Romeo and Juliet: the Carnal Desire and Physical Violence - Essay Example

Romeo and Juliet: The Carnal Desire and Physical Violence Introduction Since Romeo and Julietis regarded as one of the most vulgar plays of William Shakespeare, it is not unexpected that the work is loaded with allusions to the physical and sexual realms. The conversation between Gregory and Sampson and the episode after it, the violent fight between the Houses of Montague and Capulet, bear witness to people’s dynamic physical existence and the connection between sexual desire and violence (Wells & Partridge 2001). The lewd chat of the helpers creates an understanding of the body as a tool of sexual violence and physical cruelty. The audience is hence familiarized, at the beginning of the play, to the lowliest stage of human conduct, the animalistic or carnal stage. From this stage, Shakespeare shifts to the greater area of idealistic love, yet he did not fully abandon the lowest desires and obsessions. The Bawdiness of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet If the idealistic love between Romeo and Juliet moves to a stage more superior than animal urge, it still adds within that affection an appreciation, and definitely a celebration, of sexual desire and physical splendor. The character of Friar Lawrence could bring out the concept of male chastity, with its reluctances about the acceptability of lust, yet if so, the concept is quite profoundly immersed that it failed to become significant (Harbage 1963). Instead, it arises in what a number of scholars have referred to as a ‘religion of love’ expressing itself in the initial rendezvous of Romeo and Juliet (Barton 2011, 116): Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this, For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss. Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. Romeo: O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do: They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. Romeo: Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. This combination of the irreligious and the sacred not merely shows the humor of Romeo and Juliet, but unites them from the beginning in an affection that is religious and physical (Hager 1999). Strongly drawn to each other by emotion and physical attractiveness, they are also stirred by lust, shown in the urge to kiss. Juliet is completely open at this moment and afterward, even if it is only as a wife that she will succumb to the final realization of their love. The vulgar pranks of the Nurse and Mercutio are the superficial version of Romeo’s and Juliet’s attraction to sexuality and physical splendor, yet in other ways, as well, they express how obsessed they are with physical or bodily aspects. When the audience is first introduced to her, the Nurse enjoys chatting about how she breastfed Juliet. She is very much aware of her pains, whose intensity she perhaps embellished when she goes back to Juliet and postpones sharing what Juliet sincerely desires to know (Bloom 2000). Mercutio acts as if indifferent to physical beauty. Yet, similar to the Nurse, and as the below quotes show, he is practically preoccupied with physical beauty, particularly as a tool of sexual violence: “If love be rough with you, be rough with love:/ Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down” (Shakespeare 1899, 57). His talk of Queen Mab is from the beginning mostly bodily portrayal, very thorough and accurate, shifting afterward to the feeling of the stroke of this fairy midwife. The feeling includes physical descriptions, like the soreness that trouble women’s lips and the warrior’s vision “of cutting foreign throats,/ Of breaches, ambuscades, Spanish blades,/ Of healths five fathom deep” (Halio 1998, 75). However, his speech finishes, while for Mercutio it always does, with lust (Wells & Partridge 2001, 176): This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage. Physical expression also distinguishes a great deal of the play. Romeo continues frantically toward the chamber of Friar Lawrence, after which he goes down from Juliet’s veranda. Not like modern plays and films, Shakespeare sensed the unimportance of displaying the actual consummation; its consequences were more than adequate and tragic (Hosley 1954). Rather, Shakespeare presents a description of the bride Juliet. Previously, Juliet had resisted her passionate fear of her Romeo to the idea of his name. In comparison with his bodily features, his name did not signify anything (Halio 1998, 76): ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s a Montague? It is not hand nor foot, Nor arm nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. The real meaning of Romeo is not inherent in what he is called, but in his identity, distinguished more by his own qualities than by his name. And hence to the finale of the story: the second scene in the veranda and the climbing down of Romeo; Juliet’s begging to her father not to betrothed her to Paris; her escape to the chamber of Friar Lawrence and the tonic she swallows in spite of her dreadful feelings, tangibly imagined onward, of her death; and ultimately, her death itself. There Romeo is killed by Paris, but not prior to his celebration of Juliet’s splendor (Halio 1998, 76): O my love, my wife, Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou art not conquered, beauty’s ensign yet Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, And Death’s pale flag is not advanced there. When Juliet wakes up, Juliet, as well, concentrates on the lips of Romeo, celebrates his eternal death, and weeps (Mack 1993, 72): O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips, Haply some poison yet cloth hang on them, To make me die with a restorative ill. As expressed in her final statements, Juliet intentionally uses sensual and other uncertainties to bid her farewell. Conclusions In an effort to escape from medieval beliefs on passion and love and from the dictates of her father, Juliet affirms control over her sexual being and desires. She pulls it away from the control of her father and exploits it to win Romeo’s heart. As seen in the discussion, sexual wits paint the expressions and remarks of Juliet. These intimations were usual in Shakespearian literature. Perhaps, Juliet makes use of sexual expressions when talking to Romeo so as to persuade him to appreciate her sexual identity. When Romeo climbs to Juliet’s veranda, she asks him what form of gratification he wants for that night. Juliet taunts Romeo with lustful ideas and afterward demands that marriage should come before the consummation of their passion. The sexual remarks expressed in the above quotes demonstrate Juliet’s knowledge of her sexual identity. She lures Romeo, compelling her sexual identity to function as emotional leverage. Juliet disobeys the traditional norms for women. She refuses to be limited to an intimacy with Romeo that conforms to the polite love convention. She tries to regain independence, yet she does so for Romeo. Juliet gives up her chastity to Romeo after marriage. The valued possession of her father, Juliet’s virginity, becomes emotional leverage at her disposal. References Barton, J. Playing Shakespeare. London: Methuen Drama, 2011. Bloom, H. William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. Cahn, V.L. Shakespeare the Playwright: A Companion to the Complete Tragedies, Histories, Comedies, and Romances. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1996. Hager, A. Understanding Romeo and Juliet: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. Halio, J. Romeo and Juliet: A Guide to the Play. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Harbage, A. William Shakespeare: A Reader’s Guide. New York: Noonday Press, 1963. Hosley, R. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1954. Mack, M. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. Shakespeare, W. Romeo and Juliet. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1899. Wells, S. & E. Partridge. Shakespeare’s Bawdy. London: Routledge, 2001. Read More