The Influence Of Knock In Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare

Have you ever asked anyone a knock-knock joke before? If you have, then you can thank Shakespeare for that. In his play Macbeth, Shakespeare introduces the phrase “Knock Knock! Who is there?” and due to this, we have the famous joke that we use today. Likewise, Shakespeare is a part of everyone's lives, even if they do not know it. He has opened up the world of theatre to new ideas, and he changed everyone's lives on Earth one way or another. However, many people do not realize how influenced they are by him until they read one of his works. In Stamford High School, the freshmen students read Romeo and Juliet, which is an incredible play, and should be required by the school district to freshmen students to read. By reading Romeo and Juliet,

The plays can also introduce students to the world of drama. Many students can relate to the love, loss, and pain the charters experience in the plays. Having the ability to compare the feelings, emotions, and actions of the characters with their own can help the readers make decisions and help them relate to the other students around them. Likewise, Shakespeare helps people all over the world, including people in prison. For example, in the article Why Do We Still Care About Shakespeare?, it says, "Even in prisons, inmates who pursue educational opportunities regularly find lessons about Shakespeare and his plays. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, a play about the conspiracy to assassinate the Roman emperor, is one of the works regularly used to introduce inmates to literature and learning, Craven said. The plot and themes involve murder, political treachery, and justice. These are all things that people in prisons would report to and are interested in.” This citation demonstrates how much Shakespeare can impact a person, no matter their situation. He gives readers a story that they can jump right into and feel at home with. They can relate to the story, and the conflict in the text can guide the reader to understand the problems going on around them as well. Likewise, Shakespeare also introduces students to drama. Most students have not read any plays until they are required to read Shakespeare.

However, there are many people who do not believe that it should be a required book for freshmen students. The play contains very tough motifs, such as suicide and death, and some may think that is not appropriate for teenagers. For example, from Romeo and Juliet, teenagers may receive the impression that it is okay to commit suicide for love, and that it is a grand, romantic action. However, that is not the case, and it can put the wrong images into a mind of a teenager. Furthermore, although there are so many negative motifs in the books, there are so many more postive motifs in the play than negative ones, such as love, bravery, hope and much more. In the same manner, one may also argue that students are not as interested in Shakespeare as much as they are in modern novels. For instance, in the article Why Do We Force Students to Read Shakespeare? it reads, “Students (even those in higher level classes) are more likely to sit up and listen for stories that they can relate to and find interesting.” However, multiple students can relate to the different characters in the plays and the classic love story of Romeo and