Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet Comparison - 2564 Words

How do any TWO OR MORE plays written between 1580 and 1642 represent the relationships between sexuality, gender and power? (Using Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet) ’The course of true love never did run smooth’ - This is the answer indeed. As well as this we come to understand that with the roughness of love comes indifferent sexualities, gender conflicts and powered bravados that entwine themselves into one big mess to indeed create the established plays we read today. Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet very much represent the themes of sexuality, gender and power through the relationships of their family, lovers and acquaintances during each of these Shakespeare plays. This will be further analysed throughout the essay with evidentiary support†¦show more content†¦It can be easily said that Ophelia does indeed go mad, resulting in her death. Her relationship with all men drive her to this fatality and presenting women’s sexuality, gender and power are miniscule to men’s. Moreover, female sovereignty was uncommon during the Renaissance period. The social structure or hierarchy of the family assured the subjugation of woman under man. This notably witnessed through Hamlet but now we see this same subject area through Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as well as other underlying themes which will be further discussed. Firstly, male domination is shown in the play through Lord Capulets relationships between his daughter, wife etc. This patriarchal hierarchy formulates a highly powerful male and makes other characters in the play weaker by comparison. Their seems to be an obvious depiction of Lord Capulet; a man who wishes to obtain all familial power and for no woman to defy his final judgments. He is expectant of his wife (Lady Capulet), daughter (Juliet) and his servants to do exactly as he tells them, when he tells them. Remind us of anyone? I think so, this governing fatherly role was before considered throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet. (Polonius to Ophelia) signifying obvious comparable depictions throughout both of these plays. With historical context/background weShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hometown Of The English Language And The World s Best Dramatist1266 Words   |  6 Pagesin his plays. Suicide was a violent act committed 13 times out of his 37 plays. In Romeo and Pearson3 Juliet , one of Shakespeare’s most popular romantic tragedies, a couple of young star-crossedRead MoreRomeo Juliet: A Dramedy to Remember1358 Words   |  6 Pagesplays occasionally borrow dramatic elements from his tragedies, Shakespeare set a clear division between the lighthearted ambiance found in A Midsummer Nights Dream and the heart wrenching despair that pervades Hamlet. However, Folger Theatre has cleared this divide with fervor. Romeo Juliet, a play that was once the epitome of tragic theatre, is no longer pigeonholed to the tight confines of tragedy in regards to mood and tone. 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