The New Nation - Internet Edition

Romeo and Juliet

Charles Lamb (1775-1834)

The following short story is reprinted from Tales From Shakespeare. Charles & Mary Lamb. London: Thomas Hodgkins, 1807.

The two chief families in Verona were the rich Capulets and the Montagues. There had been an old quarrel between these families, which was grown to such a height, and so deadly was the enmity between them, that it extended to the remotest kindred, to the followers and retainers of both sides, insomuch that a servant of the house of Montague could not meet a servant of the house of Capulet, nor a Capulet encounter with a Montague by chance, but fierce words and sometimes bloodshed ensued; and frequent were the brawls from such accidental meetings, which disturbed the happy quiet of Verona's streets.

Old Lord Capulet made a great supper, to which many fair ladies and many noble guests were invited. All the admired beauties of Verona were present, and all comers were made welcome if they were not of the house of Montague. At this feast of Capulets, Rosaline, beloved of Romeo, son to the old Lord Montague, was present; and though it was dangerous for a Montague to be seen in this assembly, yet Benvolio, a friend of Romeo, persuaded the young lord to go to this assembly in the disguise of a mask, that he might see his Rosaline, and seeing her, compare her with some choice beauties of Verona, who (he said) would make him think his swan a crow. Romeo had small faith in Benvolio's words; nevertheless, for the love of Rosaline, he was persuaded to go. For Romeo was a sincere and passionate lover, and one that lost his sleep for love, and fled society to be alone, thinking on Rosaline, who disdained him, and never requited his love, with the least show of courtesy or affection; and Benvolio wished to cure his friend of this love by showing him diversity of ladies and company. To this feast of Capulets then young Romeo with Benvolio and their friend Mercutio went masked. Old Capulet bid them welcome, and told them that ladies who had their toes unplagued with corns would dance with them. And the old man was light hearted and merry, and said that he had worn a mask when he was young, and could have told a whispering tale in a fair lady's ear. And they fell to dancing, and Romeo was suddenly struck with the exceeding beauty of a lady who danced there, who seemed to him to teach the torches to burn bright, and her beauty to show by night like a rich jewel worn by a blackamoor; beauty too rich for use, too dear for earth! like a snowy dove trooping with crows (he said), so richly did her beauty and perfections shine above the ladies her companions. While he uttered these praises, he was overheard by Tybalt, a nephew of Lord Capulet, who knew him by his voice to be Romeo. And this Tybalt, being of a fiery and passionate temper, could not endure that a Montague should come under cover of a mask, to fleer and scorn (as he said) at their solemnities. And he stormed and raged exceedingly, and would have struck young Romeo dead. But his uncle, the old Lord Capulet, would not suffer him to do any injury at that time, both out of respect to his guests, and because Romeo had borne himself like a gentleman, and all tongues in Verona bragged of him to be a virtuous and well-governed youth. Tybalt, forced to be patient against his will, restrained himself, but swore that this vile Montague should at another time dearly pay for his intrusion.

The dancing being done, Romeo watched the place where the lady stood; and under favour of his masking habit, which might seem to excuse in part the liberty, he presumed in the gentlest manner to take her by the hand, calling it a shrine, which if he profaned by touching it, he was a blushing pilgrim, and would kiss it for atonement. "Good pilgrim," answered the lady, "your devotion shows by far too mannerly and too courtly: saints have hands, which pilgrims may touch, but kiss not."-"Have not saints lips, and pilgrims too?" said Romeo. "Ay," said the lady, "lips which they must use in prayer."-"O then, my dear saint," said Romeo, "hear my prayer, and grant it, lest I despair." In such like allusions and loving conceits they were engaged, when the lady was called away to her mother. And Romeo inquiring who her mother was, discovered that the lady whose peerless beauty he was so much struck with, was young Juliet, daughter and heir to the Lord Capulet, the great enemy of the Montagues; and that he had unknowingly engaged his heart to his foe. This troubled him, but it could not dissuade him from loving. As little rest had Juliet, when she found that the gentleman that she had been talking with was Romeo and a Montague, for she had been suddenly smit with the same hasty and inconsiderate passion for Romeo, which he had conceived for her; and a prodigious birth of love it seemed to her, that she must love her enemy, and that her affections should settle there, where family considerations should induce her chiefly to hate.

