The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

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The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

‘Romeo and Juliet’ is set in ‘fair Verona’ and is about ‘a pair of

star-crossed lovers’ from ‘two house holds both a like in dignity’

fall in love. Their ‘death marked love’ is tainted from the start as

their families have an ‘ancient grudge’ which only ‘with their death

bury their parents strife’. There are several reasons why people may

believe that this could only happen in a patriarchal society, but in

my opinion the principles are still the same today.

Shakespeare set the scene in Verona, Italy, during July. Juliet and

Romeo meet and fall instantly in love at a masked ball of the Capulets

and profess their love when Romeo later visits her at her private

balcony in her family's home. Because the two noble families are

enemies, the couple is married secretly by Friar Laurence. When Tybalt,

a Capulet, kills Romeo's friend Mercutio in a quarrel, Romeo kills

Tybalt and is banished to Mantua. Juliet's father insists on her

marrying Count Paris, and Juliet goes to consult the friar. He gives

her a potion that will make her appear to be dead and proposes that

she take it and that Romeo rescue her; she complies. Unaware of the

friar's scheme, Romeo returns to Verona on hearing of Juliet's

apparent death. He encounters Paris, kills him, and finds Juliet in

the burial vault. There he gives her a last kiss and kills himself

with poison. Juliet awakens, sees the dead Romeo, and kills herself.

The families learn what has happened and end their feud.

The characters of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ are very clearly separated

between young and old. The young characters include:

* Romeo

* Juliet

* Tybalt

* Paris

* Benvolio

* Mercutio

* Lady Capulet

The young are always shown as fit, healthy and energetic people in the

play; it seems that in Scene they are fighting, love making, dying or

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