Shakespeare in Love

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Shakespeare in Love

How true is my love? William Shakespeare creates the readers world of wonder. His own marriage was a world of wonder. Shakespeare’s wife was young and beautiful. Her name was Anne Hathaway. She was eight years older than Shakespeare. Shakespeare was eighteen when he married Anne. They were joined in a “hand fast marriage.” This is a contract to marry before witnesses, marked by a kiss and a ring. It is followed by sexual intercourse forming a binding marriage.

Romeo and Juliet had a delightful marriage. Shakespeare wrote about happy marriages. Romeo loved Juliet so much that he was willing to die for her. He never did her any wrong and cherished her love. Shakespeare is a woman worshiper. In Elizabeth I, Viola is a young witty girl who dresses as a man to work with Shakespeare. Viola falls in love with him. Viola is portrayed as vibrant and bright. Accusations of Shakespeare’s affairs are published in the novel, No Bed for Bacon. Shakespeare was said to write about love from his own experience. A Midsummer Night’s dream describes love the best.

Is love predictable? Hermia and Lysander, in a Midsummer Night’s dream, have an altered love. Hermia’s father chose whom she would love, but Hermia already loves Lysander. She elopes with her love. Then a spell is cast upon her to fall in love with Helena, her fathers best friend. Love is so strong Hermia can’t be forced to love someone besides Lysander, there is a spell. Shakespeare portrays love to be the strongest emotion. It is said that love was the reason he stayed with Anne even though she was so far away. Romeo and Juliet were not supposed to love each other because of family quarrels. They felt so strongly toward each other that they refused to let anything get in the way of their love.

Romeo and Juliet are a tragedy. The love they shared brought them to death. Romeo and Juliet tried to be together. They married without telling their family. Juliet’s father had a plan for her to marry someone he favored. Juliet refused, her father insisted, so Juliet faked her death. Romeo was supposed to get a letter telling of the plan. The letter was not received. Romeo found Juliet, supposedly dead, he killed himself at her side. Juliet awakened to her lover dead and committed suicide. Is love this strong?

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