Romeo and Juliet

1595 Words4 Pages

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a story placed in Verona, Italy of two star-crossed young lovers whom families they belong to are bitter enemies. Romeo and Juliet are then bound to a journey filled with impulsive decisions spurred by their hormonal teenager desires that will ultimately lead to their deaths. Juliet, one of the lovers, is a girl of the Capulet family that is often present with her helper, the Nurse. The Nurse is Juliet's parental figure while her actual parents are people to please. Romeo, the other lover, is a Montague boy that seeks wisdom and advice from the holy man, Friar Lawrence. Likewise, the Friar's role is to act like a helping adult to assist Romeo with problems While the adults in Romeo's and Juliet's life play a role in the teens' demise, the young lovers are ultimately responsible for their own deaths because of the choices they make as teenagers. Shakespeare uses the death of his two protagonists to suggest that the passion of love can be so intense that it can lead to impulsive violence and self-abandonment.

The Nurse and Friar Lawrence influence the teens’ rash decisions because they help in the bringing of fruition in the young lovers' impulsive marriage plans. The Nurse and Friar Lawrence are held in high regard by Romeo and Juliet, furthering their roles as accomplices, resulting in the fueling of the young couple's impulsivity. Although Lady Capulet bore Juliet, the Nurse's friendship, mentoring, and constant proximity to Juliet identifies her as the true motherly figure to Juliet, and therefore her approval of Juliet's marriage encourages Juliet's hasty actions. When the Nurse encounters Romeo in the streets of Verona and begins discussing possible marriage plans, she worries that Romeo ...

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...lso uses it to expose the restrictive nature of the customs of traditionally courtly love. Courtly love consisted of the traditions and customs of the Elizabethan era. According to tradition, the man wishing to marry a daughter must first ask the daughter's father for acceptance. Marriages did not occur due to love because the fathers arranged the marriages. Girls' fathers often chose a suitor to improve the wealth or status of their family. When married, the girls were very young. For example, Lady Capulet and Juliet were about fourteen when they married. Capulet's decision to accept Paris' proposal was due to his Paris' wealth and social status, which would improve the Capulet family. Paris, a virtuous man by meeting with social expectations, asks for Juliet's hand in marriage. However, Romeo breaks all conventional rules with his own values and impulsiveness.

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