Nelson's English Journal

Me and Louie decided to group up, our class activity consists of working in groups to decide what metaphor is the most powerful metaphor on Romeo and Juliet and back it up with evidence

In the year 1599, Shakespeare produced a play script named Romeo and Juliet. The play was very successful and is still studied in the current era because of it’s complex yet simple language, shakespheare used a lot of different writing styles for example his use of metaphorical writing as he often compares items, feelings or religion to other substantial or insubstantial items. Shakespeare often talks about religion in his play scripts he talks about how nobody is in charge of what’s may happen in the future and this falls in the category of fate which the essay is about. Fate is often described as predetermined or established in advanced, fate is something that can not be outran or fooled but is instead inevitable.

Shakespeare often used metaphorical writing to compare items with other items. The metaphors used inside Romeo and Juliet where often about love, affection or religion. A key metaphor Romeo uses during the play script “But he that hath the steerage of my course , Direct my sail!” Romeo compares his self to about that is of course and and says ” He That hath steerage of my course” as a way of referring to GOD and is asking him to put his life “back on track”, people often say “life is a journey” and Shakespeare compares his life to a ship that is off course.

In the prologue of Romeo and Juliet a chorus was giving the job of introducing Romeo and Julie’s death to the audience, but in the film is interpreted and is given to a news reporter as a way of giving the film a more modern look. The film or play is then re-winded to before the death of Romeo and Juliet, this puts the audience in a state of dramatic irony as the audience is aware that Romeo and Juliet’s death is inevitable and adds the effect of fate. The prologue talks about how Romeo and Juliet where not meant to be together “A Pair of star-cross’d lovers take life” and provides the audience with a synopsis of the play or film.

Shakespeare plays with the hand of fate as he gives the character friar Lawrence an insight into the future however his premonitions where not always accurate and lead Romeo and Juliet to their death. However the hand of fate was not only given to frail Lawrence as it also given to mercutio as he decides to put a curse on the house of Montague and the house of Capulet in which results to Romeo’s and Juliet’s death. The role of the servant-man may also fall in to the category of fate but may be argued to be a man of co-incidence as his role in the play is to invite people of high class to the party, however this resulted onto Romeo and Juliet first meeting each, which can be again be argued as fate for coincidence, however many people may believe finding the love of ones life would be fate and not co-incidence.

The use of the pathetic fallacy in Romeo and Juliet has a strong effect as right from the start as part of the audience you are told that Romeo and Juliet will die so it puts the viewer in the same position as GOD as you are aware of what will happen but however we don’t know how Romeo and Juliet die, at parts in the play As you already know romeo and Juliet will die however you start question their deaths, this is shown when Romeo and Juliet decide to get married and when get married their lives couldn’t be more perfect but as soon as Romeo returns from the wedding a fight breaks out and their deaths begin to outline their selves.

In the first Elizabethan era religion was taken very seriously, everyone was brought up to be some sort of Christian and Shakespeare reflect this in many ways like when Romeo talks about GOD taking charge over the course of his life. In the Elizabethan era everyone was required to attend a church service once a month. The service is referred to as the Prayer Service, or the Prayer Book Service, and sometimes as Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper, religion was taken very seriously and not going to Church resulted in a fine. Shakespeare links religion and fate tell telling the audience that the fate of the characters is all in God’s hand and their wasn’t such a thing as co-incidence and everything in everyone’s life was predetermined before they born, but in today’s era many people may disagree with shaspheare’s theory and wouldn’t believe that the sperm breaching the egg was not predetermined but was just “luck” and not determined by God or who ever may be in the position to decide the fate of any living or dead person.