Factors that Influenced Shakespeares Writing of Romeo and...

Factors that Influenced Shakespeares Writing of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare was clearly influenced by the events of his time, and this is apparent especially in Romeo and Juliet. To dismiss this play as a mere fable is to overlook some very important religious and political changes of the time which are evidently woven into the storyline of the play. Shakespeares religious beliefs are uncertain, but it is known that his father was Catholic, and that he lived in a time of religious stratification across both community and family ties. As a result of the queens toleration for vagueness in this area, people became accustomed to religious tension and confusion at a very personal level. Many†¦show more content†¦The youth of England however, were not content with the Settlement. This applies especially to the Protestant youth who wanted the Reformation to be completed on a model provided by Jean Calvins Geneva. Otherwise known as Puritans, they viewed the Settlement as a kind of intermediate state. This extreme version of Protestantism, as well as the remaining Catholics whose loyalty still belonged only to the Pope, continued to prevent the nation from reaching religious stability. Shakespeare, who was a loyal subject and supporter of the queen, offers a commentary on this situation in Romeo and Juliet. The Queens church reflected her own likings for the externals of Catholic worship and she hated the religious enthusiasm of the Puritan movement. The Settlement also allowed her to stay in control over the state religion, whereas the Puritan belief in independent church government undermined her power and the national unity she tried to reach. Although it would seem that Romeo and Juliet is a criticism of the well-known social rules that regarded marriage as being contradictory to actual romantic love, a closer reading of the text shows that the youth in the play are the ones whose actions result in violence and death. Shakespeare seems to dispute the individualsShow MoreRelatedShakespeare in Love Essay2078 Words   |  9 Pagesworking on, Romeo and Juliet, in which love is not meant to be due to the many obstacles in the way. Shakespeares life in the film is very comparable to Romeos life in Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeares life in the film and the play he is writing has several similarities and differences. In my opinion, this is one of the best movies and books to compare. Shakespeare in Love is a fairly accurate representation of the life of William Shakespeare at the time he was writing Romeo and JulietRead MorePoe vs. Shakespeare Essay1556 Words   |  7 Pagessimilarities and differences between the two. 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