Social Conventions In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

The love that Romeo and Juliet share for each other undoubtedly opposes social conventions, and the simple fact that they are from different rival families immensely complicate their relationship. Despite that, together, to make the relationship work, they overlook the entrenched social rules and defy social conformities.

Romeo and Juliet’s actions have a strong rebellious nature, in that they refuse to obey and adhere to society’s norm. They are so deeply in love that they are willing to deny their own names to, in a way, prove their love to each other: ‘My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,// Because it is an enemy to thee’. (Act II, scene II, 55-56). They did not value their names as much as the rest of the society did in Shakespearian times: 'What’s in a name? that which we call a rose // By any other name would smell as sweet’ (Act II, scene II, 47-48). Unlike most people in their time, who believe that a name sets out how you are viewed, the young lovers expresses a very modern notion that a name does not define a person; that a name is nothing more than a title. This is a progressive idea that showcases their rebellious, yet undoubtedly genuine thoughts; their refusal to conform to the common opinion. For all of Juliet’s life, she has been taught to be an obedient daughter;

to not question her parent’s choices, but because of Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden relationship, that gives her the courage to refuse to obey her parents’ wishes for the first time.

The strength and passion of the relationship lends her

confidence and leads her to stand up for what she believes in and voice her own opinions. When Juliet’s parents announce Paris’s marriage proposal to Juliet, Juliet refuses to marry Paris: ‘I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet!’ (Act III, scene V, 127-128), thus challenging the authority of her family.

Besides the evident disobedience shown by the two young lovers, love is expertly weaved throughout the entire play and palpable in their words and actions. The passionate pair exhibit a passionate, ecstatic love, especially when they first meet each other, so strong that it overpowers society’s boundaries and is so pure that they are willing to give it their all. Because of their forbidden love, Romeo and Juliet are forced to question and to disregard everything that mattered to them-family, friends, social rules and religion. Even though they are aware that their love cannot be, ‘Is it even so? then I defy you, stars!’ (Act 5, Scene 1, 24) they try to brush aside these conflicts but no matter what, the conflicts seem to find them automatically. No matter what happens, the two lovers are willing to even go as far as to sacrifice their lives for each other, when Romeo goes to where Juliet’s dead body lies in the Capulet tomb, he utters:
‘I still will stay with thee;
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again: here, here will I remain’ (Act 5 Scene 3, 115-117)

before he takes his own life with poison. When Juliet awakes and finds her husband dead, she decides to take her life as well:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make me die with a restorative. (Act 5 Scene 3, 175-178)

They have such an intense, consuming love that truly nothing can stop the young pair; everything they do exhibits such passion and young love.

Love and rebellion are so intertwined in the story that it is hard to spell out the difference-they are both so essential for this story to be the literary masterpiece it is. When Juliet's parents ask her to marry Paris, due to her pledge of love to Romeo she refuses, and even says 'He shall not make me there a joyful bride' (Act III, Scene V, 117). The lovebirds' acts even defy Christianity. In their affection for each other, they begin to idolise and compare each other as Gods: 'Heaven is here,/Where Juliet lives' (Act 3, Scene iii 30-31) '....thy gracious self,/Which is the God of my idolatry' (Act 2, Scene ii, 113-114), thus contradicting even Christianity. Even their names cannot keep their love apart; due to their passion for each other they even disacknowledge their names: 'And I'll no longer be a Capulet' (Act 2, Scene ii, 36). For love, they are willing to rebel.

Romeo and Juliet's love give them the power and capability to overcome all obstacles that keep them apart; this is the root cause of their rebellion and spurs them to rebel against the world in order to be together. Where there is love, there is rebellion.