A new cockamamie allegory

[dr_whom]

You know that almost certainly untrue hypothesis that The Wizard of Oz is actually an allegory for 1890s populism, where the Cowardly Lion represents, like, William Jennings Bryan, the yellow brick road represents the gold standard, and so forth?

Well, I've got a new one to propose: Romeo and Juliet as an allegory for the fall of the Roman Republic. The idea would be that Romeo and Juliet represent, respectively, the Republic itself and Caesar (i.e., Roma and Julius). So the feud between the Montagues and Capulets represents the rivalry between Caesar and the Senate, I guess; but Romeo and Juliet are united in love (the support for Caesar by the civilians); and their union ultimately leads both to their deaths (the assassination of Caesar and the downfall of the Republic as a form of government).

What do you say, can we make this work? I bet someone who knows Roman history better than I do could come up with a superficially plausible allegorical reading of the play in this way.

Comments

[khyros.livejournal.com]

The person to flesh this out is the guy who played Henry Higgins in the Currier House My Fair Lady.

[sandmantv.livejournal.com]

I like this. I like it a lot.

Who is mercutio?

[sandmantv.livejournal.com]

Now I think Cicero is Mercutio. Just being like "seriously, fuck both you guys. Why are you so stupid?" And being witty as hell about it.

[q10.livejournal.com]

i really think this stands or falls on the plausibility of its Mercutio.

and possibly of its Mantua.