It being midnight, Romeo with his companions departed; but they soon missed him, for, unable to stay away from the house where he had left his heart, he leaped the wall of an orchard which was at the back of Juliet's house. Here he had not been long, ruminating on his new love, when Juliet appeared above at a window, through which her exceeding beauty seemed to break like the light of the sun in the east; and the moon, which shone in the orchard with a faint light, appeared to Romeo as if sick and pale with grief at the superior lustre of this new sun. And she, leaning her cheek upon her hand, he passionately wished himself a glove upon that hand, that he might touch her cheek. She all this while thinking herself alone, fetched a deep sigh, and exclaimed, "Ah me!" Romeo, enraptured to hear her speak, said softly, and unheard by her, "O speak again, bright angel, for such you appear, being over my head, like a winged messenger from heaven whom mortals fall back to gaze upon." She, unconscious of being overheard, and full of the new passion which that night's adventure had given birth to, called upon her lover by name (whom she supposed absent): "O Romeo, Romeo!" said she, "wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name, for my sake; or if thou wilt not, be but my sworn love, and I no longer will be a Capulet." Romeo, having this encouragement, would fain have spoken, but he was desirous of hearing more; and the lady continued her passionate discourse with herself (as she thought), still chiding Romeo for being Romeo and a Montague, and wishing him some other name, or that he would put away that hated name, and for that name which was no part of himself, he should take all herself. At this loving word Romeo could no longer refrain, but taking up the dialogue as if her words had been addressed to him personally, and not merely in fancy, he bade her call him Love, or by whatever other name she pleased, for he was no longer Romeo, if that name was displeasing to her. Juliet, alarmed to hear a man's voice in the garden, did not at first know who it was, that by favour of the night and darkness had thus stumbled upon the discovery of her secret; but when he spoke again, though her ears had not yet drunk a hundred words of that tongue's uttering, yet so nice is a lover's hearing, that she immediately knew him to be young Romeo, and she expostulated with him on the danger to which he had exposed himself by climbing the orchard walls, for if any of her kinsmen should find him there, it would be death to him being a Montague. "Alack," said Romeo, "there is more peril in your eye, than in twenty of their swords. Do you but look kind upon me, lady, and I am proof against their enmity. Better my life should be ended by their hate, than that hated life should be prolonged, to live without your love."-"How came you into this place," said Juliet, "and by whose direction?"-"Love directed me," answered Romeo: "I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far apart from me, as that vast shore which is washed with the farthest sea, I should venture for such merchandise." A crimson blush came over Juliet's face, yet unseen by Romeo by reason of the night, when she reflected upon the discovery which she had made, yet not meaning to make it, of her love to Romeo. She would fain have recalled her words, but that was impossible: fain would she have stood upon form, and have kept her lover at a distance, as the custom of discreet ladies is, to frown and be perverse, and give their suitors harsh denials at first; to stand off, and affect a coyness or indifference, where they most love, that their lovers may not think them too lightly or too easily won; for the difficulty of attainment increases the value of the object. But there was no room in her case for denials, or puttings off, or any of the customary arts of delay and protracted courtship. Romeo had heard from her own tongue, when she did not dream that he was near her, a confession of her love.

So with an honest frankness, which the novelty of her situation excused, she confirmed the truth of what he had before heard, and addressing him by the name of fair Montague (love can sweeten a sour name), she begged him not to impute her easy yielding to levity or an unworthy mind, but that he must lay the fault of it (if it were a fault) upon the accident of the night which had so strangely discovered her thoughts.

And she added, that though her behaviour to him might not be sufficiently prudent, measured by the custom of her sex, yet that she would prove more true than many whose prudence was dissembling, and their modesty artificial cunning.

Romeo was beginning to call the heavens to witness, that nothing was farther from his thoughts than to impute a shadow of dishonour to such an honoured lady, when she stopped him, begging him not to swear; for although she joyed in him, yet she had no joy of that night's contract: it was too rash, too unadvised, too sudden. But he being urgent with her to exchange a vow of love with him that night, she said that she already had given him hers before he requested it; meaning, when he overheard her confession; but she would retract what she then bestowed, for the pleasure of giving it again, for her bounty was as infinite as the sea, and her love as deep. From this loving conference she was called away by her nurse, who slept with her, and thought it time for her to be in bed, for it was near to daybreak; but hastily returning, she said three or four words more to Romeo, the purport of which was, that if his love was indeed honourable, and his purpose marriage, she would send a messenger to him to-morrow, to appoint a time for their marriage, when she would lay all her fortunes at his feet, and follow him as her lord through the world. While they were settling this point, Juliet was repeatedly called for by her nurse, and went in and returned, and went and returned again, for she seemed as jealous of Romeo going from her, as a young girl of her bird, which she will let hop a little from her hand, and pluck it back with a silken thread; and Romeo was as loath to part as she; for the sweetest music to lovers is the sound of each other's tongues at night. But at last they parted, wishing mutually sweet sleep and rest for that night.

