Comparing Two Notable Works: The Breakfast Club and Romeo and Juliet

Throughout time we have given importance to notable works of different time periods, that range from greek mythology to the renaissances. We have called them classics, we made them valuable to our knowledge and imprinted them in our society as key pieces of time. Nonetheless, we need to come to question: what makes them classics, what’s different about these publications that we have decided to honor them in such a way. Indeed, there is a multitude of distinguished novels and movies of which, some date back to the time of Molière, Hemingway and Shakespeare, and others to today's era of movies and tv shows. Therefore, I decided to compare The breakfast club and Romeo and Juliet, They are evidently different, almost incomparable, however, they seem to have both, in their own right, earned the title of classics.

Firstly let us try to define the term classic, as a cornerstone, the dictionary definition of the word is “a work of art of recognized and established value”. Accordingly what are the criterias? One of literatures oldest love stories might help us find the right guideline. Romeo and juliet, a tale as old as time, a tragedy written during the 16th century by William Shakespeare, is about two young star-crossed lovers, similar to the intertwine of the characters in The Breakfast Club, however, whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families.

It has become one of the writers most performed plays. Its many adaptations have made it one of his most enduring and famous stories. Even in Shakespeare's lifetime, it was extremely popular and we now regard their relationship as a constantly recurring symbol, it’s an archetype. Hence, this only marks the tone for it universality. Indeed, it follows the omnipresence of powerful love and deep hatred respectively between Romeo and Juliet and their families, the Capulets and the Montagues. It’s potence in themes such as Individualism versus society and violence render it suited to many cultures at different time periods. Moreover, these themes explore existential and worthy ideas. We can make a parallel between the story and reality. For example the conflicts in the Middle East, the Montagues represent Israel, and the Capulets the Palestinians or a smaller scale example would be gang warfares.

As for the breakfast club, this comparably much more recent John Hughes movie premiered in Los Angeles on February 7, 1985, and ever since has been critically acclaimed. Just like the Shakespearean play, it is considered to be one of Hughes's most memorable and recognizable works. It follows the saturday of five students at all-day detention. They each belong to a different “clique”, Molly Ringwald as The pampered prom queen Claire Standish, Anthony Michael Hall plays geek Brian Johnson, Emilio Estevez portrays the jock wrestler Andrew Clark, Judd Nelson enacts the delinquent John Bender, and finally Ally Sheedy as the outcast Allison Reynolds. These seemingly different individuals will come to find themselves as acolytes during their time together. To this day this film has proved to have been a staple, in fact that even as recently as four years ago the film was re-released in theaters, restored for a 30th-anniversary edition DVD and Blu-ray as well as can be found today on Netflix. Although many would argue that the Breakfast Club director John Hughes’ influence is forever confined to the 1980s, the actors and names that lead the movie are still known and the newer generations still watch it. Similarly to the tragic play, this is the kind of movie you’re bound to come across at some point without even trying, probably several times. The general storyline has been reused and recycled many times since, like in Clueless or Sixteen Candles, which also starred Molly Ringwald. In addition, the moral of the movie still raises questions applicable then, now or later. Between the fears and the hormones this movies is a real coming-of-age story. The events in the movie are recurring in the life of any individual, teenager or parent, as it bring up the question of labelling, fitting in and having a regal standing in front of one's parents. In our modern day we debate and discuss these ideas endlessly, between the #metoo movement, mental health awareness month and more, the concepts brought during this 80s movie only seem more and more modern.

In conclusion, these two art works both thrust from what we call a classic because of their timelessness, relevance to individuals and portrayal of society. They both have established themselves thanks to time as well as a result of the ageless themes of life events: friendship, love, hate, violence and societal issues. Romeo and Juliet, just like the breakfast club, reflect societal conflicts, family standards or expectations, labels or titles. Thus, the public can relate to the characters and appreciate the story. An individual or a group of people can find themselves in situations such as lack of standing, dire home life or even feeling insecure due to peer pressure. On that account, they bring up true problems in society to which we can make parallels to this day. Clearly the shakespearean play has an olden day story, unlike The breakfast club which describes more modern issues. Nevertheless, we still have a shadowing of these situations today. Adding to that, the viewers greatly appreciate the storylines which have real adversity with tales of doomed love or the conquest of differences. Hence the lessons learned can be brought into their own life.