Essay On Secondary Characters In Romeo And Juliet

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Romeo, Juliet, and Secondary Characters
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, secondary characters affect the outcome of the play because they positively and negatively influence the main characters. In the play, Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love instantly without knowing they come from enemy families. When they realise their families are enemies, they don’t let this become an obstacle and exchange promises to marry. As the play develops more obstacles stand in their way, making it harder for them to keep their love and marriage afloat, so they seek help from people they trust such as Friar Lawrence and the nurse. In the end, things go beyond Romeo and Juliet’s control, leading them to their tragic death. Throughout the play, secondary …show more content…

Throughout most of the play, the nurse is the reason why Romeo and Juliet can be together. For example, the nurse is the messenger between Romeo and Juliet. When Juliet wants to know whether or not Romeo is disposed to marry her, she sends the nurse to bring the news. The nurse says, “Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell. There stays a husband to make you a wife” (2.5.73-74). This is just an example of the many times the nurse helps Juliet and Romeo with their secret love and wedding. She keeps secrets from Juliet’s family, and she is loyal to Juliet. The nurse also helps Juliet emotionally because she is the only one on Juliet’s side and supports every decision Juliet makes. On the other hand, when Juliet does not seem to find an escape from her father’s aggressiveness and wedding arrangement, the nurse advises Juliet to marry Paris and talks in a hopeless and pessimistic way about Juliet and Romeo’s love. Therefore, Juliet decides to keep everything to herself from that moment on. Juliet says, “Go, counselor. Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I’ll to the friar to know his remedy. If all else fail, myself have power to die” (3.5.253-255). The nurse stops supporting Juliet at a needy and tough time. Therefore, Juliet keeps Friar Lawrence’s plan to herself, and the nurse is not able to help and stop Romeo’s death and ultimately Juliet’s

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