REVISED Romeo and Juliet essay

          Romeo and Juliet, by the famous William Shakespeare, is a story about love. Love that is ever tampered with by the ideals of others. Love, which, even when it is true, is never left alone, no matter what. Whether it is a matter of companionship or intimacy, the characters’ lives are made impossible when people of power meddle in their lives. Juliet is given too much forceful guidance by her parents, especially concerning her relationships, which might be the very thing causing her to be so rash, passionate, and reckless with Romeo.

            Throughout the play we see that Juliet’s father, Capulet, has the ultimate power and final decision in everything involving his daughter’s life, even though he tries to make it appear he is giving her some say in the matter. For example, he makes a grand display of his power in act 3, scene 5, lines 153-155 when he tells Juliet “But fettle your fine joints ‘gainst Thursday next, / to go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, / or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither.” In previous scenes with Paris, Juliet’s soon-to-be husband, Capulet tried to give his daughter some time by saying that she is young, but as soon as Juliet fights against the date of marriage in this scene, he makes sure she knows who is boss. This shows that although Capulet wants what is best for his daughter, he is not afraid to be harsh. The readers at this point can also infer that Juliet feels trapped in this household with no one on her side. If, as a reader, we were to look into this, we could say that this foreshadows Juliet’s desperate thoughts to run away with Romeo.

            Besides the judgment from her parents, the rules and opinions of society are also weighed against Juliet. According to her mother and society, Juliet is even lucky to be married at this age. Lady Capulet’s views are clearly shown when she says, “Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers. By my count I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid.” (1. 3. 70-73). In response to Juliet’s unsure attitude towards marriage she is saying that she should consider herself lucky to be married now, because Lady Capulet herself was married and carrying a child before Juliet’s age. If that is what society thinks is acceptable, one can’t blame Juliet for not wanting to be married. After all, she’s only 13! Often times people read Romeo and Juliet and forget how old she is because all that matters is the love story, but her age places a whole new sense of expectation on her, especially from her mother. In this scene particularly, her mother places pressure on her to get married now, and to whom she (Lady Capulet) wants. Juliet can’t be happy with the lack of say in these important events.

            When Juliet meets Romeo, it triggers the thought that this perfect man, her Prince Charming, was the only way to escape from her suffocating family. All the pressure that is piled onto her to get married to Paris, to someday have children, to be an obedient and proper young lady tried to suppress her longings for childhood and freedom. When she meets the love of her life, all of those feelings come spurting out to make her even more impulsive with Romeo than she would’ve been if she were, for example, paired with him to be married. Other variables like the looming deadline of Juliet and Paris’s marriage, and the feud between the Capulets and Montagues that stops Romeo and Juliet from ever being seen together puts even more pressure on them to do something like get married, or run away together. “Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (2. 2. 35-36).

            Romeo and Juliet’s actions are more rushed and rash because of Juliet’s family and their ever-steady input. Going along with the theme of rebellion, where there are unjust and strict rules, there are going to be rule breakers. If you push, someone is going to push back. In this case, the Capulets pushed at their daughter to be willing and ready for marriage and to be obedient and kind as well. In return, Juliet acted out. She wanted what she couldn’t have so she went around the rules. Even today there are lovers who can’t be together because of race, religion, or sexuality. If we lived in a world with no restraints or interferences with love, maybe there wouldn’t have to be tragic endings to tales similar to Romeo and Juliet. But, unfortunately, that is not true, “for never was there a story of more woe /than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”