Star Crossed Lovers Analysis

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The path of true love has never run smoothly. Star crossed lovers are lovers that are meant to be together regardless of conflicts. William Shakespeare first coined the term ‘star crossed lovers’ in his tragedy Romeo and Juliet. The archetype of star crossed lovers is present in numerous cultures. Some examples are the Mexican legend of Popocatepetl and Izataccihuatl , Mark Antony and Cleopatra from Ancient Egypt and the Persian legend of Layla Majnun . These are just the more popular stories. Many stories surrounding star crossed lovers are present in some cultures. Every story has slightly different ideals and morals that are being displayed, which is a reflection of the culture they were created in. The Elizabethan play Romeo and Juliet …show more content…

Ranjha is the youngest and favourite child of a farmer in a Punjabi village. After his father’s death Ranjha leaves his brothers and their families because they mistreat him after the death of their father. But now that he has no property to his name his social caste is lowered. Ranjha travels further into Punjab to find a job, he eventually comes to a river where he meets a beautiful girl named Hir and the two of them fall madly in love with each other. Hir takes Ranjha to her father so he can give Ranjha a job and he becomes their cowherd. This allows them to court each other in the forest and their love becomes the talk of the town. Hir’s family is aware that Hir and Ranjha want to marry so they ask for the village elders approval but the elders do not agree with the match because Ranjha is of a different caste than Hir. Instead Hir is forced to marry Saida, a man of her class, and she is unhappy in her marriage because she is in love with Ranjha. Now that the two cannot be together Ranjha attempts to become a holy man. Realising that he belongs with Hir after multiple conversations with the Pirs, Ranjha goes to Hir and they run away together so they can get married. Pir translates to old man, but in this context it means a saint (Shah 10). But on their wedding day Hir’s uncle tells her that her ex-husbands clan has killed Ranjha. So Hir drinks poison so that she does not have to live without him, after hearing that Hir killed herself Ranjha also kills himself so he does not have to live without her. But they now live happily in the kingdom of God set apart for lovers (Shah

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