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Stephenie Meyer, author of the widely popular book series, The Twight saga, has stated in interviews that certain classic works of literature echo throughout her bestselling books. The work of literature she cites as tied to New Moon, the second novel in the Twilight quartet, is the Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. In discussing the close or loose connections of the four books to their classical inspirations in her mind, Meyer says, “New Moon was much more closely tied to Romeo and Juliet. It’s really the theme of the novel.”
This theme is first made evident in the novel with its epigraph, quoted from the play: "These violent delights have violent ends / And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, / Which, as they kiss, consume." (Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene VI).
Readers may also recall that in the opening chapter of New Moon, Bella protests against going to the eighteenth birthday party Alice Cullen has planned for her by saying first she needs to watch the 1960s film version of Romeo and Juliet for English class. The 1960s version, which Bella says their teacher, Mr. Berty, recommends as the best, is likely the famous Franco Zeffirelli film, starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. Bella convinces Edward Cullen to watch it with her.
While they are on the couch viewing the film, Edward tells Bella he doesn’t have much patience for Romeo. He mentions Romeo’s fickleness for being in love with Rosaline, then Juliet, then his brashness in killing Juliet’s cousin soon after they are married. “Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?” Edward asks (17).
Bella is a bit put off at Edward’s remark because Romeo was one of her favorite fictional characters. Later, Edward admits that he does envy Romeo for one thing—the ease with which he can commit suicide as a human being compared to being a vampire. Edward then mentions the Volturi and implies their role in ending a vampire’s life. He scares Bella when he tells her that the thought of suicide crossed his mind the previous spring when she came so close to dying in Phoenix. When Bella protests these thoughts, Edward says calmly, “Well, I wasn’t going to live without you” (19). Readers of Shakespeare’s play know that Romeo commits suicide for just the same reason when he mistakenly thinks Juliet has died.
SPOILER ALERT…
At the end of New Moon, Edward attempts to commit ‘vampire suicide’--by revealing his vampire qualities in public and bringing on the wrath of the Volturi--when he thinks Bella has done the same by jumping off a cliff. The dramatic scene of Bella running through the crowded piazza on St. Marcus Day in Volterra, Italy--splashing through the fountain just as the clock begins to strike the hour, in order to save Edward from exposing himself to the sunlight in public--is one of the most highly anticipated scenes in the entire planned quartet of Twilight saga films. Instead of the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet, "Juliet" is about to save her "Romeo."
In the first moments after Bella saves him and he is disoriented, thinking he sees Bella in death or some other state of being, Edward quotes Romeo from the scene when he sees drugged Juliet lying in the tomb, presuming her to be dead, “Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty” (452). Both Edward and Romeo, neither one content to live if their lovers have died, think their lovers are so beautiful that even death cannot take that beauty away.
After all he puts Bella and himself through in his efforts to protect her in New Moon, readers may think back to Edward's remark at the beginning of the novel and see him more like Romeo than the character might see himself. He may crystallize the theme of the novel in speaking more about himself than he realizes when he says, "Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?" The events of the plot also let readers know that this couple is serious, indeed. Edward also speaks another theme when he says, "Well, I wasn't going to live without you."
By the end of the novel, Edward seems to come to an understanding of what he has done and how this makes him like the tragic hero he had such impatience with before. In explaining his side of events to Bella in Chapter 23, "The Truth," he observes that the odds against their relationship are stacked against them. "Mistake after mistake," he says about recent attempts to deal with the unfavorable oddds. He admits to having a new insight into Shakespeare's tragic hero, saying, "I'll never criticize Romeo again" (508).
Do you see other connections between New Moon and Romeo and Juliet? What do you look forward to in watching the film version in light of these 'classic inspirations?' Let us know!
[Photo: DVD cover of Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo and Juliet].
Comments
well duh!! and there is more, the scene where Edward calls pretending to be carlisle but jacob takes the phone and tells edward that charlie is at the funeral gives edward the idea that bella is dead therefore he will now engage his plan of killing himself. this is similar to how the message got misled in romeo and juliet therefore making romeo believe his juliet was dead so he will die cos he cant live without her. stephanie also dedicates a whole chapter on how jacob is like paris in romeo and
Edward didn't pretend to be Carlisle, Jacob just assumed.
Karyn and emma--
Thanks for your comments! I think the scene you're both talking about was when Edward called Bella's house and heard Jacob say that Charlie was at a funeral--it was not Bella's, but Edward mistakenly thought it must be. Jacob mistook Edward for Carlisle. See pgs. 412-13 and pg. 508.
Karyn--You seem to assume most readers know of the R&J connections to NM, but many do not. Good mention of Chapt. 16, "Paris." Do you have other ex. to share?
I remember the epigraph and that they were reading it in English class, but that's about it.
Thanks for the article! I'll watch for this more in the movie.
If you've read some of the extra material on stephenie meyer website you'll see that when edward calls he does pretend to be doctor cullen, just to clear y'all up
sorry i said duh. didn't mean for it to come off as it did. i don't think there is anything more although r&j is mostly based in romeo's point of view whereas NM is in Bella's. again sorry about the assuption, i actually hope alot of people read this because i'm sick of people thinking that steph just wrote whatever comes into her head and that she doesnt know how to write.
Yes, just like Eclipse is related to Wuthering Heights - themes of jealousy, pride and being torn between two loves...
Sarah--thanks for the tip about the website. I looked but did not see the information you mentioned. Do you have a link?
Karyn--No worries! Readers who did not notice or remember as many details as you did will likely appreciate your additions to the examples--thanks!
~cak
Vanessa--Thanks for your comment about ECLIPSE and WH. I write about that in the article, "Stephenie Meyer's 'classical inspirations' for 'Twilight' saga--check it out! ;)
Thanks to all for your comments!
~cak
Hey Connie I couldn't put the link in my comment but you just go to stepheniemeyer.com and then Twilight Series, then New Moon and then Extras. Rosalie's News is the one you want to download : it's when she calls Edward to tell him Bella's dead. The other ones are Rosalie's phone call to Alice and Jacob's point of view in New Moon. Both are really great!
Thanks, Sarah B.! I've been swamped so haven't had a chance to do your suggestion yet, but I hope to get to it! Thanks, again!
~cak
Why wasn't the 1968 R&J movie in the "New Moon" film? Why did they use an older version, when in the book, it was the 1968 movie they talked of so highly?
What about two families feuding? The Quileutes and the Cullens. The Montagues and Capulets? The Quileutes and the Cullens are more peaceful (because of their treaty) than the Montagues and Capulets, but they do not like each other. That seems to be another R+J connection.
BTW has anyone listened to the original score for the movie New Moon? There are several parts that bring the music from the 1968 version of R+J into the score. It is beautiful.
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