The author’s intent was to show that Romeo and Juliet is dumb teenager behavior, despite generations of people being taught the opposite. This would at least remind the public of that.
And yet, it is also likely commentary on the futile squabbles of specific nobility at the time, like most of the Bard’s plays. Layered meanings are not new to Shakespeare, nor is neglecting to admit everything that is meant by a work. Nudging and winking to avoid danger is a long held artistic tradition, so there’s no way to know that recorded authorial intent was the entire authorial intent. This is why authorial intent can never carry the power some may think.
The author’s intent was to show that Romeo and Juliet is dumb teenager behavior, despite generations of people being taught the opposite. This would at least remind the public of that.
And yet, it is also likely commentary on the futile squabbles of specific nobility at the time, like most of the Bard’s plays. Layered meanings are not new to Shakespeare, nor is neglecting to admit everything that is meant by a work. Nudging and winking to avoid danger is a long held artistic tradition, so there’s no way to know that recorded authorial intent was the entire authorial intent. This is why authorial intent can never carry the power some may think.
It probably has layers, but one meaning that’s probably not part of the intention is the romantic yet tragic love story it’s often presented as.
Death of the author is one of my most cherished tropes.
Warning: that is a tvtropes link. Don’t click unless you are somehow resistant to rabbit holes, or you feel like entering one.