Literary Analysis of Romeo and Juliet
“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. (The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet).” This quote from Act II explains how Juliet feels about marrying someone for their status instead of who they really are. Names are a big deal to Juliet’s family because their family doesn’t get along with Romeo’s. In Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, marriage was significantly different than it is in the present day. Marriage choices, preparation, and ceremonies have all changed since the late 1500’s.
In the ancient Shakespearean time, marriage was based off of commodity, wealth, or political status. Juliet believes this to be wrong and women should marry for desire and whom they wish to spend the rest of their life with. She wanted to
In Romeo and Juliet’s time frame, the bride’s dress wasn’t even white. It was usually one of their best gowns they would wear or they would buy a new one. One reason this happened was because most families were poor which is why women were encouraged to marry rich so the family would benefit from the wealthy side. These kinds of weddings and ceremonies were called Elizabethan weddings. It was also allowed to boys to marry at fourteen and girls at twelve years old. That’s one reason why Romeo was allowed to marry a twelve to thirteen year old girl. Now, most people in America do not choose to get married until they are in their mid twenties or later than that.
Overall it makes sense and is understandable why Romeo and Juliet is different than today. One of the biggest differences was getting married. The meaning behind marriage, preparation, and wedding ceremonies all differ from what they used to be. In a hundred years marriage will still probably change in some way. One thing to remember and learn from is that you should always love the person you marry unconditionally and not just for their
What's in a name? that which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet; / So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, / Retain that dear perfection which he owes / Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, / And for that name which is no part of thee / Take all myself."
The male protagonists, Shinji and Romeo have many differences. Hatsue and Juliet are perhaps not as different from each other than Shinji is to Romeo but still, the distinctions are abundant, as are the resemblances. Both young women seem to be a puppet of their families. Without consulting her first, Juliet’s father chooses Paris to be his daughter’s groom. Juliet obviously despises Paris and loathes the very thought of their marriage, stating that she would rather leap off the battlements of any tower, walk in dark alleyways, be chained to roaring bears, or hide in a mortuary covered with dead men’s stinking limbs and rotting bones (4.1.78-90). Hatsue, too, is forced unwillingly to marry someone whom she obviously has no interest in: Yasuo Kawamoto. When Shinji asks about the marriage on page twenty-two, Hatsue dismisses it with a laugh and says “Silly! It’s a big lie.” It indicates that Hatsue is looking forward to be bonded in holy matrimony with Yasuo about as much as Juliet is looking forward to the day that makes her the wife of Paris. Juliet’s family is wealthy, and so has the adequate amount of money to go through with the wedding. Also, in those days, it was common for fathers to marry off their daughters to a stranger of his choosing. The reader discovers that Hatsue’s family is also wealthy, her father being “Terukichi Miyata, the wealthy owner of two coasting freighters chartered to Yamagawa Transport” (page thirteen). These two rich and noble men both marry off their daughters to a stranger. It is obvious through this that the daughters, Hatsue and Juliet, are merely puppets to their fathers. To bolster this piece of evidence even more, Yukio Mishima reveals in a paragraph on page thirteen that Hatsue was sold becaus...
Romeo Montague is considered an atrocious role model because of his repeatedly impulsive and immature attitude. He tends to rush into things and makes major life choices on a whim. “But this I pray/That thou consent to marry us to-day” (2.3.64-65). This proves that Romeo is impulsive and impatient. There was no rational reason for Romeo and Juliet to get married that soon. Had they waited until they received their parents
All scenes in the tragedy suggest the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets to be the obstacle which disturbs the possibility of an orderly turn of events. Specifically, the assumption is eminent in the prologue where the chorus mentions the existence of the feud. The introduction discusses, “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny/..From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life”(I.Prologue.3, 5-6). Instantly, Shakespeare acknowledges the long-standing grudge between the two families. Thereafter, he declares two unlucky children of these enemy families become lovers and commit suicide as an ultimate product of this hostility. References to the animosity do not cease and continue to persist throughout the entirety of the dramatization. At the renowned balcony scene, Romeo claims, “My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself/Because it is an enemy to thee”(II.ii.55-56). Thus, the teen brings attention to the complications his position as a Montague and Juliet’s as a Capulet generates for any future romance between the two. Later in the late night encounter, Romeo and Juliet discuss how to proceed with the love they both assert. Juliet requests, “send me word tomorrow/By one that I’ll procure to come to thee/Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite”(II.ii.144-146). The idea of marriage is rapidly proposed and without any parental involvement. Traditionally, Elizabethan wedding customs and contracts would have required Romeo’s father to agree to the marriage and usually an union was arranged by the families involved. Also, Elizabethan women were expected to bring a dowry to the marriage. As clearly noticed, the two protagonists discard all social institutions and are forced to secretly and rashly marry. Whereas if the two houses were not rivals, Romeo and Juliet could have the opportunity to unite in the customary
Firstly, being married did not make it true love. According to Lacy Talerico on the topic of 2 teens, Andi Bresher and Mitchel James, that got married at the age of 18, “Even at a young age, these teens say they know exactly what they are looking for in a significant other, and it does not seem to matter that they have found it so early in life” (Talerico para.2). These two teens found love at a young age so it is not far-fetched that Romeo and Juliet could have truly been in love. Also, these teens prove that young people do not have to wait to marry and that young people can make life decisions such as marriage. But according to James C. Dobson, Ph.D, “those who wed between 14 and 17 years of age are twice as likely to divorce as couples who wait until their 20’s,” (Kecskes, para.1). So even if these teens had stayed alive then the odds of them getting divorced or even killing themselves was definitely higher than others. This also could mean that the reason these teens got married was because of lust and not true love. As you can see by these examples you can see how people would think that Romeo and Juliet were in love but just because they got married does not mean that they were experiencing ...
