Juliet's balcony and my disappointment...
What stop to Verona would be complete without a visit to the famous balcony of the Cappello famiglia? The city is so famous for love that it gets countless letters addressed simply to "Juliet, Verona, Italy." There are even volunteers to respond to these mostly lovesick people. I've wanted to visit here since seeing movie "Letters to Juliet," about a girl who finds a letter while visiting La Casa di Giulietta and travels through Italy to help reunite the author with her lost love.
My disappointment arose when I found that, unlike in the movie where heartbroken women tuck sweet notes into the cracks of the 12th century home, modern lovelorn graffiti the walls. Sometimes things just don't live up to one's expectations.
Interestingly, the tale of Romeo and Juliet was not new to the audiences of Shakespeare's tragedy. The people of Verona, Italy, claim that the real story of Romeo and Juliet happened in 1303, although star-crossed lovers had been the source for stories and poems dating back to second century Greece. The first appearance of the Verona tragedy in Italian literature occurred in 1476. Another version was written in 1554 and was translated into French in 1559. In 1562 Arthur Brooke, an Englishman, wrote a poem The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, based on the French translation. In all probability, Shakespeare based his text upon Brooke's verse in 1594-95.
My disappointment arose when I found that, unlike in the movie where heartbroken women tuck sweet notes into the cracks of the 12th century home, modern lovelorn graffiti the walls. Sometimes things just don't live up to one's expectations.
Interestingly, the tale of Romeo and Juliet was not new to the audiences of Shakespeare's tragedy. The people of Verona, Italy, claim that the real story of Romeo and Juliet happened in 1303, although star-crossed lovers had been the source for stories and poems dating back to second century Greece. The first appearance of the Verona tragedy in Italian literature occurred in 1476. Another version was written in 1554 and was translated into French in 1559. In 1562 Arthur Brooke, an Englishman, wrote a poem The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, based on the French translation. In all probability, Shakespeare based his text upon Brooke's verse in 1594-95.
"Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
(Act II, Scene II).
that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
(Act II, Scene II).
2 comments:
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. Shakespeare didn't. Move it up to 1960 and you have Westside Story.
What a bummer about the graffiti! It amazes me that there is graffiti all over the world. I do not understand why people vandalize someone else's property! At every ancient ruin I have ever been to people have carved their names/ girlfriend's names in stone. It is so sad.
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