseline" and how he loved her. And needed to be with her forever. Then as soon as he lays eyes on Juliet he drops Roseline like an old pair of socks. Who knows, if he survived he could have easily forgotten about Juliet, and moved on.
         In reality, I feel that Juliet was a poor, confused, and innocent girl who experienced "first love" in  an over dramatic way which led her to leaving her life in the hands of an un decided, un-rational, hormonal, teenage boy. And that was the mistake that led to her downfall.
         Just the whole epic failure that Romeo and Juliet go through is what my entire theory is based on.  And the beautiful things they say to each other, just makes it even more of a slap in the face to all those starstruck lovers out there, because they feed into it. It's like tempting kids with candy, and Shakespeare's a genius because all the negative messages he's trying to send are covered by Romeo and Juliet's beautiful relationship. And not only is he getting his messages out but, the people of the world who he's making fun of don't even realize it! They're way to caught up in the story of these two beautiful passionate lovers who the people aspire to be. And Romeo and Juliet is a pretty amazing play.
         It's like making fun of someone, but they not only don't know your making fun of them, their amused by what your saying! Shakespeares a genius making statements about his world through his writing, and the people he chooses to demean, just feed into his plays. And, his writing and his ideas behind his writing are eternal. Im sitting here typing in the year 2011, and I'm talking about how Shakespeare used Romeo and Juliet, to make fun of all those mushy starstruk lovers out there. And my theory makes perfect sense, because anyone can interpret Shakespeare in any way they want.