From: The Shakespeare Electronic Conference [SHAKSPER@eae.shaksper.net]
on behalf of Hardy M. Cook [editor@eae.shaksper.net]
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 05:05
To: SHAKSPER@eae.shaksper.net
Subject: SHK 13.1363 Re: Romeo and Juliet

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.1363  Monday, 20 May 2002

From:           Douglas Chapman <Foodrev@aol.com>
Date:           Sunday, 19 May 2002 13:12:38 EDT
Subject:        Re: SHK 13.1333 Re: Romeo and Juliet

<< The choice to pursue the relationship is further disobedience,... >>

<<But R&J indulge their love despite knowing, and being dismayed at, the transgressive aspects of that love. We all know that transgressive relationships are inherently sexier than well-behaved ones, especially for teenagers.>>

These and other comments suppose that R&J are dealing with love as A) an abstract theory in a graduate sociology course or, more likely, B) a mature, adult well-reasoned building of mutual interactions.

I guess I find it hard to believe, as MS intimates, that teenage (and 14-15 teenage!) "love" was all that different in the 16th century. Perhaps the lower average life-span bore some further pressure to mature earlier, but I rather doubt it was all *that* different.

It seems to me that no 13-15 year old thinks of this pursuit as a relationship.

This discussion is one of the best I've followed on SHAKESPER. Bravi to all.

Douglas Chapman

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