Talk:Romeo and Juliet

Age of the characters & judicial influence

Shouldn't some note be made of the age of the characters, and how this is today used as an example of the acceptability of teenage sex? (as a prominent cultural reminder of the fact that adulthood used to begin much younger) A number of states and provinces around the world have existing "Romeo and Juliet" laws or clauses. (see: Age_of_consent_reform#Close-in-age_exemptions) Esn (talk) 08:49, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Could you point us to some references so we can add it in? Wrad (talk) 17:54, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

We used to have a section describing cultural influences like this, but I guess it was taken out during FAC? We'd need to discuss bringing that back in if we want to add this. Wrad (talk) 17:57, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Such a section is just inviting pop culture trivia; and as far as I can tell the above referenced article does not provide a citation for the relevant claim. --Xover (talk) 22:10, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

You can easily find citations just by doing a quick google search. Here are some random ones that I found: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Esn (talk) 00:25, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

Is this just an incidental name, or do judges actually think in their minds "this is okay behavior because it is in Romeo and Juliet"? I think it is the latter. I don't think the connection is anything more than incidental. Wrad (talk) 00:49, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

What exactly do you mean by "incidental"? Esn (talk) 01:14, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

It is connected in name only. Romeo and Juliet did not persuade the public that teenage sex was ok. Other things did. Wrad (talk) 01:16, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

That is also an assertion which you would need sources to prove. I don't really see how something can be connected "in name only"; names aren't given lightly, despite what that guy who recently named his son "Adolf Hitler" might say. The fact that the laws were named directly after the play suggests that there is something in the play that captures the spirit of the laws. At the very least, it should be mentioned in a "See also" section that there are laws in a number of US states (and I think some in Canadian provinces, and maybe other countries) that are called "Romeo and Juliet laws". Esn (talk) 01:32, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

I've put a reference to the Romeo and Juliet laws in the disambiguation page for Romeo and Juliet. You can see and edit the mention here: Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). --Malkinann (talk) 02:04, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

I think you'd have to prove that the connection is more than just incidental if you wanted it in this article. You can't add something to the Green article just because it's green, it has to add something to our understanding of what green is and means. I'm not sure that the fact that the laws are named after the play means anything more than that someone noticed in passing the connection to teenage love. Do your sources indicate otherwise? If not, it shouldn't be added. The burden of proof is on you, my friend. There's no need for me to prove that it isn't more than superficially connected unless you can show us something that says it is. Wrad (talk) 02:51, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

Thanks Malkinann, that works. Esn (talk) 03:00, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

Fine with me. Wrad (talk) 03:42, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

I still think that maybe the age of the characters should be mentioned somewhere in the article though; it's a basic piece of information, after all. Esn (talk) 03:01, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

From the plot section: Count Paris talks to Lord Capulet about marrying his daughter, but Capulet is wary of the request because Juliet is still only thirteen... Wrad (talk) 03:42, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

And the 20th century theatre section: Throughout the century, audiences, influenced by the cinema, became less willing to accept actors distinctly older than the teenage characters they were playing... Wrad (talk) 03:43, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't see those before. Esn (talk) 20:35, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

The caption at the top's letters overlapPr1nce0fDarkn3ss (talk) 00:03, 20 April 2009 (UTC)

Once Again About R&J and "Teenage Sex"

Re the above discussion, don't forget that Romeo and Juliet (in the play) don't sleep together until they're married. That rather complicates any comparison of the play to modern "teenage sex." It seems to me that the issue of teenage suicide is more relevant here. Tom129.93.17.153 (talk) 02:32, 5 May 2009 (UTC)

"Afterlife"?

That is one silly title. Can't somebody come up with a better one? Clarityfiend (talk) 00:45, 6 April 2009 (UTC)

I defend it here, FWIW. AndyJones (talk) 19:25, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Odd statement in article

Why does this article say R&J is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays "along with Hamlet"? Midsummer Night's Dream, for example, is actually produced more often than Hamlet. Why not just say R&J is "one of Shakespeare's most popular plays", period? Tom129.93.17.153 (talk) 02:24, 5 May 2009 (UTC)

I guess it's because almost anyone around the world (even people who don't know nothing about Shakespeare) knows that Romeo and Juliet is a 'love story', and that Hamlet is a 'story about a sad prince'. I'll hardly say the same about MN's Dream. --Yuma (talk) 09:47, 5 May 2009 (UTC)