Loyalty is usually considered an important quality for someone to have, but, as shown in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, loyalty can have some bad outcomes. Many of the characters in Romeo and Juliet are loyal to each other, particularly the servants of the Capulets and Montagues, Tybalt, and Romeo and Juliet themselves. Sometimes this loyalty can cause unwanted problems.
Firstly, the Capulets’ and Montagues’ servants are very loyal to their masters. In the opening scene of the play, two of Capulet’s servants, Sampson and Gregory, are walking in Verona and talking bad about the Montagues. They see Abraham and another Montague servant and proceed to “bite their thumbs” at them. “‘Do you bite your thumb at us sir?’ / ‘I do bite my thumb, sir’”
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(I. i. 45-46). The Montague’s servants get angry and they start fighting. Other characters and citizens soon join in, and the fight quickly gets out of hand. Capulet and Montague themselves hear of the fight and almost duel each other, until the Prince steps in and threatens death to anyone who disturbs the streets again. The servants are so loyal to the families they serve that they will start fights with the opposing side, and it takes the Prince to stop them. Another specific character who is very loyal to his family is Tybalt.
Tybalt is a Capulet and very passionate about hating the Montagues. In Act 1 Scene 5 when Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio sneak into Capulet’s party, Tybalt recognizes Romeo and begs Lord Capulet to kick him out. “Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, / A villain that is hither come in spite / To scorn at our solemnity this night” (1. v. 69-71). Later, Tybalt sees Romeo on the street and tries to fight him, convinced that Romeo has done something to him. Romeo doesn’t want to fight, and Mercutio steps in. Benvolio and Romeo try to stop them, but Mercutio gets fatally wounded. Tybalt’s devotion to his family ended up killing Mercutio, and Tybalt himself later ends up dead because of …show more content…
it. Lastly, the main characters, Romeo and Juliet, are very loyal to one another.
The main way they show loyalty is by going against their families and getting married. After they are married, Romeo kills Tybalt in another fight as revenge for killing Mercutio. When Juliet hears this, she is devastated, but still loves Romeo. She gets mad at the nurse for calling Romeo shameful, and refuses to speak of him badly. “‘Shall you speak well of him that killed your cousin?’ / ‘Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?’” (III. ii. 105-106). Later, Lord Capulet wants Juliet to marry Count Paris. She refuses because she is already married to Romeo and loves him (even though he’s banished from Verona). After her father threatens to disown her if she doesn’t marry Paris, she decides to agree, but then fake her death so that she and Romeo can be together and she doesn’t have to marry Paris. Unfortunately, Romeo and Juliet’s loyalty to each other ends badly. They are so in love that they both kill themselves to be with each other. When Romeo hears that Juliet is “dead”, he goes to buy poison to drink because he would rather be dead than without her. After Romeo goes to Juliet’s tomb and drinks the poison, she wakes up and sees him dead. Juliet is so upset she then takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself.
Numerous characters in Romeo and Juliet show great loyalty, but the outcome of this loyalty isn’t always good. All three of these examples of loyalty with the servants, Tybalt, and Romeo
and Juliet seemed to be relatively harmless at the beginning of the story, but end up with major consequences. It is definitely good to be loyal, but it’s also hard to tell when being too loyal can cause more harm than good.
Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a story of two young lovers. These two hearts, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet belong to feuding families. The family feud causes them to keep their love a secret and therefore only Romeo, Juliet, Benvolio, the Nurse and Friar Lawrence know of their love. Romeo and Juliet are able to look past the feud and let themselves fall in mad love with the other. They let themselves do almost anything for the other and at times it seems like too much to do, even for the one they love. Although fate and character traits play a key role in the play, ultimately Rome and Juliet’s personal choices lead to their downfall.Fate originates all of the conflicts in Romeo and Juliet, from when they met until they die.
