It is not surprising that the main events in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet are set in motion by two conflicting patriarchs, Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. This plot detail no doubt stems from the society in which Shakespeare lived—one that was ruled by white men. More often than not, the ones being ruled over were women. The actions and consequences of such authority are a large part of the movie Shakespeare in Love. Shakespeare’s lover, Lady Viola de Lesseps, is controlled by two such men: her father and her husband-to-be, Lord Wessex. Throughout the movie, Viola struggles against their control over her and their business-like approach to her future. The character Juliet, in turn, struggles against her father’s demands. In an act of rebellion, perhaps, both women fall in love with the one person they should not—Juliet with Romeo and Viola with Shakespeare. This direct defiance of the patriarchal rule carries over from Shakespeare’s world into his play. The white patriarchal rule becomes the driving force behind the events in Romeo and Juliet.
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Terrific! Paul
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