“Did My Heart Love Till Now?”
(Im)patient Love in Romeo and Juliet and The Office
Throughout history, there have been countless examples of stories that have displayed the many themes of love and passion. However, Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most famous love story ever written. While it is not the epitome of the classic fairytale, the love that Romeo and Juliet share is passionate and beautiful. However, it is also destructive and unpredictable at times, bringing death to many around them including themselves. Even though Romeo and Juliet was written in the 16th century, we see many of the same common threads that the book discusses in modern day literature, movies and TV sitcoms. One of the most popular TV shows of this century, The Office, includes these themes of love and passion throughout all nine seasons. Romeo and Jim both took very different paths towards getting what they wanted and, although both of these routes have logic behind them, being patient is the most consistent way to get what you want.
One of the most critical characteristics of love and passion that both of these stories include is how the foundation of the relationship starts. There are vast differences between The Office and Romeo and Juliet when it comes to the beginning of the relationship. Romeo works with haste while pursuing Juliet. On the other hand, Jim takes his time and perseveres when courting Pam. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo doesn’t wait to make his first move; most likely because it was love at first sight. This is evident in lines 59–60 in act 1 scene 5 when Romeo discusses how much he loves Juliet: “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” In previous scenes, however, Romeo is talking about Rosaline and how much he loves her. Some of his friends make fun of him and convince him that going to the party would help him to forget about Rosaline. “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.” They were right for once Romeo lays eyes on Juliet, he immediately forgets about Rosaline. The line, “Did my heart love till now,” expresses the idea that Romeo didn’t know what true love was until he met Juliet. In fact, this instant love and desire for Juliet could not be thwarted and, in turn, could have cost him. In many instances, the play suggests that his instinct to not wait hurt him in the end.
In The Office, although Jim loved Pam at first sight, he took a different and well-thought out path. Jim was able to hold off pursuing Pam for season 1 and almost all of season 2. In the last episode of the season, Jim decided to make his move. He approached Pam on casino night after her fiancée had left. He used simple words to express this, “I am in love with you.” Pam was shocked by this statement and both of them were silent for a little while until Pam said two very powerful words, “I can’t.” These two words had a profound impact on Jim. Knowing the difficulty of sticking around, he packed his bags and transferred to another branch of the company. The timing of professing his love to Pam was off. He even admits to this as he is declaring his love for her saying, “It’s really not good timing, I know that.” Although this whole ordeal may have seemed like a failure, it was not fruitless. This opened the door for Jim to continue to be steadfast and patient, and to make yet another move later in the show.
One of the many reasons that both Romeo and Juliet and the Office are so famous is because of the many hurdles that both Romeo and Jim faced while trying to get what they want. The rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues definitely caused Romeo to think about the whole situation between him and Juliet differently. “Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” Even though this family feud seems like a soul-crusher, that is no excuse for not being patient. This large obstacle forced him to believe that the only way he would be able to be with Juliet was if he went after her right away. However, he was incorrect. The route of patience would have been more effective in this scenario because if he and Juliet had built a relationship prior to him making his move, they would’ve been a stronger couple and it would’ve made it harder for the family feud to break them apart.
Like Romeo, Jim faced a large obstacle that made things very difficult. The fact that Pam was engaged was a large factor in the decisions Jim had to make in order to have Pam. The fact that Pam was engaged caused him to request a transfer to Stamford. During this period of time, Jim was able to regain his focus and was able to build up even more patience. Despite the fact that Jim came back with a girlfriend, it is clear that he still had feelings for Pam. Instead of going for Pam right when he gets back, he utilizes patience to make Pam anxious. He ended up being so patient that Pam actually ended up coming to him instead of the other way around. When Jim’s current girlfriend approaches him, he hesitates when she talks about how crazy Pam is. He repeatedly says “yeah” in a very strange tone of voice which proves that he still has feelings for Pam. The consistent patience that Jim showed throughout the show resulted in him getting what he wanted, Pam.
Both Romeo and Juliet and The Office contain the themes of love and passion throughout their respected stories. While analyzing both of these stories, it is evident that there is a glaring difference between Jim and Romeo and how they approach the challenge of winning over both Pam and Juliet. Based on the outcome, patience was the better strategy for completing this task. There is a famous saying that says you should always go after what you want. However, when it comes to love, patience is the better option.