Both the Capulet and Montague’s families are wealthy, noble and even founding families of Verona. Evidence of the family’s wealth is displayed when the Capulet’s have a classy party and Romeo meets Juliet for the first time. Proof of the two rival families superiority is even shown in the opening Prologue where the families are described by the line “Two households, both alike in dignity.” In the Elizabethan Era the word “dignity” can be interpreted to “Elevated rank, office,” or “station”. Hence both families are of high social status and in a position of power. Additionally in the prologue the families are described as ancient with this line “From ancient grudge break to new munity”. We can then determine that the Montague and Capulet families were Ancient and influential and the upper class in the social hierarchy of Verona. The Montages and The Capulet’s reputation and high values were the only thing the families and the people working for the houses cared about and their servants would never consider betraying their masters, the house they worked in was like their family. Servants working in the houses were considered normal when Shakespeare wrote Romeo And Juliet, in the Elizabethan Era most powerful or rich people had people of a lesser class working for them. An example of hierarchy in Romeo and Juliet is the Nurse and Balthazar the servant
Examples of loyalty can be found in many pieces of classic literature such as _Don Quixote_, _The Odyssey_, and _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_. Many characters in the stories profess their loyalty to other characters. Some of them fail in their loyalty tests while others prevail. I found loyalty to be an underlying theme in all three pieces of literature covered in this paper. The examples provided should prove the theme of loyalty.
When Juliet discovers Romeo’s banishment for his sinful act of murdering her own blood-related cousin, Tybalt, Juliet is more than fine with him doing it because of blindness in her love for Romeo. In the text, it states, “Shame come to Romeo! Blister’d be thy tongue...That ‘banished’ that one word ‘banished,’/Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt’s death/Was woe enough, if it had ended there...” (63-64). Juliet show her loyalty for Romeo by defending Romeo’s actions when Juliet’s nurse speaks illy of Romeo. Juliet is essentially justifying Romeo’s actions because of the relationship they have with one another and is more biased towards Romeo. She is more distracted about Romeo’s banishment rather than the death of her own blood-related cousin because of her loyalty towards Romeo. Also, Friar Laurence shows his loyalty to Romeo and Juliet by being an ally for them throughout their whole relationship. In Act IV Scene I, Friar Laurence tells Juliet his plan of how to get her and Romeo back together. He tells her to drink some sort of poison that will make her go to sleep and make her look dead (81). Friar Laurence shows his loyalty because even though things seem very horrible for Romeo and Juliet’s, he continues to assist them. He takes the risk of being caught in the crossfire of the families for assisting Romeo and Juliet to go behind their parents’ backs. Thus, the characters illustrate their loyalty for their loved ones
He is prepared to duel, as he believes it is in “honor of my kin, / to strike him dead I hold not a sin” (I.v.58-59). His vicious behavior towards the Montague’s is due to the prolonged feud and not because of a dishonorable act directed towards him. Evidently, Tybalt respects Lord Capulet and the family name. When he goes to inform the Montague’s intrusion, Lord Capulet dismisses the enemy’s presence, ordering Tybalt to “be patient, take no note of him” (I.v.71). Despite Lord Capulet’s calm approach towards the appearance of Romeo, Tybalt`s mind is clouded with hatred and only views Romeo as a threat. Tybalt’s angered reaction at the sight of Romeo, as well as his impulsive decision to warn Lord Capulet in hopes of getting rid of the enemy, is due to the ongoing feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s and not because of any harm directly caused by
When asked by Benvolio to make peace in the streets, Tybalt bluntly responds,” talk of peace, I hate the word. As I hate hell all Montagues.” This is the attitude of Tybalt throughout the play. He believes he is doing all for the best and uses violence as his tool. He gets angry at the ball with Romeo being there, “villain as a guest,” and believes it best to defend his family’s honor by later taking revenge. When Tybalt finds Romeo, he thinks it best to fight him and when he ends up killing Mercutio he believes he has done his duty by causing Romeo the same hurt he has brought Tybalt, “the injuries that thou hast done me.”
