A Structuralist Analysis of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”

Abstract

Structuralism is an approach that defines the relationship between the part and the whole. This study aims to analyse William Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet" in terms of the structuralist approach. In the surface structure, there is love between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet who are the children of hostile families. In terms of syntagmatic relation, Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other, decide to marry and keep it in secret. In terms of paradigmatic relation, there is homology of relationship between the two hostile families. As for the surface structure, there is a symmetrical arrangement of plot between public scenes and private scenes. As for the surface meaning, there is the thematic conflict between hatred and love. As for the deep structure, its harmony operates on binary opposition between public hatred and private love. Its melody operates on the fixed cycle of public hatred and private love. As for the deep meaning, where there is public hatred, private love is helpless. Love can live forever only when society is in peace.