Seran Kwon
Mr. Lambrecht
Literature and Writing
Foolish Young Love
Martin Luther King Junior once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” According to the exact words of Martin Luther King Jr., love is the only force that can rebuff hatred. How can something so tender and zeal drive off something that leads to adversity and calamity. That makes me, as a learner, wonder, how powerful is love really? Is love a word teenagers can throw around whenever they find themselves in a relationship, or does this word allude to a deeper meaning? Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is one of the most renowned love stories of English literature. Set in the city of Verona …show more content…
The noble families of Montague and Capulet uphold an antiquated feud until resulting to the death of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Romeo and Juliet meet at a party, fall in deep love, and eventually get married, all without the consent of their combating families. A little after the wedding, a fight breaks out between Romeo’s friend, Mercutio, and Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, where Mercutio gets killed first. Romeo then kills Tybalt as an act of revenge, and is banished from Verona by the Prince. Juliet asks Friar Lawrence, a mentor and friend to Romeo, for help and he devises a plan to bring both Romeo and Juliet away from Verona in order to live together. This plan results to the death of Romeo and Juliet in the Capulet tomb. William Shakespeare uses Romeo and Juliet in order to assert to his audience that love is just as powerful and irrational as …show more content…
While Romeo talks about Juliet lustfully, Tybalt overhears him and quickly gets infuriated. He says, “This by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. (...) Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it not a sin” (1.5.51-57). Tybalt calls Romeo a slave, an insult to a great degree, because a slave is considered to be the lowest on the social hierarchy. Tybalt also thinks that Romeo has came to the party to disrespect the Capulets. He holds a large grudge against Romeo simply because of the fact he is a Montague. Tybalt goes as far as saying he will kill Romeo, which by the Catholic party, is a mortal sin. Tybalt shows his loyalty (love) to the Capulets by prompting violence and slander. Romeo is also fallen into a similar situation later in the story when he kills Tybalt as an act of revenge. Benvolio, one of Romeo’s friends says, “Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand not amazed. The prince will doom thee death If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away!” (3.1.127-131) The prince has made a rule earlier in the story that stated if anyone picks a fight, they will be slain. Romeo risks his life for the loyalty of his friendship to Mercutio. By doing so, he puts the life he has in Verona and the life he could’ve spent with his love ones away for the loyalty of his
Mr. Lambrecht
Literature and Writing
Foolish Young Love
Martin Luther King Junior once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” According to the exact words of Martin Luther King Jr., love is the only force that can rebuff hatred. How can something so tender and zeal drive off something that leads to adversity and calamity. That makes me, as a learner, wonder, how powerful is love really? Is love a word teenagers can throw around whenever they find themselves in a relationship, or does this word allude to a deeper meaning? Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is one of the most renowned love stories of English literature. Set in the city of Verona …show more content…
The noble families of Montague and Capulet uphold an antiquated feud until resulting to the death of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Romeo and Juliet meet at a party, fall in deep love, and eventually get married, all without the consent of their combating families. A little after the wedding, a fight breaks out between Romeo’s friend, Mercutio, and Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, where Mercutio gets killed first. Romeo then kills Tybalt as an act of revenge, and is banished from Verona by the Prince. Juliet asks Friar Lawrence, a mentor and friend to Romeo, for help and he devises a plan to bring both Romeo and Juliet away from Verona in order to live together. This plan results to the death of Romeo and Juliet in the Capulet tomb. William Shakespeare uses Romeo and Juliet in order to assert to his audience that love is just as powerful and irrational as …show more content…
While Romeo talks about Juliet lustfully, Tybalt overhears him and quickly gets infuriated. He says, “This by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. (...) Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it not a sin” (1.5.51-57). Tybalt calls Romeo a slave, an insult to a great degree, because a slave is considered to be the lowest on the social hierarchy. Tybalt also thinks that Romeo has came to the party to disrespect the Capulets. He holds a large grudge against Romeo simply because of the fact he is a Montague. Tybalt goes as far as saying he will kill Romeo, which by the Catholic party, is a mortal sin. Tybalt shows his loyalty (love) to the Capulets by prompting violence and slander. Romeo is also fallen into a similar situation later in the story when he kills Tybalt as an act of revenge. Benvolio, one of Romeo’s friends says, “Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand not amazed. The prince will doom thee death If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away!” (3.1.127-131) The prince has made a rule earlier in the story that stated if anyone picks a fight, they will be slain. Romeo risks his life for the loyalty of his friendship to Mercutio. By doing so, he puts the life he has in Verona and the life he could’ve spent with his love ones away for the loyalty of his