Life Imitates Art

The Hatfields

Reading Stewart's discourse on "style" in Launching the Imagination led me to investigate the artistic adaptations of Romeo and Juliet.  Interestingly enough, the true to life story of the post Civil War Hatfields and McCoys, like Shakespeare's 16th century Montagues and Capulets, were also mortal enemies with young love betraying the blood of each clan.  A subplot of the recent History Channel screen adaptation told the story of Rosesanna McCoy and Johnson Hatfield.  The young lover's clandestine meetings and mutual consummation added fire to the already flaming feud.  I wonder if they were aware their real life story was imitating original Shakespearean art.