I admit, when I saw the topic for this week, I automatically turned to the internet. I was never one for mushy love stories and quotes, but a few minutes of searching and I came up with something that I believe truly describes love in just a few lines.
“They do not love that do not show their love. The course of true love never did run smooth. Love is a familiar. Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.” -William Shakespeare
I love Shakespeare’s perspective on love. If one really loves another, then they wouldn’t be ashamed to show it. I also find it ironic in Romeo and Juliet that they supposedly love each other, but they cannot show it, yet Shakespeare claims that to really love someone would be to show it to the world, and be proud of it. He believes love is a very complex, difficult emotion. Nobody can really define it, yet everyone must have it.
I completely agree with the statement that love is a familiar and a devil. It is something that has stayed with you for your whole life, you embrace it, and it is somewhat of a basic need for survival. Yet it can ruin your life if you fall for someone and then everthing falls apart. I absolutely love the contradicting words in this quote, “evil angel”, for describing love. Love is a precious and dangerous thing, for it is probably the one emotion that everybody longs for, yet it can lead to many bad consequences, not the least of which are divorces, jealousy, and greed.
b0batea Said:
on September 28, 2008 at 2:52 am
That is indeed and interesting thing. Having Romeo and Juliet loving each other, yet not outwardly expressing it. Both coming from Shakespeare is quite puzzling as to creating a play to show the direct opposite of another quote. I believe, as do you that love is a precious and wondrous thing, and yet it can turn against you.
kevindo Said:
on September 29, 2008 at 12:17 am
If I remember correctly, Shakespeare commonly uses oxymorons similar to “evil Angel” in Romeo and Juliet.
I believe that these oxymorons are particularly interesting since the paradoxes they present are often fun to ponder.