Without any doubt, Shakespeare can be called one of the greatest observers of all
times. In his plays, the reader is confronted with characters from all sorts of social,
cultural and religious backgrounds. Among the most well-known characters, we find
kings, (their) queens and princes (like Hamlet), Jews (in "The Merchant of Venice"),
black people (Othello), and Roman soldiers, not to mention all those who did not
give a play its title. Looking at professions, Shakespeare employs characters from all
social levels - be they grave-diggers, jesters, killers or noblemen.
Within the plays, those characters seldom stand alone. They appear in groups, in the
context of their friends and families. A character is thus provided with a wife or
husband, a mother and father, maybe a step-parent, grand-parents, sisters, brothers,
girl- or boyfriends and mates. As a family does not consist of only one age group,
Shakespeare has to focus on several generations of characters, waving a complex net
of relations and interactions.
In this paper, I would like to look at the representation of ‘young’ people in two of
Shakespeare’s tragedies, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet". The term ‘young’ will be
reflected upon in my second chapter, as will be upon the term ‘tragedy’. As a future
teacher, the presentation of youth is an interesting topic for me, and looking at young
people interact (and interact with older characters) in Shakespeare will be something
worth doing: in focussing on youth, the cliché of tragedy often dealing with ‘old’
people will be broken. This paper is meant to show that Shakespeare did not write in
a single-dimensional way, but his plays offer a broad observation of any age group.
After giving a short synopsis of the two tragedies in chapter three, I will, in chapter
four, present the tragedies’ characters in their respective context and in relation to
each other and comment on their behaviour and attitudes.
In my conclusion, I will concentrate on the characters in their relation to the genre of
tragedy - reflecting on life, love, destiny, youth, and death.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. A Definition of the Terms ‘Young’ and ‘Tragedy’
2.1 Youth
2.2 Tragedy
3. What happens in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet?
3.1 Synopsis of Romeo and Juliet
3.2 Synopsis of Hamlet
4. Young People in the Plays
4.1 Young People in Romeo and Juliet
4.2 Young People in Hamlet
5. Conclusion - “Sound and Fury“
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this paper is to examine the representation of young characters within the social and familial contexts of William Shakespeare's tragedies, specifically Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. The research investigates how these young figures interact with their environment and older generations, aiming to demonstrate that Shakespeare provides a nuanced observation of youth that transcends one-dimensional archetypes.
- Analysis of the definitions of "youth" and "tragedy" within literary contexts.
- Examination of the social structures and family dynamics influencing young characters.
- Comparative analysis of how youth interact with authority figures and societal expectations.
- Investigation of the impact of unreflected behavior and impetuosity on tragic outcomes.
- Evaluation of the role of destiny, morality, and independence in the protagonists' fates.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Young People in Romeo and Juliet
In Romeo and Juliet, the spectator or reader is chiefly confronted with seven young characters, leaving aside the servants and attendants as they have no crucial role in the play’s action. Five out of these seven characters are men. I am going to present these characters in their order of apperarance in the play.
In the opening scene (I.1), the spectator or reader is confronted with Benvolio and Tybalt who take part in a fight between servants of the feuding Capulets and Montagues. Benvolio, nephew and best mate of Romeo Montague, is presented as a reasonable and fearless young man. He sees the servants fight and draws his own sword “to part them“ (I.1, 99), because he thinks that the Prince is already quite annoyed with the quarrelling clans and might resort to stricter punishment for street-fighting.
The other character involved in this introductory fight scene is Juliet Capulet’s cousin Tybalt who is characterised as a bad and bloodthirsty person. Not only does he enter the fight with the threat of Benvolio’s life, he also states his personal opinion of the feud (“What, draw and talk of peace? I hate the word.“, I.1, 61) which he does not want to end. When concentrating on Mr Capulet’s behaviour (an unreflected call for his sword when he believes the Montagues to have entered his property, I.1, 66), one can deduce that Tybalt has been deeply influenced by this behaviour. Being a man who can be supposed to fight and kill and being the only young male in the family as Juliet has no brother, he has been even stronger influenced by the feud than Juliet has.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the focus on the representation of young people in Shakespeare's tragedies and sets the research context regarding social and familial structures.
2. A Definition of the Terms ‘Young’ and ‘Tragedy’: This section defines the concepts of youth and tragedy, providing a theoretical framework for the analysis of the plays.
3. What happens in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet?: Here, the author provides a concise plot synopsis for both plays to establish the narrative background for subsequent analysis.
4. Young People in the Plays: This central chapter analyzes the young characters in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, evaluating their roles, behaviors, and relationships to their parents and peers.
5. Conclusion - “Sound and Fury“: The final chapter synthesizes the findings, reflecting on the destructive impact of the family environments and the lack of guidance for the young protagonists.
Keywords
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Youth, Tragedy, Family Contexts, Social Structures, Adolescent Behavior, Tragic Protagonists, Parent-Child Relationships, Conflict, Verona, Elsinore, Literary Analysis, Human Fates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the representation of young characters within the social and family structures created by William Shakespeare in his tragedies, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
What central themes are addressed?
Key themes include adolescence, family conflicts, parental influence, the nature of tragedy, and the social environments that shape the behavior of young individuals.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to uncover how "young" characters are depicted in their respective contexts and how their interactions with family and society contribute to their tragic ends.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a qualitative literary analysis, utilizing synopses and character examination to draw conclusions about the representation of youth in drama.
What does the main part of the work cover?
The main part is divided into a definition of key terms, plot summaries, and a detailed character-by-character analysis within both plays to evaluate behavior and attitudes.
Which terms characterize this research?
Keywords such as "youth," "tragedy," "family conflict," "Shakespeare," and "social context" characterize the essence of this study.
How does the author characterize the role of parents in these tragedies?
The author argues that parents often fail to provide positive guidance, with their actions and unresolved conflicts creating unhealthy environments that directly impact the young characters' fates.
Does the author distinguish between royal and non-royal characters?
Yes, the paper notes that royal characters are generally more prepared to accept responsibility and challenges compared to their non-royal counterparts.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding the tragic outcomes?
The author concludes that the characters' fates are often unavoidable due to the toxic social and familial circumstances, suggesting that the young are largely products of their environment.
- Quote paper
- Stephanie Lipka (Author), 2002, The Representation of ‘Young’ People in the Social and Family Contexts Created by Shakespeare in "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet" , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/126034