The nurse, friar, the Montagues, and the Capulets are all symbols of why unconditional love and responsibilities are important in any relationship. Although Shakespeare made many truths standout in this tragic love story, he left many questions of why Romeo and Juliet were so in love that they took their lives. But sometimes it is not the sword that kills you, it is because of those who you have obeyed your whole life, and then realizing they hurt
Tybalt’s loyalty towards the family dispute intoxicates him with a quarrelsome nature. After recognizing Romeo at the Capulet Ball, Tybalt persistently rejects his uncle’s remonstrance to stay serene. Even after being restrained by his Uncle Capulet, he vows vengeance on Romeo in the future as he says, “Patience perforce with willful choler meeting Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw; but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall” (1.5.88-90). Tybalt tends to take each and every “insult” towards his family and himself to heart, without even contemplating their true meaning. Furthermore, Tybalt’s aggravating behavior develops into a clear factor leading to his downfall. When Mercutio is found dead as a result of Tybalt, Romeo confronts him directly with a duel to the death. Rather than trying to discuss and come to a harmonious solution, Tybalt further inflamed the already belligerent environment. He does this by saying, “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Shalt with him hence” (3.1.128-129). Tybalt’s relentless threatening behavior never fails to make an already hostile environment even worse. His cruel character is perpetual no matter what the
Love is dependent upon the slightest change, but it can cause the utmost drastic consequences. This is the truth of two lovers in William Shakespeare’s furthermost celebrated play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. In the case of Romeo and Juliet, love is inimical. Romeo comes from the family of Montague while Juliet comes from the family of Capulet. For reasons unknown, these two families are sworn enemies. However, Romeo and Juliet are not. In fact, they are in a secret relationship that only two others know about. The only two that Romeo and Juliet trust, the Nurse and the Friar. While the Nurse, Friar, and Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, all have good intentions, they are all responsible for the suicides of Romeo and Juliet in the
Drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montague’s, and thee. Have at thee cowards!” which proves to us that Tybalt is more committed to the feud then Benvolio and the Montague’s. Act 1 scene 5: in this act we look at how Romeo goes to the great. feast in the household of the Capulet’s.
By illustrating the negative effects of deception in relationships in the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare shows how important honesty is in
...uliet. “Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague? See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!”... “Give me thy hand this is my daughter’s jointure, for no more can I demand.” This is evidence that Capulet and Montague hated each other, but when their children die, they realise that there is no point in hating each other, so they reconcile and become friends.
... off.”(“Love’s Bond”, Robert Nozick) If that is true when loving someone, Romeo evidently made the wrong decision to kill Tybalt. By fulfilling this revenge, Romeo not only caused Juliet to be upset, but he also placed a burden on himself: an imprudent decision. After analyzing Romeo’s careless approach to risking to lose Juliet’s love, it becomes clear that Romeo’s love for Juliet is not a real romantic love, but it is a hormone-driven, passionate, hasty love that is portrayed as ruinous and preposterous by Shakespeare through Romeo’s actions.
The power of love controlled Romeo and Juliet's actions. They were so head over heels in love for each other that they were willing to do anything for their partner even if it meant to the extreme of things. Outside of “Romeo and Juliet”, a wise man named Hercules said “People do crazy things when they are in love…” This is perfectly said and true especially in showing Romeo and Juliet’s actions. Romeo and Juliet had only known each other for a day but their love had already taken over them. When Romeo and Juliet were confessing their love for each other during the balcony scene, Romeo said, “With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls,/For stony limits cannot hold love out, /And what love can do, that dares love attempt./Therefore, thy kinsman are no stop to me."(Act II, Scene 2, Lines 71-74) Romeo is saying love will make a man try anything and even a stone wall couldn't keep him out. Love had the authority to make Romeo fearlessly climb the walls risking getting caught. Love seized Juliet’s actions. Juliet was so in love that she was willing to drink the potion and appear to be dead all to be with the banished Romeo in the end. “God knows we shall meet again./ I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins… (ACT IV, Scene 3, Lines 15-16) Juliet was scared about doing this because she didn't know if it would work right or turn h...
“Is she a Capulet? O dear account! my life is my foe’s debt” (1.5.117-118). There are many factors that put pressure on Romeo’s and Juliet’s relationship throughout Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The young couple is effected in many ways by every instance that creates stress which Romeo’s and Juliet’s relationship is being forced to carry. The biggest factors that impact them are, their families ongoing feud, the broken relationships they both have in their families, and all the instances of miscommunication. Through the story of the couple who meet one another at a dance, sneak around at night to see one another, and fight for eachother, they face challenges many challenges, that add stress to their relationship.