Romeo And Juliet Honour And Duty Analysis

English Final

It is evident throughout the infamous Shakespearian play of Romeo and Juliet, that the issue of Honour and Duty is to blame for the star cross’d lovers demise. The play was set in Verona, during the Elizabethan Era, from 1558 to 1603, and the regulations within the society plague the fact that honour and duty is to blame for the death of the feuding families, and ‘star cross’d lovers’ of Romeo and Juliet.

Firstly, using the Elizabethan era as a model for his theme, Shakespeare created the characters in such a way that their actions were all wholly based on their moral beliefs. Secondly, the regulations within the society induced that you were ordered to marry a specific person to uphold social standards, as oppose for love. Furthermore, the loyalty displayed to ones own family overrules personal emotions.

Shakespears theme of ‘Star Cross’d Lovers’ identifies that Romeo and Juliet believe they are meant to be together, and by including the contradicting quote and actions regarding “Civil blood makes civil hands unclean” (Prologue, line 4) declares feuding between the, both upper class families. This sets the scene of love, hate and tragedy for the play of Romeo and Juliet, and why the issue of Honour and Duty is to blame.

Within the play of Romeo and Juliet, there is an evident connection between the actions of the

characters, based on their morality, beliefs and values. For example, Friar Laurance was a well-known priest, an advisor and someone you could confine in, in hope for reasonable a solution. The Friars loyalty towards peacemaking clouded his vision and actions when it came to the “star cross’d lovers” of Romeo and Juliet. In his soliloquy he states: “The earth, that’s nature’s mother, is her tomb. What is her burying, grave that is her womb. ( 2:3:42)
It can be deduced from this quote, that the Friar is comparing humans to plants. By using the metaphor of ‘The earth, that’s nature’s mother, is her tomb’, it can be assumed that he is referring to his belief that plants used to heal, can also be used as poison, which is very much the same in the case of Romeo and Juliet. When the “star cross’d lovers” confided in the Friar, asking for him to marry them against their parents will, he also stated: “These violent delights have violent ends” (2:6:42) predicting the young lovers death, as he knew the marriage of Romeo and Juliet as, the violent delights, was bound to end in violent ends, referred to as their deaths. However, he upheld his promise of marrying the couple. The Friar concluded that by following his honour and duty to his moral beliefs and god, as a priest, that marrying Romeo and Juliet, would solve feuds between families and develop peace. By attempting to uphold honour and duty to his ethical and moral beliefs, however, his method was impractical, and irrational. Ultimately, Juliet faked her death, following Romeo to commit suicide because of the Friars flawed decision.

Moreover, Romeo and Juliet was set in the Elizabethan Era, where there was a strong connection between upholding family and social statuses and structures.

Both the Montagues and Capulets were upper-class families. Ultimately, the families’ hatred for each other rose from a strong aspiration to uphold their families pride, and neither family seems capable of overcoming the raging grudge that was amongst them. Within the patriarchal society, Juliet, as a young woman of the Capulet household, was ordered to marry Paris to attain their social status. The Capulets hosted a feast, arranging the official meeting of Juliet and

Paris.
Between Paris and Lord Capulet, Paris was keen to be-wed Juliet, however, Juliet was Lord Capulets only daughter and he didn’t want to take her childhood from her. He references his wife and quotes “Too soon marred are those so early made” (1:2:1)
implying that he believes marrying at a young age is a bad idea.
Despite this, the wedding was bought forward, and this enforced marriage put Juliet under ultimate pressure to keep Romeo a secret from Lord Capulet, as she had to pretend she was honouring her family. Consequently, Juliet felt she had no one to talk to and turned to the Friar, who induced drastic measures, resulting in their death.

Furthermore, the loyalty the Capulet boys show towards their families clash with how Romeo handles his feelings for Juliet. A third brawl materialises, due to the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, as feuding families. Romeo is a lover not a fighter, and wants no part in the violence, and Mercutio steps in and defends his honour. After Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo decides that he must defend his honour and no longer shows control and restraint. He imagined that his love towards Juliet has weakened him.
He worries that Juliet’s “beauty hath made me effeminate” (3:1:61) and is determined to change this. He says let “fire-eyed fury be my conduct now” (3:1:62) Only when it is too late, he realizes how foolish he has been, his best friend died,
Because he was so blinded by love. However, out of anger about Mercutios death, Romeo killed Tybalt, which lead to his banishment from Verona. Consequently, the Capulets detested the Montagues more than ever before, for killing a Capulet, which put both Romeo and Juliet under ultimate pressure to stay together behind their parents back and think of an escape plan.

To conclude, the weight of evidence suggests the issue of Honour and Duty in the Elizabethan Era is to blame for the “star cross’d lovers” of Romeo and Juliets demise. The overriding fact that the characters relied on their ethical and moral backgrounds, the patriarchal society and marrying for social standards as well the chain of events after Tybalt killed Mercutio all have associations with honouring ones family. Conclusively, they all impacted Romeo and Juliet and are reasons for their demise.

(Act, Scene, Page no.)