A Thorough Description of Star-Crossed Lovers

First, an archetype means the original form of a person or an object in which similar examples have patterns and are emulated from. They could be applied to an image, symbol, or theme and could be expressed in dreams, literature, myths, or fantasies. Archetypes are symbols we see everyday,but don't realize or recognize them.
Star-Crossed Lovers is a great example of an archetype. Star-Crossed Lovers is an archetype that associates with two characters. These two characters are deeply in love, but are separated by fate. They could be a couple in love whose relationship was said to be doomed from the beginning or society, family, or a tragic situation causes the couple to end their relationship.
Star-Crossed Lovers was first coined in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet---"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, / a pair of star-cross'd lovers, take their life." (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet). - This talks about how Romeo and Juliet's relationship ended tragically.
Star-Crossed Lovers could be seen in many different sources. This archetype can be depicted in a story about the protagonist and an antagonist. It could be depicted in many ways, such as a hero who can't be with his/her lover because being with him/her could cause their death. Another example could be that they are from two different worlds. There are many other examples : to view scroll down.

Mythology/ Fairy-tales/ Folk-tales/Legends

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One of Chinese mythology describes the love of the Weaver and the Cowherd. It is a story about a Weaver who came down from Heaven to Earth and met the Cowherd. She falls in love with him. They soon get married, but then her mom found out and only allowed her to see him once a year. This expresses Star-Crossed Lover because the Weaver is an immortal and the Cowherd is a mortal and they weren't meant to be. They are from two different worlds and their differences led them to only meet each other once a year.

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Hagbard and Signy, a Scandinavian legend talks about the love of Hagbard and Signy. Hagbard slain many of Signy's brothers and suitors causing him to be unwelcome in the hall of Signy's father, Sigar. So then, he cross-dressed and became one of Signy's brother shield maidens. One of the head maidens deceives him by telling Sigar his true identity and this caused him to be arrested. Hagbard was hanged and Signy committed suicide. This shows Star-Crossed Lovers because Hagbard killed Signy's brothers and was never allowed to see her again, but he does and this leads to his death. The death of Hagbard and Signy ends their star-crossed lovers relationship.

Symbol of Star-Crossed Lovers

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This withering rose is a symbol of Star-Crossed Lovers. This rose is decaying, the petals are falling off, and it is bleeding. This demonstrates the love of the two couple falling apart. Their love will end soon.

Examples in Literature and Film

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Twilight is a great example of a star-crossed lovers archetype. In the book, Edward Cullen is a vampire and Bella Swan is a normal human being. Edward is attracted to Bella because he cannot read her mind and because her blood is mesmerizing to him. Her blood attracts him deeply. They soon fall in love, but they are not meant to be. Edward is a vampire and he could kill her in an instance when he can't control himself. His intentions of being with Bella could cause her death. Bella and Edward is one amazing example of star-crossed lovers because even though they love each other, they are from two different worlds and cannot be together because of their differences.
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Romeo and Juliet was a literature that demonstrates greatly of what the archetype, Star-Crossed Lovers is. Romeo and Juliet was one of William Shakespeare's most famous play. This play was about a couple, Romeo and Juliet, who fall in love, but their families dislike each other tremendously. Their families were in a feud and don't accept their love for each other. Romeo and Juliet depicts Star-Crossed Lovers because their love for each other was ended through a tragedy. They both commit suicide, due to the fact that their families won't accept their love. Fate causes them to end their love affair.

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Beauty and the Beast expresses Star-Crossed Lovers in a different way compared with Romeo and Juliet. Belle is a girl who is dissatisfied with her life in a small French town. The Beast, on the other hand, is a prince who was placed under a spell because he could not love. They meet and fall in love. This story expresses Star-Crossed Lover because Belle is a beauty and the prince is a beast. They are complete opposites and they aren't meant to be because of their backgrounds.

Current Events

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"Tragedy on the Roof of the World for Honeymoon Couple"





http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/world-news/2008/10/09/tragedy-of-honeymoon-couple/who-died-in-nepal-plane-crash.html



This current event was about a newlywed that was heading to the Himalayas Mountains, but the plane crash and they both died. They are Star-Crossed Lovers because their love did not last due to a tragic event that happened to them. The plane crash was their fate.

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"Honeymoon ends in tragedy after hippo attack in Botswana"

http://www.jphpk.gov.my/English/Dec03%2013f.htm


In this event, a couple was on their honeymoon in Botswana sight-seeing and then a hippo attacked the wife. She dies right in front of her husband. This couple represents Star-Crossed Lovers because they had to end their love because of the tragedy that occurred.

