Romeo And Juliet Essay, Research Paper

Williams Shakespeare’s Romantic Tragedy Romeo and Juliet, is in regard to two lovers,

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Which come from different households, which have

been feuding for many years now. The main issues that concern Romeo and Juliet are

the issue of love and hate, and defiance of parent’s wishes.

When the two characters initially meet they have a love and hate relationship without

even knowing it. Romeo and Juliet are greatly influenced by the two households feuding

that they were brought up in under the impression that they hate each other. The two

lovers knew that they existed and hated each other just because of the feud. This was

until they meet each other and got to know each other for what they really were. They

didn’t know each other by last name anymore but for what was inside. The two lovers

realised that they have a love hate relationship when they find out what household

they come from. Juliet expresses this in act 1 scene 5, line 137 by saying, ‘My only love

sprung from my only hate!’

This still doesn’t stop the two lovers. As that they are in love with each other so much

that it does not matter two them one single bit to them all they want to be is together.

Still the two lovers would prefer it if the circumstances were indeed different. She

wonders why the circumstances have to be this way and she wishes that she no longer

be a Capulet or that Romeo no longer be a Montague. However she than realises that it

doesn’t matter what name a person has its what’s inside and that definitely the truth

no matter what Romeo name he would still be the same person. Juliet expresses this in

Act 2 Scene 2 lines 45 – 49 ‘ So Romeo would, were he no Romeo call’d, Retain that

dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo doth thy name; And for thy

name, which is no part of thee, Take myself’

The two lovers than decide to get married. Straight after that they have met. Romeo

asks Friar Laurence to marry them. At first the friar isn’t sure but then thinks about it

and thinks how it could help for a peace to come for the two feuding families, because

like it our not they would be related. I think the friar had other selfish reasons to marry

them because he could’ve been recognised as the peacemaker of Fair Verona.

The lovers have to overcome a lot of problems, which ends up in Tragedy. The problem

that affect them the most are the problem of both of their families fighting and Juliet’s

parents expecting her to marry Paris. Romeo ends up being banished from Verona

because of the feuding, which leads him in killing Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. He kills Tybalt

because of the rage he felt when Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend. Mercutio

was protecting Romeo and then he got shot so I guess Romeo must have felt both guilt

and rage because his best friend blamed him for his death, as this were the last words

that Mercutio said.

The defiance of parental wishes was another problem. With Romeo being banished from

Verona, Tybalt dead, Juliet’s parents moved the wedding earlier because they thought

it would offer some comfort for Juliet because of the sudden death of her cousin. Juliet

was to marry Paris or be thrown out into the streets and her parents wouldn’t care less

if she were dead or alive.

This is why Juliet drinks the potion so she can run away with Romeo and live happily

ever after well that what she thought instead she caused a lot of heartache for

everyone.

This very famous story appeals to a lot of people, I think because the way that that

Shakespeare wrote it. He made you feel for the two characters. It also to a lot of

people because in some very traditional families the daughter husband is chosen for her

and she is left in misery for the rest of her life all because of her parents wanted her to

marry a certain person. The persons usually claim that they do it to protect the child,

some parents may mean this but other won’t like Capulet he wanted his daughter to

marry Count Paris so that he would gain a higher social status.

It can also be compared to the racial conflict that we experience everyday in our life.

The two households can be represented as being two different racial backgrounds

feuding together. There has been a lot of stories about 2 young people not carrying

about what race the person is and caring for the person because of the person that

they are inside. There families the find out and they aren’t aloud to speak to each

other. It’s usually just a friendship and not even a romance.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a terrific story about 2 lovers who are longing

to be together her on earth but instead they are together with each other in heaven.