Factors that Influenced Shakespeare's Writing of Romeo and Juliet

Factors that Influenced Shakespeare's Writing of Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare was clearly influenced by the events of his time, and this

is apparent especially in Romeo and Juliet. To dismiss this play as a

mere fable is to overlook some very important religious and political

changes of the time which are evidently woven into the storyline of

the play.

Shakespeare's religious beliefs are uncertain, but it is known that

his father was Catholic, and that he lived in a time of religious

stratification across both community and family ties. As a result of

the queen's toleration for vagueness in this area, people became

accustomed to "religious tension and confusion at a very personal

level". Many of Shakespeare's works reflect that tension. It is known

that these issues had affect on everyone living in England.

Romeo and Juliet is a play based around conflict; the conflict of two

families in discord with one another. The youth of the play cause

violence and death due to their extreme beliefs and actions.

If the family relationships are considered as a miniature

representation of the greater social structure then the possibility of

specific themes that are integrated into Shakespeare's play arises.

Firstly, consider Religious Extremism versus the Elizabethan

Settlement. Shakespeare is attacking neither the Catholics nor the

Protestants. What he does condemn is the senseless and radical actions

of youth in the play.

In Romeo and Juliet, the older generation has evidently made peace and

learned to live together, which resembles the principles of the

Settlement. The families are still separate entities, but they have

learned...

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...vidual, and would have understood that Romeo and

Juliet's decision, based on individualism, is their one major flaw and

that when acting as an individual, the consequences of ones actions

affect not only oneself, but the whole society.

Modern culture, now that we have grown so far from the age of

Individualism, can idolize Romeo and Juliet and villainize social

order, but it is uncertain to whether an Elizabethan audience would

have had the same views.

'I suggest that Romeo and Juliet is not so much a play about romantic

love as it is a religious and political commentary. To reduce

Shakespeare's work to allegory would be an oversimplification of his

work; however, to divorce it from the literary and socio-political

trends of his time is to overlook an important element of theatre

during the Elizabethan period'.