Romeo and Juliet, a play written by William Shakespeare, has undoubtedly left its mark on today’s society, despite being written hundreds of years ago. It tells the story of forbidden love, and the price one must pay to break free from outside stress and pressure. Without fully understanding each act in the play, it does sound romantic-- Romeo and Juliet were very dramatic and serious when they proclaimed their undying love for each other. But there is one overlooked issue when talking about the dedication and passion the two expressed-- the glorification of teenage suicide and its impact on society today.
Teen suicide did not always take center stage in terms of current social issues, but a resurgence in the need to address mental health …show more content…
The series was very polemic, as it was seen as very graphic and inappropriate for its targeted audience. The show--and the novel it’s based on--mentions topics that are hard to talk about, such as rape culture and the teen suicide epidemic.
Though Romeo and Juliet is not as blunt, the themes of suicide and death are very present. As tragic and sad as all six fatalities may have seemed, there was one common idea that seemed to present itself each time a character died--an idea that suggested the killing was preventable. On Mercutio’s deathbed, he calls out "A plague o' both your houses!," (Shakespeare, 57) declaring that the reason Mercutio and Tybalt even began fighting was obsolete.
In both the award-winning novel and its television adaptation, the untimely death of Jeff Atkins in 13 Reasons Why is just another example of unnecessary violence in literature. However insignificant it may seem, the supererogatory killing of a minor character, or any character, has a much larger effect on the populus than what first meets the …show more content…
In Romeo and Juliet, both main characters commit suicide in the name of love, which is romantic almost to a fault. “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee,” (Shakespeare, 85). Though Juliet understands the horrors of death, she would rather die than me married to anyone but Romeo. Ultimately, television, social media, and other platforms for creativity are meant to entertain their users, not drive them to an untimely and ultimately premature death. Both Romeo and Juliet and 13 Reasons Why glorify teenage suicide, which can encourage viewers to take action, or even kill
Teen suicide did not always take center stage in terms of current social issues, but a resurgence in the need to address mental health …show more content…
The series was very polemic, as it was seen as very graphic and inappropriate for its targeted audience. The show--and the novel it’s based on--mentions topics that are hard to talk about, such as rape culture and the teen suicide epidemic.
Though Romeo and Juliet is not as blunt, the themes of suicide and death are very present. As tragic and sad as all six fatalities may have seemed, there was one common idea that seemed to present itself each time a character died--an idea that suggested the killing was preventable. On Mercutio’s deathbed, he calls out "A plague o' both your houses!," (Shakespeare, 57) declaring that the reason Mercutio and Tybalt even began fighting was obsolete.
In both the award-winning novel and its television adaptation, the untimely death of Jeff Atkins in 13 Reasons Why is just another example of unnecessary violence in literature. However insignificant it may seem, the supererogatory killing of a minor character, or any character, has a much larger effect on the populus than what first meets the …show more content…
In Romeo and Juliet, both main characters commit suicide in the name of love, which is romantic almost to a fault. “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee,” (Shakespeare, 85). Though Juliet understands the horrors of death, she would rather die than me married to anyone but Romeo. Ultimately, television, social media, and other platforms for creativity are meant to entertain their users, not drive them to an untimely and ultimately premature death. Both Romeo and Juliet and 13 Reasons Why glorify teenage suicide, which can encourage viewers to take action, or even kill