Why are so many plays of Shakespear based on teenagers?

Like Romeo and Juliet and Ophelia in Hamlet. Why are so many of his plays based on teen love instead of adults?Why are so many plays of Shakespear based on teenagers?
At this time in human history (and prior) people only lived until they were about 40 at the LATEST. It was common to marry at 13-16. As a woman, you were considered withered and old by 20. Children were beginning their training as adults by 4 or so.





The notion of ';love'; came from the middle ages from traveling minstrels who sang songs of love. However, LOVE was not a real reason for marriage as far as the courts were concerned (Dukes, Counts, Barons, etc). It was status and money, and it was very common for both the husbands and wives in English court, at least, to have lovers outside of marriage. ';Forever Amber'; is a fantastic novel and gives ALOT of insight to this.Why are so many plays of Shakespear based on teenagers?
Actually, they aren't:





COMEDIES


All's Well That Ends Well. No


As You Like It. Hmm. Celia/Rosalind 'might' be teens.


Comedy of Errors. No


Love's Labour's Lost. No


Measure for Measure. No


Merchant of Venice. Definitely not.


Merry Wives of Windsor. No


Midsummer Night's Dream. Hmm. 4 lovers seem young, but aren't usually played as/by teens. Oberon/Titania, not teens. Theseus/Hippolyta, not teens.


Much Ado about Nothing. Definitely not teens.(The men are soldiers)


Taming of the Shrew. Not!


Tempest. 2 parts are probably teens, but is this played ';based'; on the love story?


Twelfth Night. Not teens.


Two Gentlemen of Verona. No.


Winter's Tale. No.








TRAGEDIES


Antony and Cleopatra. No


Coriolanus. No


Hamlet. Hamlet and Ophelia are young, but not usually played by teens.


Julius Caesar. No


King Lear. No


Macbeth No


Othello No


Romeo and Juliet Yes.


Timon of Athens. No


Titus Andronicus. Big no


Troilus and Cressida. No








HISTORIES


Henry IV, Part I . Prince Hal is a big part of the story.


Henry IV, Part II '; '; '; ';


Henry V No


Henry VI, Part I No


Henry VI, Part II No


Henry VI, Part III No


Henry VIII No


King John No


Richard II No


Richard III No








Cymbeline Imogen might be a teenager, but the play is certainly not ';based'; on her.


Pericles. No.
b/c teenagers naturally go through more change in this period of life, as opposed to adults.





plus they're filled with angst...
Because teenagers in that period were considered adults- so technically it *was* adult love he wrote about. x
Because the young in their inexperience and naivety are more prone to folly.