The Consequence of Marriage Essay -- Theatre, Shakespeare

The Consequence of Marriage William Shakespeare has always been an avid supporter of love as the basis of marriage. Nearly all of his plays support that: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, and even more notably, A Mid Summer’s Nights Dream. Bernard Murstein noted in his book, Love, Sex and Marriage Through the ages, that â€Å"the young should marry whom they choose and that they not bow to parental wishes† (181). Shakespeare’s tragic Othello reminds that parents are there to guide their children onto the right path towards a brighter future, and is a cautionary tale about the potential implications of a quick or thoughtless marriage that generally end his plays. The ramifications of a marriage outside of social rank and race along with the general social consequences are highlighted to show that marriage is more than just an â€Å"I do† at the altar, and is to be avoided. When viewing Shakespeare’s plays in the context of the time period it is obvious that Shakespeare was more than a storyteller. His commentary was directed at the upper tier of society and addressed the need for convention to be followed. At the same time, he had to be sure that his commentary was acceptable or subtle enough so as not to offend his sponsors. In some of Shakespeare’s better known plays, he teaches that the course of true love never runs smooth, and marriages should not be expected to run smoothly either. Societal expectations of the time were that a woman would marry whomever the male head of the household chose for her. Men, on the other hand, were free to pursue anyone they wanted and arrange their own marriages, with an eye to strategic coupling of social status and finances (Gies 256). Romeo and Juliet showed the importance of parental approval ... ...ve for Desdemona is easily corrupt due to his own insecurities, and in the end, Othello’s demise is no fault but his own. He is the man and could have said no to Desdemona’s proposal of marriage, and prevented the entire debacle. The self sacrifice that he made would have mirrored the sacrifice that Elizabeth made to keep the peace in her country and build it to one of the greatest nations the world has seen. Works Cited Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear A Midsummer Night’s Dream.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear Much Ado About Nothing.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Gies, Frances, and Joseph Gies. Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. New York: Harper & Row, 1987. Print. Murstein, Bernard I. Love, Sex, and Marriage through the Ages. New York: Springer Pub., 1974. Print. The Consequence of Marriage Essay -- Theatre, Shakespeare The Consequence of Marriage William Shakespeare has always been an avid supporter of love as the basis of marriage. Nearly all of his plays support that: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, and even more notably, A Mid Summer’s Nights Dream. Bernard Murstein noted in his book, Love, Sex and Marriage Through the ages, that â€Å"the young should marry whom they choose and that they not bow to parental wishes† (181). Shakespeare’s tragic Othello reminds that parents are there to guide their children onto the right path towards a brighter future, and is a cautionary tale about the potential implications of a quick or thoughtless marriage that generally end his plays. The ramifications of a marriage outside of social rank and race along with the general social consequences are highlighted to show that marriage is more than just an â€Å"I do† at the altar, and is to be avoided. When viewing Shakespeare’s plays in the context of the time period it is obvious that Shakespeare was more than a storyteller. His commentary was directed at the upper tier of society and addressed the need for convention to be followed. At the same time, he had to be sure that his commentary was acceptable or subtle enough so as not to offend his sponsors. In some of Shakespeare’s better known plays, he teaches that the course of true love never runs smooth, and marriages should not be expected to run smoothly either. Societal expectations of the time were that a woman would marry whomever the male head of the household chose for her. Men, on the other hand, were free to pursue anyone they wanted and arrange their own marriages, with an eye to strategic coupling of social status and finances (Gies 256). Romeo and Juliet showed the importance of parental approval ... ...ve for Desdemona is easily corrupt due to his own insecurities, and in the end, Othello’s demise is no fault but his own. He is the man and could have said no to Desdemona’s proposal of marriage, and prevented the entire debacle. The self sacrifice that he made would have mirrored the sacrifice that Elizabeth made to keep the peace in her country and build it to one of the greatest nations the world has seen. Works Cited Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear A Midsummer Night’s Dream.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear Much Ado About Nothing.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Gies, Frances, and Joseph Gies. Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. New York: Harper & Row, 1987. Print. Murstein, Bernard I. Love, Sex, and Marriage through the Ages. New York: Springer Pub., 1974. Print.