Book Club
By Elena Black
Hello dear Slytherins!
Now, before I reveal my choice for this month's book - I want you all to promise not to groan. Yes, it is a cliche decision, I'll admit that here and now. However, I really do feel it's one of the better choices I could have made, and I will definitely go into heavy details about that later on. Or, if you must roll your eyes, groan, complain, or whatnot --- don't let me see or hear you.
Fair? I thought as much.
Now then, without further ado, the perfect play for this month's theme - in my honest opinion - is the classic Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare.
I'm going to briefly touch up on the plot - as it's likely well known by almost everyone and, instead, point out how it works with this month's theme. The reasons will, hopefully, help elaborate why I enjoy this play so much.
However, just in case anyone who is reading this doesn't know, I'll give the briefest of summaries about our play.
Romeo and Juliet is about two fated lovers, each a member of a respective family that are fighting against one another. The feud between the Capulets and Montagues have gone on for years, likely centuries, and doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Yet one fateful night, at a masquerade hosted by the Capulets, Romeo finds Juliet. After being rejected by Rosaline, who has vowed to remain chaste and pure, he almost immediately forgets the woman he thought he loved and falls for Juliet, not realizing until after he leaves who she is.
Now then, there are quite a few reasons why I have always enjoyed this play.
It isn't only full of action and romance. There are actually quite a few comedic lines here and there, allowing some of the tension from previous scenes to be - even if only temporarily - forgotten about. The cast is huge and most of the side characters are actually very important. Juliet's Nurse is one of the most perfect examples. I won't say how to avoid spoilers, but I can reassure you that there are other characters akin to the Nurse who play their own vital roles.
The dialogue and setting both stay true to the Renaissance era, making you feel as if you were actually there in the story. While I will be the first to admit that some of the Old English is hard to translate, you can find versions which has one page written in the original version, and a Modern English translation on the other side. I had one back in my school years and found it much easier to follow along with the story.
Here's an example and thus one small freebie.
Can you guess what it means to call someone a 'man (woman) of wax'?
Believe it or not, it means that you're being called a perfect person, with little to no flaws.
To make up for the free quote, I won't reveal whom said it, or whom it was talking about. You'll have to read to find out yourself.
Another thing I love is - even though the romance has tragedy - that, actually, makes it realistic. Granted, it probably does come off as being a bit 'too much' for couples nowadays. However, it does have quite a few valid points. Relationships aren't perfect, and Romeo and Juliet perfectly portrays this. Challenges are inevitable, regardless of how much you love someone. Of course, they don't usually consist of family feuds nowadays but it is a possible option, as grudges can happen even in this day and age. It just isn't nearly as common compared to years ago.
Jealousy is another possible obstacle. Someone whom had their eyes on you may not approve of the person. Even your own parents may not agree with your choice. There are an array of surprises and unforeseen circumstances which present themselves to Romeo and Juliet and provide a decent sense of realism.
Besides the language issue, I will also admit the one thing I truly did dislike about this play. The ending.
It really could have been done differently, though I'm assuming Shakespeare intended to have it go the way it did for his own reasons. To be fair, he was writing a tragedy too so ... it is sort of to be expected.
All in all though?
I would absolutely recommend Romeo and Juliet.
It has, over the years, become even more popular and adapted into different styles of fandoms. It got a more modernized movie in 1996 and even has an anime based off of it, named Romeo x Juliet.
The movie is one I don't recommend, personally.
The anime, however, is a very different story. I loved the twists that were included, particularly revolving around Lord Montague. That damn tree though ... ugh. Such a bad idea. Still, I'd definitely recommend it.
And with that, I hope my rant has cleared up my love for this play and why I've enjoyed it for so many years. I also pray that it's allowed you all to view it in a slightly more positive - if not less cliche - light.
Until next time,
Elena Black