Often in literature, characters are placed on pedestals as ideal representations of society. However, that cannot always be true, and not all protagonists can be viewed without flaws. Sometimes, even the most classic characters can portray negative traits. It can take further inspection to uncover their truths. In the timeless classic play, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the presence of manipulation and control are shown in the foolish actions by the characters grappling with love, death, and the judgements of society. The characters use sinister methods of trickery in order to please their own selfish needs. They prove that they mimic questionable behaviors shown by manipulators today, making one question their reliability and innocence.
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Juliet falls for the hunky son of Montague, and uses her skills in manipulation to get her loveable nurse to agree to helping them against her parents wishes. She places Nurse in an inescapable position, forcing her to assist in her quick marriage. When Nurse finally does voice her concern, Juliet viciously turns on her, lying to sneak away to the Friar, and thus leading to her ultimate demise. “ Well thou hast comforted me marvelous much./Go in and tell my lady I am gone,/Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’ cell/To make confession and to be absolved,” (Shakespeare 3.5.243-46.) Juliet takes advantage of the Nurse’s kindness using it to fuel her determination to solve her requited love. Juliet’s manipulative character, displaying common abilities like detecting weaknesses and convincibility distracts the reader from her original childlike innocence. This also proves Juliet’s selfish needs and desires are of utmost importance to her over the people who care about her. Additionally, in the following scene Juliet exhibits an extreme example of her controlling behavior. After escaping from the confinements of her home, Juliet goes to the Friar and threatens to kill herself unless he helps her, “If in …show more content…
Romeo is Juliet’s forbidden love, and the talk of town, being the respectable son of Montague. After Romeo faces the fact that he and Rosaline, his true love, can never be together, he turns to Mercutio and Benvolio manipulating them simply by being upset. He unintentionally forces his friends to help him through his heartbreak, and eventually Mercutio even loses his life for the sake of Romeo’s new found love, when in a brawl with Juliet’s hot-headed cousin,
Juliet falls for the hunky son of Montague, and uses her skills in manipulation to get her loveable nurse to agree to helping them against her parents wishes. She places Nurse in an inescapable position, forcing her to assist in her quick marriage. When Nurse finally does voice her concern, Juliet viciously turns on her, lying to sneak away to the Friar, and thus leading to her ultimate demise. “ Well thou hast comforted me marvelous much./Go in and tell my lady I am gone,/Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’ cell/To make confession and to be absolved,” (Shakespeare 3.5.243-46.) Juliet takes advantage of the Nurse’s kindness using it to fuel her determination to solve her requited love. Juliet’s manipulative character, displaying common abilities like detecting weaknesses and convincibility distracts the reader from her original childlike innocence. This also proves Juliet’s selfish needs and desires are of utmost importance to her over the people who care about her. Additionally, in the following scene Juliet exhibits an extreme example of her controlling behavior. After escaping from the confinements of her home, Juliet goes to the Friar and threatens to kill herself unless he helps her, “If in …show more content…
Romeo is Juliet’s forbidden love, and the talk of town, being the respectable son of Montague. After Romeo faces the fact that he and Rosaline, his true love, can never be together, he turns to Mercutio and Benvolio manipulating them simply by being upset. He unintentionally forces his friends to help him through his heartbreak, and eventually Mercutio even loses his life for the sake of Romeo’s new found love, when in a brawl with Juliet’s hot-headed cousin,