Romeo and Juliet takes place in sixteenth century Verona, Italy. For many generations, a feud has existed between two powerful families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Although this feud appears petty and unreasonable to other people living in Verona, the two families hold much hatred and contempt for each other. When Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague meet at a party and quickly fall in love, they are forced to make a decision. The two young lovers contemplate whether to cast aside their families’ values or make their own decisions in their lives and choose to get married and be with each other. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the author displays that although it is expected and is a norm in society, blood is not truly thicker than
…show more content…
First, when Juliet’s nurse shames Romeo for killing Tybalt, Juliet defends him with “blistered be thy tongue / For such a wish! … O, what a beast was I to chide at him! / … Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?” (3.2). Juliet is saddened by the loss of her cousin, Tybalt, who was killed by Romeo. However, she recognizes that she has made the choice to be more loyal to Romeo, and declares that she cannot “speak ill of him that is my husband.” In doing so, Juliet casts aside any previous family loyalties and goes against the norm. In addition, when Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel, Romeo refuses and says that “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee / Doth much excuse the appertaining rage / To such a greeting…. / And so, good Capulet, which name I tender / As dearly as my own, be satisfied” (3.1). Because the two families are enemies, the norm or expectation would be for Romeo to accept the challenge, thus defending his own family’s honor and reputation. However, Romeo makes the choice to remain more loyal to Juliet and will not harm Tybalt, instead telling him “I have to love thee” due to his newfound loyalties to Juliet and her family. He even goes so far as to say that he holds the Capulet name “as dearly as [his] own,” a statement that …show more content…
However, they grow to resent this conflict as well as their own families, and choose to “rebel” and forge their own paths. Although both families believed that continuing their conflict was the right thing to do and was well justified, in the end they both came to terms with the fact that expecting their children to put their family’s wishes before their own happiness was a mistake on their behalf and resulted in loss for both sides. Shakespeare conveys to the reader that relationships based on choice can be and are in many cases much stronger than familial relationships that are based on
First, when Juliet’s nurse shames Romeo for killing Tybalt, Juliet defends him with “blistered be thy tongue / For such a wish! … O, what a beast was I to chide at him! / … Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?” (3.2). Juliet is saddened by the loss of her cousin, Tybalt, who was killed by Romeo. However, she recognizes that she has made the choice to be more loyal to Romeo, and declares that she cannot “speak ill of him that is my husband.” In doing so, Juliet casts aside any previous family loyalties and goes against the norm. In addition, when Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel, Romeo refuses and says that “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee / Doth much excuse the appertaining rage / To such a greeting…. / And so, good Capulet, which name I tender / As dearly as my own, be satisfied” (3.1). Because the two families are enemies, the norm or expectation would be for Romeo to accept the challenge, thus defending his own family’s honor and reputation. However, Romeo makes the choice to remain more loyal to Juliet and will not harm Tybalt, instead telling him “I have to love thee” due to his newfound loyalties to Juliet and her family. He even goes so far as to say that he holds the Capulet name “as dearly as [his] own,” a statement that …show more content…
However, they grow to resent this conflict as well as their own families, and choose to “rebel” and forge their own paths. Although both families believed that continuing their conflict was the right thing to do and was well justified, in the end they both came to terms with the fact that expecting their children to put their family’s wishes before their own happiness was a mistake on their behalf and resulted in loss for both sides. Shakespeare conveys to the reader that relationships based on choice can be and are in many cases much stronger than familial relationships that are based on