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As one of the most renowned writers of all time, William Shakespeare explored many themes of the human condition. One of the most relatable and enduring themes was, of course, love. In his plays and sonnets, some of the most romantic epithets can be found. He even invented or made famous certain phrases, such as "love is blind," to describe love in new ways.
We can learn a lot about true love and romance from Shakespeare's plays. Even the histories and tragedies hold important truths about love. If you think you know Shakespeare's romantic quotes well enough to match them to the play they come from, take the quiz below!
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Was your knowledge of romance enough to impress the Bard himself? If not, you can always check out Mental Floss's literature and history sections for more information on Shakespeare and his works. And if you feel up to the challenge of more love-related trivia, try our other quizzes!
Romeo and Juliet Was Actually Not Meant to Be a Romance
Shakespeare knew how to write true romance. His sonnets have some of the most swoon-worthy lines of all time. So, when we look at Romeo and Juliet and say that it should not be categorized as a romance, we are not saying that it was poorly written. The play was never actually meant to be a romance, but a tragedy.
The full title of the play is The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, but it is often shortened to Romeo and Juliet. This shortening persuaded people to think the tale was a romance to be sought after, though Shakespeare didn't intend for the tragic teenage love story to be lauded. He purposefully wrote the play to show how youthful passion can be mistaken for enduring love.
Shakespeare's Intentions
It is difficult to say with certainty what Shakespeare intended when he wrote Romeo and Juliet, but the text contains clues that help us understand. The line in the prologue about star-crossed lovers is an excellent example of Shakespeare's intentions.
Modern definitions of "star-crossed" lead us to believe the couple was destined for each other despite the obstacles in their way, and that love conquers all. But in Shakespeare's time, when astrology was held in reverence, the stars crossing instead of aligning meant that it was not destiny for Romeo and Juliet to be together. In fact, according to the stars, their relationship was always destined to fail.
Romeo's Fickle Feelings
Another example of Shakespeare's intentions for the play is how fast Romeo moves from his passionate love of Rosaline to her cousin, Juliet. He is pining for Rosaline just moments before seeing Juliet. And while Romeo is certainly passionate, his passion and mood shift frequently from alleged true love to anger and despair at the drop of a hat.
Shakespeare was most likely telling us that passion does not equal love, and teenage attraction, while potent, can lead to misery if not tempered. And Shakespeare had personal experience with those feelings, having married Anne Hathaway at a young age. Not much is known about his marriage or the relationship with his wife, but the consequences of passion do seem to fit both the play and his life.