CUWAC

CUWAC, Curl Up With a Classic, is a monthly meme, hosted by me, in which I review a classic novel.

Title: Romeo and Juliet

Author: William Shakespeare

Rating: *****

Summary: Seriously? Is this necessary? Two feuding families, kids fall in love...

Review: My favorite work of Shakespeare. Beautiful, romantic, and tragic, Romeo and Juliet is perfect for a hopeless romantic like myself. It's story is based on the themes of true love and the fact that violence and hatred will get one no where. I know there are many complaints about this play, and here I shall attempt to address them:

• Juliet is too young for Romeo; it's gross. Okay, so yes, she is supposed to be about fourteen, and it is assumed Romeo is at least twenty. But when Shakespeare was around, this was completely normal! He didn't write it to be gross. During this time period, girls were married as soon as they were were women, and never to boys their own age. Which is completely sexist, but hey, let's just be thankful that time is over!!


• They fall in love too quickly, and they know each other for three days before getting married. All I can say about this one is whoever says this has no faith in the power of love. I think if you believe in love at first sight, you can believe this could happen. Love isn't always this sudden, but in Romeo and Juliet's case, it drowned them from the beginning.

Now, you may not agree with me, but I love this play. If you have to read something by Shakespeare, make it this. Not only is this my favorite play, it is one of two works of the Bard that I actually like, the other being Twelfth Night. All in all, definitely read this play, romantic or not. It's basically a necessity of anyone who calls themselves a reader.

Recommended for: romantics

If you haven't already, check out my review for the "retelling" of Romeo and Juliet, O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell here.