--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English…" description: "\"“When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English class went on a field trip to see Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Fro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/annabelle-gurwitch-37424_compatibility_when-i-was-twelve-my-sixth-grade-english_2481912.jpg" --- # When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English class went on a… ![“When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English class went on a field trip to see Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. From that moment forward I dreamed that someday I’d meet my own Juliet. I’d marry her and I would love her with the same passion and intensity as…” quote by Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/annabelle-gurwitch-37424_compatibility_when-i-was-twelve-my-sixth-grade-english_2481912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/annabelle-gurwitch-37424_compatibility_when-i-was-twelve-my-sixth-grade-english_2481912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/annabelle-gurwitch-37424_compatibility_when-i-was-twelve-my-sixth-grade-english_2481912.jpg) > ““When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English class went on a field trip to see Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. From that moment forward I dreamed that someday I’d meet my own Juliet. I’d marry her and I would love her with the same passion and intensity as Romeo. The fact that their marriage lasted fewer than three days before they both were dead didn’t seem to affect my fantasy. Even if they had lived, I don’t think their relationship could have survived. Let’s face it, being that emotionally aflame, sexually charged, and transcendentally eloquent every single second can really start to grate on a person’s nerves. However, if I could find someone to love just a fraction of the way that Montague loved his Capulet, then marrying her would be worth it.”” [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker idealizes an intense, all‑consuming love inspired by Shakespeare’s tragic couple, seeing it as the ultimate romantic goal despite its impracticality. **In simple terms:** A youthful fantasy of passionate love based on Romeo and Juliet. Key Takeaway Seek love that inspires, but balance passion with realism. Themes romance idealism youth passion fantasy Mood nostalgic reflective hopeful Type literary personal philosophical When to use this quote - first love - marriage expectations - relationship counseling - personal growth - literary influence Key Concepts Shakespearean tragedy romantic idealism emotional intensity Questions to Reflect On - Can love be both intense and sustainable? - How do we temper romantic fantasies with reality? A Different Perspective Such extreme passion can become exhausting and unsustainable in everyday life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compatibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compatibility/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [English class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-class/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Field trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/field-trip/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Juliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juliet/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Romantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romantic/) [Romeo and juliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romeo-and-juliet/) [Romeo juliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romeo-juliet/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic/) ## Related quotes > [It was my life, playing Juliet. From that moment on I was convinced I was going to be an actress. That was all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/it-was-my-life-playing-juliet-from-that-moment-on-i-was-convinced-i/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [“Peace? I hate the word — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karpov-kinrade/peace-i-hate-the-word-william-shakespeare-romeo-and-juliet/) [Karpov Kinrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karpov-kinrade/) > [O serpent heart hid with a flowering face! Did ever a dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant, feind angelical, dove feather raven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/o-serpent-heart-hid-with-a-flowering-face-did-ever-a-dragon-keep-so-2/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [“William Shakespeare - Romeo y Julieta (rfernanh@hotmail.com) - Your Highlight on Location 65-66 \| Added on Saturday, March 15, 2014 4:00:39 PM”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/william-shakespeare-romeo-y-julieta-rfernanh-hotmail-com-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/wisely-and-slow-they-stumble-that-run-fast-william-shakespeare-romeo/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [These violent delights have violent ends And in their triump die, like fire and powder Which, as they kiss, consume William Shakespeare, Romeo and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespear/these-violent-delights-have-violent-ends-and-in-their-triump-die-like/) [William Shakespear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespear/) > [Finding a programmer to work with if you don't already know one will be a challenge. Merely judging if a programmer is exceptional vs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-livingston/finding-a-programmer-to-work-with-if-you-don-t-already-know-one-will/) [Jessica Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-livingston/) > [our greatest compatibility was in how we complemented each other's neuroses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-drescher/our-greatest-compatibility-was-in-how-we-complemented-each-other-s/) [Fran Drescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-drescher/) > [“Summer and Winter were not supposed to fall in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/summer-and-winter-were-not-supposed-to-fall-in-love/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [Marriage probably originated as a straightforward food-for-sex deal among foraging primates. Compatibility was not a big issue, nor, of course, was there any tension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/marriage-probably-originated-as-a-straightforward-food-for-sex-deal/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“Together, we form a necessary paradox; not a senseless contradiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/together-we-form-a-necessary-paradox-not-a-senseless-contradiction/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [In Italy there are 5 million legal migrants. They're integrated, and they're welcome. The problem of the Muslim presence is increasingly worrying. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/in-italy-there-are-5-million-legal-migrants-they-re-integrated-and/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [Chemistry does not guarantee compatibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chan/chemistry-does-not-guarantee-compatibility/) [Amy Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chan/) > [Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/music-creates-order-out-of-chaos-for-rhythm-imposes-unanimity-upon/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) > [People don't scream or swear or pout or sulk when there's compatibility. But most growth occurs when there's incompatibility. When it comes to resilience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-w-greene/people-don-t-scream-or-swear-or-pout-or-sulk-when-there-s/) [Ross W. