Right Decisions In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Firstly, I would like to offer my condolences for your recent loss. The passing of your daughter is tragic. I hope to offer some comfort to you and your Lady with my knowledge of the teenage brain. I believe that an understanding of why Juliet did what she did will help bring you some closure.

Making the right decisions can be hard, especially for teenagers. The pre-frontal cortex, the decision making part of the brain, does not get developed until much later in the teen years which can lead to risky decision (Emonds). Additionally, thoughts of consequences do not occur to teens because, “The parts of the brain responsible for more ‘top-down’ control, controlling impulses, and planning ahead—the hallmarks of adult behavior—are among the last to mature” (National Institute of Mental Health). Juliet proposed to Romeo because her brain’s immaturity prohibited her from seeing possible negative outcomes. She then decided to go through with her marriage because she was unable to fully register the severity of her proposition. Essentially, the administrator of her

It is important for young teens to have fun, feel accepted, and be loved. Romeo provided all of these for Juliet. He flattered Juliet and showered her with affection and promises of love when they spoke at Juliet’s balcony. Furthermore, after their marriage Romeo made Juliet content by spending the night with her. All these actions were amplified in Juliet’s mind as her nucleus accumbens, the pleasure center of her brain, has an exaggerated response to rewards (Emonds). The combination of an over amplified pleasure center and an underdeveloped executive center leads to risky decisions simply for exhilaration (Emonds). With both aspects considered, Juliet’s brain would not allow her to pass up being with someone she loved, even if that meant the rash decision of sneaking out to marry