Theory 1

Theory 1:

Taylor Swift wrote this song because she wanted to share her story about a time when she was brave and fearless, when it came to being with the one she loved.

 

Argument 1 for theory 1:

Taylor Swift’s song is connected to the story of Romeo and Juliet. Taylor Swift is playing Juliet and the guy she loves acts as Romeo. Taylor Swift is being brave and fearless because she is constantly trying to be with Romeo even though their parents do not want them to be together.

In one of the stanzas, the lyrics are:

So I sneak out to the garden to see you.

We keep quiet ‘cause we’re dead if they knew

So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while.

‘Cause you were Romeo, I was the scarlet letter,

And my daddy said “Stay away from Juliet,”

But you were everything to me; I was begging you,

“Please, don’t go,”

            The first line shows that Juliet is being sneaky because she wants to see Romeo. She sneaks out to the garden and the parents do not want them to see each other, showing that Juliet is being brave and fearless in order to see him. The second line indicates that if their parents knew they were seeing each other that they would each be in a lot of trouble. This is proof that they are both at a lot of risk by seeing each other but they don’t care because they are both in love.

            In third line of the stanza Taylor Swift basically wants Romeo to close his eyes and imagine what it would be like if they were to escape from the town where their parents don’t want them to be together. Imagining what this would be like creates a sense of happiness because if they both ran away together, their parent problem would be solved and they would both happily be together. The forth line confirms that the song is connected to the story of Romeo and Juliet. Taylor Swift makes it obvious that the guy she loves is being referred to as Romeo. She also says that she was his shameful secret by making a connection to her being the scarlet letter. Juliet being Romeo's scarlet letter basically means that people looked down upon them being together and saw them being together as shameful. Romeo and Juliet being secretive with their parents shows that they were fearless because they could’ve gotten caught together.

            In the fifth line of the stanza, Taylor Swift/Juliet says that her dad told Romeo to stay away from her/Juliet. This also proves that their parents do not want them to be together even though they are in love. In the sixth and seventh line of the stanza Juliet shows that she really cares about Romeo and that she doesn’t want their parents to ruin their relationship. She tells Romeo how much he means to her and that she doesn’t want him to leave her.

Taylor Swift clearly wrote this song because she wanted to share her story about a time when she was brave and fearless, when it came to being with the one she loved. By writing this song she probably felt that many people could relate to having a similar situation, where people don’t want two people to be together for a certain reason even if they love each other.