The day was breaking when they parted, and Romeo, who was too full of thoughts of his mistress and that blessed meeting to allow him to sleep, instead of going home, bent his course to a monastery hard by, to find Friar Lawrence. The good friar was already up at his devotions, but seeing young Romeo abroad so early, he conjectured rightly that he had not been abed that night, but that some distemper of youthful affection had kept him waking. He was right in imputing the cause of Romeo's wakefulness to love, but he made a wrong guess at the object, for he thought that his love for Rosaline had kept him waking. But when Romeo revealed his new passion for Juliet, and requested the assistance of the friar to marry them that day, the holy man lifted up his eyes and hands in a sort of wonder at the sudden change in Romeo's affections, for he had been privy to all Romeo's love for Rosaline, and his many complaints of her disdain: and he said, that young men's love lay not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. But Romeo replying, that he himself had often chidden him for doting on Rosaline, who could not love him again, whereas Juliet both loved and was beloved by him, the friar assented in some measure to his reasons; and thinking that a matrimonial alliance between young Juliet and Romeo might happily be the means of making up the long breach between the Capulets and the Montagues; which no one more lamented than this good friar, who was a friend to both the families and had often interposed his mediation to make up the quarrel without effect; partly moved by policy, and partly by his fondness for young Romeo, to whom he could deny nothing, the old man consented to join their hands in marriage.

Now was Romeo blessed indeed, and Juliet, who knew his intent from a messenger which she had despatched according to promise, did not fail to be early at the cell of Friar Lawrence, where their hands were joined in holy marriage; the good friar praying the heavens to smile upon that act, and in the union of this young Montague and young Capulet to bury the old strife and long dissensions of their families.

The ceremony being over, Juliet hastened home, where she stayed impatient for the coming of night, at which time Romeo promised to come and meet her in the orchard, where they had met the night before; and the time between seemed as tedious to her, as the night before some great festival seems to an impatient child, that has got new finery which it may not put on till the morning.

That same day, about noon, Romeo's friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, walking through the streets of Verona, were met by a party of the Capulets with the impetuous Tybalt at their head. This was the same angry Tybalt who would have fought with Romeo at old Lord Capulet's feast.

He, seeing Mercutio, accused him bluntly of associating with Romeo, a Montague. Mercutio, who had as much fire and youthful blood in him as Tybalt, replied to this accusation with some sharpness; and in spite of all Benvolio could say to moderate their wrath, a quarrel was beginning, when Romeo himself passing that way, the fierce Tybalt turned from Mercutio to Romeo, and gave him the disgraceful appellation of villain. Romeo wished to avoid a quarrel with Tybalt above all men, because he was the kinsman of Juliet, and much beloved by her; besides, this young Montague had never thoroughly entered into the family quarrel, being by nature wise and gentle, and the name of a Capulet, which was his dear lady's name, was now rather a charm to allay resentment, than a watchword to excite fury.

Book Review: Selected Papers on Security and Leadership

Mohd Aminul Karim, Ph.D

Academic Press and Publishers Library (APPL)

Pages-2I2, Price Tk.-400.00, US$ 20

Strategic studies emerged as a serious field of study in the immediate aftermath of the First World War. And even though many would still argue that it has yet to establish itself as a distinct discipline of study, strategic and security studies has come a long way. In its early days the study of this field was largely confined to memoirs and experiences of distinguished retired soldiers. It was only in the second half of the twentieth century that strategic and security studies began to attract serious scholarly attention; and there was healthy proliferation of theoretical and conceptual works. However, until recently the theory and practice seldom met; there were few platforms that brought the academics and practitioners together; and the scholarly discourse seldom found their way into the military academies.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Aminul Karim represents a new generation of soldier-scholars who have combined their knowledge on the battlefield with analytical rigour and scholarly insights. General Karim is both a professional soldier and a trained academic and author of several scholarly treatises. The Selected Papers on Security and Leadership is a collection of essays, which the author wrote and presented at the various conferences and workshops - national and international- and some of them were earlier published elsewhere. However, the readers will be grateful to have all the essays available in an easily accessible single volume. The essays cover a broad range of issues and show a thoughtful, insightful and a razor sharp mind grappling with questions that are not only globally significant but also critical to Bangladesh's own security concerns.

It would be difficult to pigeon-hole General Karim within a single tradition of security studies - he is much erudite and eclectic to fall into a simple academic category. While to a large extent he is a proponent of the realist school of thought, he is not a doctrinaire; and his writings are much more nuanced. He has a mind that is at once both open and expansive; and he has a distinct preference for a more holistic approach. He gives the deterrence doctrine a short shrift, arguing quite convincingly that an increase in one state's power invariably heightens the insecurity of another. Instead of enhancing security and stability, the policy of deterrence provokes a futile and ruinous arms race. He also challenges Samuel Huntington's 'clash of civilisation' thesis. Although, now largely discredited in the academic circles, Huntington nonetheless continues to exercise considerable influence amongst the neo-conservative ideologues and has inspired and informed their doctrine of 'full spectrum domination' of the world.

