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How Do Shakespeare Interpret Romeo And Juliet

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Shakespeare is a staple of the classroom curriculum around the globe. Students read his works, like Romeo and Juliet, together, each claiming a part in the literature. By playing the different characters, they experience the story in new ways and see different points of view. Through discussion of the text they can further their understanding of the circumstances as well as the power the plays hold. Romeo and Juliet is an important part of the curriculum and should remain a part of it because of its relatability, adaptability, and cultural importance. Stories like Romeo and Juliet are special because of the way the reader can personally connect with them. When students see the incautious love of the characters, they can relate to the way they …show more content…

The adaptability of these works of literature allows for students to interpret them in ways that apply to both their own lives and the lives of the people everywhere. His works are sometimes modified to make them more palatable. For example, “in the eighteenth century, David Garrick understood that his audiences wanted a more pure and innocent Romeo and Juliet,” which allowed for a broader audience to enjoy the play and for his version to survive “for over a century” (Marche 383). If a school prefers not to focus on narratives involving violence and controversial topics, Shakespeare’s plays can be reshaped to fit their needs, as well as anyone else’s. In Iraq, a version of Romeo and Juliet was performed with Montague and Capulet as brothers with the focus being on bringing peace between the feuding families rather than the foolishness of young love (Janmohamed 379). The works of Shakespeare can endlessly be molded and altered by those who interpret them, because each one of his pieces has many aspects that can be focused on. Because of the fact that they are a part of the global culture, the works of Shakespeare are ones that “we enjoy as a species” (Petri 374). Their adaptability is why students should continue to learn Shakespeare, to learn why stories like that of Romeo and Juliet are timeless and that they can apply to anyone,

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