Although the characters in Romeo and Juliet have differing ideas of love and marriage, they all still reflect the opinions of people who lived in the Renaissance. This is revealed through the thoughts and actions of Lady Capulet, Nurse, and Lord Capulet. In Act 1, Scene 3, it is shown that Lady Capulet believes that marriage is way to gain social status and become more wealthy. This idea is brought to life when she attempts to persuade Juliet to marry Paris, the Prince’s son. Paris is very wealthy and is of high social status. If Juliet were to marry Paris, she would become part of the royal family and would become extremely wealthy. To add, Lady Capulet argues that she herself was married at a young age and even
In the Elizabethan period, woman of higher social classes were supposed to embody “obedience”(Gerlach et al. 1) and this is shown throughout the text. In the beginning of the book, Lady Capulet tells Nurse to summon Juliet, so she can inquire about her getting married. As Juliet enters the room she says,“Madam, I am here. What is your will?” (1.3.7). Here, we can see not only Nurse being obedient to Lady Capulet’s wishes, but also Juliet being obedient and going to her mother after she is summoned. Similarly, after a discussion with Count Paris, a noble man who seeks Juliet’s hand in marriage, Lord Capulet decides that Juliet will marry him and tells Lady Capulet to deliver the news to Juliet. Not happy with this, Juliet expresses her opposition
Before the Renaissance, marriage was all about money which had to do with arranged marriages. This all changed during this time, and Shakespeare hit on this idea in his play of Romeo and Juliet. They became lovers not through arranged marriage, although Juliet was to be wed to another. Romeo used interesting tactics of language to get Juliet to speak to him. The literature book explains this doing as the phrase by Horace, “Carpe Diem.” Adams clarifies this term by saying, “Make the most of your opportunities. It comes rarely.” This phrase translates to seize the day. The textbook will use this as a coverup for
Juliet’s arranged marriage with Paris, as well as the ancient feud between Capulets and Montagues, eventually contributed to the deaths of their children. In Act 1 Scene 2, Paris asks Capulet, ‘But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?’ which shows that Capulet and Paris are discussing Juliet’s possible marriage without consulting her, perhaps implying they think she is too nave to decide on her future. They are arranging her marriage for her, which implies that men are very controlling of women’s lives, especially those of their daughters. The scene establishes how Juliet is subject to parental influence, and how she is very constrained since her father can force her to marry whoever he wants. Juliet’s status as a woman leaves her with no power or choice in the decision of whom she should marry.
In Shakespeare’s novel Romeo and Juliet, Juliet’s father decides that she must marry Count Paris. Even if she shows no interest and is already married to Romeo. Marriage is a big life changer for most people which is an important decision. Many cultures allowed them to choose their love, while there are still some cultures that forced arranged marriages. Arranged marriages wouldn’t be supportive and parents now shouldn’t arrange their children’s marriage, because there is a high rate of unhappiness, the children may be in love with someone else but having to marry by their parents’ choice, and there’s a higher than average divorce rate in arranged marriage.
They don’t celebrate their marriage as much as people do now. For example, Romeo got in a duel after the wedding. In Act III Scene I Benvolio says, “Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death, If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!” This is showing the duel between Tybalt, Benvolio and Romeo getting ready to happen. Then, he got exiled and had to leave so Romeo and Juliet never got to celebrate together, with their families or go on a honeymoon. In current times, the newlyweds celebrate with each other. Next, they have a reception with their families and celebrate. Finally, they go on a honeymoon, usually to a tropical place out of state, and celebrate yet again with their new wife or husband. Overall, people can tell that the marriages in Shakespeare’s era vary greatly from marriages
In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Lord Capulet makes Juliet have an arranged marriage despite her love for Romeo. Marriage is between two people that love each other. In different times and different cultures arranged marriage was allowed. Today it still exists. Arranged marriage is bad for the child because it can make the child feel trapped, the child doesn’t know their future spouse, and they could be scared of their new spouse.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is about two young people who fall in love and then ultimately die together. It is a timeless classic and one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. There are many marriage customs in Romeo and Juliet that differ quite drastically than ours. Marriages used to be arranged, Almost never for love, and the age of both of the betrothed was a huge gap.
In Juliet’s words specifically, when Lady Capulet asks Juliet about marriage, before the party, Juliet says, “it is an honour that I dream not of’’ [1.3.67]. In other words, Juliet says that she will marry whoever her parents choose for her, but she is not in a hurry to get married, nor does she think about it, but she states it in a respectful manner. After the party, however, her attitude towards marriage changes, she swiftly changes from patient to impetuous. Because, Juliet falls in love with Romeo, she becomes impetuous, and proposes marriage to Romeo. Towards the end of the balcony scene, Juliet proposes to Romeo and she says, “If that thy bent of love
Romeo and Juliet’s actions have a strong rebellious nature, in that they refuse to obey and adhere to society’s norm. They are so deeply in love that they are willing to deny their own names to, in a way, prove their love to each other: ‘My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,// Because it is an enemy to thee’. (Act II, scene II, 55-56). They did not value their names as much as the rest of the society did in Shakespearian times: 'What’s in a name? that which we call a rose // By any other name would smell as sweet’ (Act II, scene II, 47-48). Unlike most people in their time, who believe that a name sets out how you are viewed, the young lovers expresses a very modern notion that a name does not define a person; that a name is nothing more than a title. This is a progressive idea that showcases their rebellious, yet undoubtedly genuine thoughts; their refusal to conform to the common opinion. For all of Juliet’s life, she has been taught to be an obedient daughter;