The simplicity of Huntington's thesis has been particularly seductive and probably shaped President George Bush's disastrous doctrine of 'pre-emptive intervention'. And, according to the author, it also largely explains the disastrous US intervention in Iraq and the global' crusade' as the so-called Islamists.

General Karim is an articulate advocate of soft or smart power and his reflection on multilateralism through the reform of the United Nations, multi-polarity, and the post-Cold War regional security architecture are thought provoking, original, and have deep policy significance. His concern for the individual is also striking:

Individual, national and inter-state security architecture is conditioned by different sets of assumptions, environment, geography, geopolitics, values, threats and capabilities of actors concerned to meet the impending or perceived challenges.

Such a holistic view of security is often lacking in the discourse. And because this view comes from a serving soldier it commands greater respect. The book is a useful contribution at a time when our world is fast changing. The very nature and character of warfare have changed. Wars are no longer fought by nations but through a coalition of nations. Nor is war a particularly effective mechanism for advancing national interests or resolving conflict. In the twenty-first century the sources of conflicts between nations will emanate from public health threats like the HIV AIDS epidemic, global warming, environmental pollution, scarcity of water and food, large scale population movement, trafficking in women and children, gun running, proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, poverty and so forth. These can all become major sources of tensions and conflict but they are not capable of being resolved by wars or even through the efforts of a single state. These are transnational issues capable of resolution through cooperation amongst the states rather than wars. Nor can we ignore the fact that many of the threats to international peace and security come not from states but from individuals and groups, especially those who (rightly or wrongly) see themselves as disenfranchised, disempowered and dispossessed, and without hope. How to bring back these disenchanted people, mostly the youth, by giving them a stake in the society will be a major challenge for the students of strategic and security studies. General Karim has provided an extremely useful conceptual framework of holistic security for scholars to think about the big questions of our time. It is without doubt a significant contribution to our understanding of the global, regional and national issues.

(Reviewed by Gowher Rizvi Harvard University Kennedy School)

Sorrow and Happiness

M. Mizanur Rahman

No one in life likes to share another's sorrow

but enjoy happiness.

Is there anyone who hasn't have sorrow

but all along enjoyed happiness?

What a bind of mystery for I aught to be subjected

to bindings and I must abide by them to its end!

Ah! I do not know who plays

the unseen roles beyond me.

I am in quest of happiness.

In the mirage of light I take someone's hand

happily at pleasure.

In-love and laughter I run for hopes

where life envelops happiness,

but not always.

There's no one on earth

who did not play

the role of sorrow and sadness;

there's no one

who could not have to overcome

the depth of nocturnal darkness;

there's none of the human.

Who's there that didn't fly

caught hold of the unseen

hands of mysterious dream?

Who's there that didn't die

wandering to quench thirst of water in the mirage?

Still sometimes dream comes true

that brings about elated joyful delight

we are wandering about hopes

where boisterous laughter of pleasures grew.

Everyday and every night all that agonies

of sorrow and sadness draw us near

and within the same measure

our pleasant perception with delight flies.

In each abode sorrow and happiness lie together.

That sorrow for you and for me,

then happiness for whom;

with sorrow and happiness ever

we feel ourselves aplomb.

Only what we need to know

that we must not be the cause of anybody's sorrow.

Everybody must be compassionate

to share each other's sorrow and happiness

to live and let live in togetherness.

Month of Ramadan

A.S.M. Babor Ali

This is the month of Ramadan,

Month of patience, tolerance

And self- modification.

This is the month of Ramadan,

Month of self-restraince,

Purification and honesty.

This is the month of Ramadan,

Month of growing sympathy,

Sincerity, purity

And meditation.

This is the month of Ramadan

Month of walking

on the path of

Solution.

The Cricket and the Ox

Ali Inan

There once was a very lazy cricket who lived in Bugsonville.

The teachers at his school were never pleased with his work.

The cricket rushed with his homework and didn't put any effort into

his work like all his assiduous classmates. All that mattered to the

cricket was playing with all his lazy and lax friends that were just like him.

One day after playing with his friends, the cricket came home at about 10:00.

It was way past his bedtime, so the cricket decided he should not do his homework.

The next day at school the teacher, an ox asked where the cricket had put his homework. "I uh, was very sick", the cricket answered lamely. "That's okay," said the ox. While at

school the ox overheard the conversation between the cricket and one of his snake friends.

"That game of ball was awesome" said the snake .. "It really was," the cricket said.

The ox came up to the cricket. "I thought you were sick cricket," the ox said.

"Playing ball with somebody doesn't seem like you were sick," the ox said belligerently. "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," the, cricket said trying to think of a lie. It didn't work.

The cricket had 5 months of detention and had to do I year of chores.