Analysis of Shakespeare’s Wooing Scenes

Analysis of Shakespeare’s Wooing Scenes

            Art is a record of the artist’s feeling about something that’s happening on a period in history. Artists choose on their words, color, line texture, and composition to express their feelings. Shakespeare, in his novels: Henry V and Romeo and Juliet, tells his readers his feelings on love and romance in his time which is taken to be ambiguous love presented by Shakespeare which ends with death cases to prove courage and unconditional love. The wooing scene in the film Henry V and Romeo & Juliet tells audiences the love and romance in Shakespeare’s time are full of romanticism which differentiates from the nowadays romantic relationship. It presents in that people expressing love very straight forward and quickly, the expression of love is poetic, they move from word to action very quickly, and parents play a significant role in marriage.

A straight forward love in the Shakespeare time was love; at first sight, was real and believed to exist. In the Henry V act four this evident in the palace having King Henry honoring the King and Queen of France, Princess Katharine, and other French noblemen. King Henry meeting with Katharine and win’s Kathrine affection with a gently mocking tone and showing a serious courtship. Henry explains all his plans to rule England and France, and they can have a child together. All this was aimed to woo Katharine through the poetry words. Clear evidence of Henry loving Katherine on their first sight. The love grows to the point of a marriage proposal and finally, marriage. In Romeo and Juliet, another case of love at 1^st sight. Romeo attends a party with his friend he could meet his beloved Rosaline at the party. Instead, Romeo meets Juliet, who he instantly falls in love. Romeo uses traditional poetry to express his love. In the current world, it always hard to meet someone strange and claim to be in love. The love is on proven to be right after a given time relationship. Also, the common love phrases and poem rarely proved the existence of love between parties. 

Love is the foundation key to marriage life. People meet to socialize and explore their marriage their love together until when they decide to be united together as one. The Shakespeare error, lovers are seen to meet on the 1^st day, and the next day they get married. King Henry attempts to kiss Katharine’s hand, but Katharine disagrees saying it’s unworthy and uncustomary to kiss before marriage. King Henry content for marriage and the marriage proposal is accepted with the agreement sealed by both King Henry and Katharine kissing. Rome on Juliet meet the first day and declare their love for one another, and on the next day, they plan to marry though secretly. In the current word, marriage only happens after a relationship which has been monitored and proven per a given time

The two wooing scenes in this paper tell us a lot about the nature of love and romance in Shakespeare’s time. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents love as a force of nature that is capable of overcoming societal conventions. The Montague and the Capulets family disallowed Romeo and Juliet’s love. In both novels, love required parental approval. Henry asks for the King and Queens approval to marry Katharine. Romeo is at the risk of being killed if found in the Capulets garden. It is also clear that both families did not approve of love. Juliet parents had organized her marriage to Paris. Shakespeare reveals that a lady could only marry a person handpicked by the parents, and the feelings of the lady were not considered. For instance, in the novel Henry V, Shakespeare shows that Katharine choice wouldn’t have been of importance since the fate of the treaty between France and England. In the book, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is not consulted on who she loves, and her marriage to Paris had been planned. Marriages were also seen as an avenue for profit. The king of France agrees to Henry’s proposal after noting that they would rule France and England and bear a son. The Shakespeare time gives a significant difference of thing with the current world people selecting who to love, marry, and even when to get divorced something that never existed.

The family status determines the relationship between a family of the bride and that of a bridegroom. King Henry was quickly accepted to marry Katharine as his family status was known, and the parents believing their daughter will leave happy. King Henry is clams to rule both France and England which one of the way that woos Katharine and the Family. Juliet was to be married by County Paris per the father’s demand. County Paris is a nobleman of Verona, close kin to the prince and Mercutio. The marriage between Romeo and Juliet would only be successful if done secretly. A case which is still visible in the modern world where a good family is readily accepted and respected by society.

In conclusion, the love and romance in Shakespeare’s time are full of romanticism which differentiates from the nowadays romantic relationship. Attraction at first sight and profoundly falling in love to sacrifices of either death or life is the journey of one of the true love. Shakespeare educates people of ambiguous love. The nature of love in the present day differs from that in Shakespeare time on the following aspects. Presently, one can choose their love partners without parental approval. Love also plays a central role in today marriages, unlike the Shakespearian time. Most marriages today follow after a period of dating and courtship, where both partners choose to proceed to marriage. We do not have any periods of dating in Henry V between King Henry and Katharine.