Poetry

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"Star-Crossed Lovers" By:Judy

Star crossed lovers is all we can be
The bittersweet love that we have found
Makes our hearts forever bound
It's so useless don't you see
Please let go of your hold on me.

On a breezy, sun filled summer day
You turned and looked my way
Your eyes caught mine, they said it all
Your heart sent mine a silent 'love' call.

You reached out and touched my hand
A ray of sun danced from your gold band
My mind told me to turn and go
But my yearning heart said no.

Lips that must, never touch
If ever we kiss it will be too much
Wild desire that runs so deep
I knew that we should let it sleep.

Your blue eyes pleaded your case
While tears fell upon my face
I knew that I should walk away
But your pleading eyes begged me to stay.

As your forbidden lips claimed mine
A taste sweeter than natures purest wine
I knew there'd be no turning back
Around and around we'd go upon the heartshaped love track.

Is this just another fling
Or is it love that makes our hearts sing
Under the summer sun and star-lit night
You and I just seem so right.

When winter days burst upon the scene
To our love what will it mean
Because you belong to another and so do I
Does that mean at summers end we'll say good-bye?

Our feelings laid dormant through long winter days
Then summer sprung with its bright sunny rays
Your eyes caught mine, they said it all
Your heart sent mine the same old call.

Star crossed lovers is all we can be
The bittersweet love that we have found
Makes our hearts forever bound
It's so useless don't you see
Please let go of your hold on me.

http://poetrypoem.com/cgi-bin/index.pl?poemnumber=611727&sitename=sunnflowergardens&displaypoem=t&item=poetry

This poem talks about a summer love between two people. This couple is in love, but they can't be together because of the situation they are in. They both belong to another person and they can't leave that person. They are Star-Crossed Lovers because they have someone else that they belong with and fate leads them to end their summer love.

Art Work

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Devil and Angel

This art work shows the love of the Devil and the Angel. Their life and backgrounds won't allow them to be together. The Devil is from the underworld and the Angel is from Heaven. They are sworn enemies and their destiny will cause them to end their relationship. This shows Star-Crossed Lovers because they are from different backgrounds and are destine to fight against each other.

Examples of Music

- Leona Lewis Lyrics



"Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis is a song that expresses the love life of many people. The song is about a couple being in love unconditionally, but everyone around them wants to stop them from being together. This song is about her painful love for a guy who everyone else doesn't accept. "Bleeding Love" expresses a couple's love for each other, but are not accepted by others around them and everyone else is trying to stop them from being with each other.
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- We the Kings Lyrics

"Check Yes, Juliet" by We the Kings is a modernize version of a song for the play, Romeo and Juliet. This song is about two couple who are in love and want to be together, but people they know don't want them to be with each other. Everyone else does not want their relationship to continue. The song is comparing it to Romeo and Juliet, where the two feuding families would never accept or allow their relationship to continue.
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- Decemberists Lyrics

"O, Valencia!" by The Decemberists is also a song that conveys Romeo and Juliet. This song is about two people from opposite sides that fall in love; the girl is from a gang and the guy is sworn enemy with her brother. They have a secret love affair, but someone finds out about it. Then, the ending is like Romeo and Juliet, their love ends because the girl dies. A tragic event ends their relationship. They are Star-Crossed Lovers. Even though they are in love, their families do not accept their relationship.

Miscellaneous

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Video Game: Final Fantasy VII

Aerith and Cloud are in love, but then Aerith gets killed by Sephiroth. Sephiroth kills Aerith because he wants Cloud to come to the "dark side", but Cloud doesn't want to because Aerith is keeping him on the "good side". This shows Star-crossed lovers because they both love each other, but they are on different sides and the death of Aerith ends their relationship.



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A Friend's Experience:

A friend of mine was dating this guy she liked. They both liked each other, but her parents don't accept him. They believed that she is still too young to date. So they do not allow her relationship with him. Their relationship ends badly. They expressed the archetype because her family does not accept him and fate has cause them to end their relationship.

Subcategory

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Another archetype that could be associated with "Star-Crossed Lovers" is "Damsel in Distress". Damsel in Distress is a woman who needs to be rescued by the hero and usually she is trap to capture the unsuspecting hero. Damsel in Distress is associated with Star-Crossed Lovers because usually the hero sees a girl in distress, he saves her, and falls in love with her.
For example, in the movie Shrek, an ogre named Shrek goes to a tower to save the princess, Fiona. They fall in love, but they are from two different backgrounds. Fiona is a princess and Shrek is an ogre. So they aren't meant to be together. Thus, Damsel in Distress associates with Star-Crossed Lovers.