How are family relationships presented in Romeo and Juliet? Compare and contrast with your wider reading.

In 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare, family relationships are absolutely vital and their importance could be argued to be greater than that of romantic relationships. This is a very unusual stand point, as most other literature produced in the Elizabethian era was that of romantic love, rather than of family connections. This play, however, show's romantic love in the light of family relationships, and sees the test that it may have on a these families to accept change into their lives. As the Monatgues and the Capulet's are sworn enemies, the rivalry between their families is almost unbreakable. Throughout the play, we see many points in which their hatred for each other is presented, mostly through the character of Tybalt. In this play, Tybalt is seen as the physical embodiment of the hatred between the families and in Act 1 scene 3, we see Tybalt challenging Romeo to a fight after appearing at the Capulet ball. His anger towards Romeo is apparent, as the first thing he expresses to Romeo that "thou art a villain.". This line is pivotal in the play, as it is the beginning of the ultimate feud between both families, and as it is so short, has a high impact whilst being heard by an audience.
This line shows that Tybalt is very willing to fight for his family, even when he is told implicitly that he should not cause any trouble by his uncle. This could be seen as a power struggle between the two characters, as Tybalt feels almost betrayed by the fact that his uncle let Romeo escape unscathed, and is seen to be resentful of his Uncle's power within Act 1 scene 5. This can be seen within the line "Patience perforce with willful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting." Tybalt is physically shaking ...

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...orical meaning; Let me be free. This shows the relationship between both Juliet and Lord Capulet to be strained and broken, with a lack of understanding from each of the characters presented.
Nora's character throughout the whole of 'A Doll's house' is reminiscent to that of Juliet, as it documents the emerging rebellion of a young girl who realises her potential and ability to make her own decisions. In the beginning of A Doll's House, Nora seems perfectly content with her husband and her life, and is happy to be called his 'little squirrel' whenever Torvald speaks to her. This use of animalistic language suggests a sense of ownership, like a man owning a dog. This ties in heavily to the theme of Juliet and Lord Capulet, as Lord Capulet feels that he is the owner of Juliet, and has the right to make decisions on her behalf, including who she will eventually marry.