Romeo and Juliet was a Shakespearean tragedy in which the manipulation of time is an overarching theme. More specifically, the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood was hastened due to the timing of events. This is evident throughout the actions, dialogue and the outcome of the play.
Romeo and Juliet had a tumultuous romance which spanned only four days. They met on Sunday evening, married less than twenty-four hours later, and by Thursday evening, they both had committed suicide. Their relationship was written as such, because Shakespeare knew that their foolish actions would not seem realistic otherwise. He used time as a literary device to speed along the storyline, leaving the youth amorous and naïve. Most likely, if given more time, …show more content…
One of the best examples of comedic tragedy caused by ill-timing was the swordfight between Mercutio and Tybalt. After a terrible bout of foreshadowing, Romeo declined Tybalt’s proposition to duel. As a friend of the Montague, Mercutio challenged the blood-thirsty Capulet to save face (3.1, 72). However, the newly-wedded Romeo was not pleased, since Tybalt was technically now his kinsmen (3.1, 68-71). He foolishly broke up an otherwise playful fight just as Tybalt had thrust his sword forward, pricking a stunned Mercutio in the chest (3.1, 90). Romeo dejectedly declared himself as, “fortune’s fool.” (3. 1, 134) due to the deaths of his friend, and his new relation. Juliet’s plan to flee Verona with Romeo, and their resulting deaths, was definitely a comedy of errors. The first of which being the courier sent by Friar Lawrence to alert Romeo of their plans (4. 1, 123). Detained due to a plague, Friar John could not give Romeo the letter before the impulsive teen sped to Verona (5. 2). After killing Paris – an innocent in this tale – Romeo visited his love. Still under the effects of the sleeping draught, Juliet could not tell Romeo that she was alive. Overcome with grief, Romeo downed a bottle of poison, effectively taking his own life (5. 3, 120). The truly hilarious – or tragic, depending on how one perceives it – part of the entire catastrophe was that mere moments later, Juliet awoke with …show more content…
Throughout the first few acts of the play, the innocence, beauty and age of Juliet Capulet is often stressed. Shakespeare wrote the original thoughts of Lord Capulet to be that Juliet was far too young to be a bride, and that in two years’ time, at the age of sixteen, she would be ready (1.2 4-33). However, as soon as a favourable suitor presented itself, The Capulets were quick to change their tune (1.3, 70) and ultimately forced Juliet’s hand (4. 2, 18). Obsessed with aligning themselves with power, they were willing to marry Juliet off to the twenty-something-year-old county Paris (1. 3, 70), despite the fact that Juliet was barely a teen, and most likely hadn’t had her menarche (Sharp). According to historical records, her contemporaries would not have birthed children at her age, contrary to what Lady Capulet had insinuated (1. 3, 70), but rather later on in life, as Lord Capulet originally intended Juliet to do (1.2 4-33). The afternoon before the big masquerade at the Capulet manor, Lady Capulet, the nurse, and Juliet took part in a jocular dialogue entrenched in factors of time and the acceptance of adulthood (1.3). Nurse swore by her twelve-year-old-virgin-self, and then said that she’d bet fourteen of her teeth that she could tell Juliet’s age right down to the hour – if she only had more than four teeth
Romeo and Juliet had a tumultuous romance which spanned only four days. They met on Sunday evening, married less than twenty-four hours later, and by Thursday evening, they both had committed suicide. Their relationship was written as such, because Shakespeare knew that their foolish actions would not seem realistic otherwise. He used time as a literary device to speed along the storyline, leaving the youth amorous and naïve. Most likely, if given more time, …show more content…
One of the best examples of comedic tragedy caused by ill-timing was the swordfight between Mercutio and Tybalt. After a terrible bout of foreshadowing, Romeo declined Tybalt’s proposition to duel. As a friend of the Montague, Mercutio challenged the blood-thirsty Capulet to save face (3.1, 72). However, the newly-wedded Romeo was not pleased, since Tybalt was technically now his kinsmen (3.1, 68-71). He foolishly broke up an otherwise playful fight just as Tybalt had thrust his sword forward, pricking a stunned Mercutio in the chest (3.1, 90). Romeo dejectedly declared himself as, “fortune’s fool.” (3. 1, 134) due to the deaths of his friend, and his new relation. Juliet’s plan to flee Verona with Romeo, and their resulting deaths, was definitely a comedy of errors. The first of which being the courier sent by Friar Lawrence to alert Romeo of their plans (4. 1, 123). Detained due to a plague, Friar John could not give Romeo the letter before the impulsive teen sped to Verona (5. 2). After killing Paris – an innocent in this tale – Romeo visited his love. Still under the effects of the sleeping draught, Juliet could not tell Romeo that she was alive. Overcome with grief, Romeo downed a bottle of poison, effectively taking his own life (5. 3, 120). The truly hilarious – or tragic, depending on how one perceives it – part of the entire catastrophe was that mere moments later, Juliet awoke with …show more content…
Throughout the first few acts of the play, the innocence, beauty and age of Juliet Capulet is often stressed. Shakespeare wrote the original thoughts of Lord Capulet to be that Juliet was far too young to be a bride, and that in two years’ time, at the age of sixteen, she would be ready (1.2 4-33). However, as soon as a favourable suitor presented itself, The Capulets were quick to change their tune (1.3, 70) and ultimately forced Juliet’s hand (4. 2, 18). Obsessed with aligning themselves with power, they were willing to marry Juliet off to the twenty-something-year-old county Paris (1. 3, 70), despite the fact that Juliet was barely a teen, and most likely hadn’t had her menarche (Sharp). According to historical records, her contemporaries would not have birthed children at her age, contrary to what Lady Capulet had insinuated (1. 3, 70), but rather later on in life, as Lord Capulet originally intended Juliet to do (1.2 4-33). The afternoon before the big masquerade at the Capulet manor, Lady Capulet, the nurse, and Juliet took part in a jocular dialogue entrenched in factors of time and the acceptance of adulthood (1.3). Nurse swore by her twelve-year-old-virgin-self, and then said that she’d bet fourteen of her teeth that she could tell Juliet’s age right down to the hour – if she only had more than four teeth