Identity In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Romeo and Juliet is a play about two lovers that could not be together because of the hatred between the two families, and they end up meeting their fate dying together. Shakespeare wrote a bunch of famous plays that are taught and read to this day. Some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays were Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, etc. Romeo and Juliet were written in 1597, so some of these ideas of identity in the play are different from today’s society. The idea of identity is a big contribution to Shakespeare's story Romeo and Juliet. Family affiliation, gender, social class, and age are all ideas of identity that are used in Romeo and Juliet.

In the play, women did not have a voice in the play because they were seen as inferior. For …show more content…

“Proud,” and “I thank you,” and “I thank you not,” And yet “not proud”? Mistress minion you, Thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds, 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. Out, you green sickness, carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow face!”(3, 5, 149-158). Lord Capulet says this because Juliet is refusing to marry Paris and Lord Capulet is outraged that Juliet is not obeying him. It is also showing that he did not acknowledge her opinion about Paris, and Lord Capulet says he will drag Juliet to Saint Peter’s Church by a rope if she does not go. Another example of how the idea of identity contributes to the story is age, Romeo and Juliet are both young. They just met each other and they already want to get married. For example, in the play, it says “Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste To season love that of it doth not taste! The sun not yet thy sighs from …show more content…

Juliet is apart of the Capulet family her family is wealthy so her parents want her to marry the best of the best, someone who also has money, is educated and is heroic, and that is why Juliet’s parents want her to marry Paris. As an example, in the play, Lady Capulet says, “ The gallant, young, and noble gentleman, The County Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church, Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride”(3, 5, 113-115). Lady Capulet is talking about how great he is and how he has money since he is a noble, which means he is in a high social class too. Her parents think that Paris is a good pick because they have the same social class, they think he is heroic, and he has an education as it says earlier in the play. Family affiliation is another idea of identity that contributes to the story. When Mercutio dies Romeo wants to get vengeance back so he kills Tybalt. The punishment for fighting in the streets was death, but Prince’s cousin was Mercutio he only banished him for getting vengeance back on him. In the play, Prince says, “And for that offence Immediately we do exile him hence. I have an interest in your hearts' proceeding. My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding. But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine.”(3, 1, 148-152). Prince is saying

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