Love and the Absence Thereof

What compels people to love? Given all the time and effort devoted to the subject, it would seem that the whole world is obsessed with it. Yet, love causes so much pain. Some of the oldest legends, literary masterpieces, and greatest motion pictures of all time have proven that love does not always bring happiness to those who choose to embrace it. James Baldwin described it best when he said, “Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does.” There are many reasons why people who are meant to be together do not always end up together, such as the influence of their parents, their different social or cultural backgrounds, or even the tragedy of death.

A major problem that can put a strain on a couple’s relationship are parents who do not approve of their feelings for each other. Such is the case in Shakespeare’s most tragic lost story, Romeo and Juliet. This theatrical performance takes place in the fair city of Verona, Italy, which is home to two feuding ...