Now reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
I seem to remember reading it before, but can't remember when or where. Reading it now though, I see it in a whole different light from how I remember it. On the surface it might appear as nothing more than a love story between romeo and Juliet, but reading it now, I get more the impresion that Romeo and Juliet themselves are there more just for the entertainment value. the real story seems to be more that between the Capulets and the Montagues, their feud, and the feud's impact on the citizens of Verona generally, Romeo and Juliet being but among the more obvious victims (owing to their belonging to the two families).
The play also touches upon various moral questions (eloping, consent of parents for marriage, respect for parents, family prejudices and irrational hatred which can also parallel international prejudices and hatreds, international marraiges, immigration, international marriage, citizenship and being accepted into a new family, even questions of abortion with regards to the possibility of Juliet being pregnant when taking the potent medicine, suicide, etc.). As superficial as the play seems, it abounds in social commentary in inter-persona, interfamilial, and even international relations, prejudices, hatre, war, immigration, etc.
Truly fascinating. I'm reading it one more time this week.