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-w-greene/) ## More by Annabelle Gurwitch > [“Being an atheist had never stopped me from enjoying the ritual, community singing, gay friendly and general do-unto-others-as-you-would-have-them-do-unto-you sentiment of the school’s chapel services,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/being-an-atheist-had-never-stopped-me-from-enjoying-the-ritual/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“recent survey indicated that people who’ve had plastic surgery appeared to have shed only three years on average off of their age. Which three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/recent-survey-indicated-that-people-who-ve-had-plastic-surgery/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“It's also at that moment that I realize I am able to maintain the level of judgmentalness that I so cherish only because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/it-s-also-at-that-moment-that-i-realize-i-am-able-to-maintain-the/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“Jeff and I signed a Jewish marriage contract, a ketubah, promising to cherish each other in the "way that Jewish men and women had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/jeff-and-i-signed-a-jewish-marriage-contract-a-ketubah-promising-to/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“I have no idea what the future looks like but I can still dive in and I intend to keep doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/i-have-no-idea-what-the-future-looks-like-but-i-can-still-dive-in-and/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can’t see anything wrong with each other.” —RENE YASENEK”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/kissing-is-a-means-of-getting-two-people-so-close-together-that-they-2/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“There’s a saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes,” but it should be amended to add “. . . or in penitentiaries.”\* If I am ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/there-s-a-saying-there-are-no-atheists-in-foxholes-but-it-should-be/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“I was beginning to understand why marriage “experts” like to say that if a couple gets through the first year of marriage they stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/i-was-beginning-to-understand-why-marriage-experts-like-to-say-that/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“Charles Darwin came to marriage with some trepidation. Of course he studied it carefully, cataloging the pluses and minuses of the connubial state. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/charles-darwin-came-to-marriage-with-some-trepidation-of-course-he/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“So, fuck you, fifty, I own you. You're my bitch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/so-fuck-you-fifty-i-own-you-you-re-my-bitch/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [“Fifty billion dollars is the amount the Iraqi government is estimated to have received in the first three years after the invasion to rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/fifty-billion-dollars-is-the-amount-the-iraqi-government-is-estimated/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) [Explore all 12 Annabelle Gurwitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) ## More Compatibility quotes > [People don't scream or swear or pout or sulk when there's compatibility. But most growth occurs when there's incompatibility. When it comes to resilience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-w-greene/people-don-t-scream-or-swear-or-pout-or-sulk-when-there-s/) [Ross W. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-w-greene/) > [Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/music-creates-order-out-of-chaos-for-rhythm-imposes-unanimity-upon/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) > [Chemistry does not guarantee compatibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chan/chemistry-does-not-guarantee-compatibility/) [Amy Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chan/) > [In Italy there are 5 million legal migrants. They're integrated, and they're welcome. The problem of the Muslim presence is increasingly worrying. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/in-italy-there-are-5-million-legal-migrants-they-re-integrated-and/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [“Together, we form a necessary paradox; not a senseless contradiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/together-we-form-a-necessary-paradox-not-a-senseless-contradiction/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Marriage probably originated as a straightforward food-for-sex deal among foraging primates. Compatibility was not a big issue, nor, of course, was there any tension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/marriage-probably-originated-as-a-straightforward-food-for-sex-deal/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“Summer and Winter were not supposed to fall in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/summer-and-winter-were-not-supposed-to-fall-in-love/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [our greatest compatibility was in how we complemented each other's neuroses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-drescher/our-greatest-compatibility-was-in-how-we-complemented-each-other-s/) [Fran Drescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-drescher/) > [Finding a programmer to work with if you don't already know one will be a challenge. Merely judging if a programmer is exceptional vs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-livingston/finding-a-programmer-to-work-with-if-you-don-t-already-know-one-will/) [Jessica Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-livingston/) > [My idea of compatibility these days is making sure our liver and kidneys are a match ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-barnard/my-idea-of-compatibility-these-days-is-making-sure-our-liver-and/) Trae Barnard > [Yes, I remember the bombings. Yes, I remember, because - yes, I remember being in air raid shelters. Even though I was evacuated because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/yes-i-remember-the-bombings-yes-i-remember-because-yes-i-remember/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [I always cringe when a male friend of mine, who's very fixated on women, puts "compatibility" at the top of his list of attributes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-always-cringe-when-a-male-friend-of-mine-who-s-very-fixated-on/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [When there's a good fit between skills and expectations, there's what we call compatibility, and we would expect a good outcome. When there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-w-greene/when-there-s-a-good-fit-between-skills-and-expectations-there-s-what/) [Ross W. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-w-greene/) > [“I began to think that he had just the right measure of unhappiness and dissatisfaction with life to be someone I could get along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/i-began-to-think-that-he-had-just-the-right-measure-of-unhappiness/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [“I don't think I'm compatible with life, nor life with me! One of us has got to go, but the question is which one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-lowe/i-don-t-think-i-m-compatible-with-life-nor-life-with-me-one-of-us-has/) Martha Lowe [Browse all 62 Compatibility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compatibility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I was twelve, my sixth-grade English class went on a field trip to see Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. From that moment forward I dreamed that someday I’d meet my own Juliet. I’d marry her and I would love her with the same passion and intensity as Romeo. The fact that their marriage lasted fewer than three days before they both were dead didn’t seem to affect my fantasy. Even if they had lived, I don’t think their relationship could have survived. Let’s face it, being that emotionally aflame, sexually charged, and transcendentally eloquent every single second can really start to grate on a person’s nerves. 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