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Juxtaposition of love and death in romeo and juliet
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In Romeo and Juliet, written in 1595, there are many differing views towards love and marriage, which contribute to the star-crossed lover’s tragic demise. Shakespeare portrays the social attitudes towards marriage in high status families during the Elizabethan era as not requiring love, only money and status. Despite the family feud, and Romeo and Juliet’s parents’ views, fate does not stop the star-crossed lovers from being together, as they contradict these views and believe love is necessary in marriage.
We first see Lady Capulets outlook on marriage, and she believes Juliet is at the appropriate age to be wed. Lady Capulet has a rational and pragmatic approach towards marriage, Shakespeare depicts this when Lady Capulet says “Thou knowest
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“So smile the heavens upon this holy act, That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.” Friar Lawrence considers Romeo and Juliet’s marriage holy, although he is aware that bad things could follow. During their marriage Friar Lawrence foreshadows Romeo and Juliet’s deaths when he says “These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume”. He compares the star-crossed lovers to fire and gunpowder as they ignite another but it doesn’t last. Friar Lawrence could be seen as responsible for the eventual tragedy because of his desperate and incautious plan.
Romeo and Juliet’s attitude towards love changed after meeting, this conveys their impetuous behavior. Before meeting Romeo, Juliet seems disinterested in marriage. However, after meeting and falling love with Romeo, Juliet is interested in the idea of marriage. This sudden shift in Juliet’s attitude depicts her impulsive actions and
Despite his initial disapproval, Friar Lawrence agrees to secretly marry Romeo and Juliet in hopes that “this alliance may so happy prove/ to turn [their] households’ rancor to pure love” (II.iii.98-99). Although Friar Lawrence has good intentions, as he does not gain anything from the marriage, by supporting Romeo and Juliet’s infatuation, his actions will eventually create more harm than benefits, as it allows their impulsive behavior to persist. By marrying Romeo and Juliet in secret, it is evident that Friar Lawrence knows that the wedding is a bad idea, but due to his indecisive personality and the inability to make a solid choice, Friar Lawrence blindly follows through with the marriage. In addition, he does not analyze the consequences of his actions prior to his agreement to marry them, only to later express regret and warn Romeo about the dangers of their infatuated love and their impulsive behavior. Friar Lawrence’s indecisive personality is evident in his soliloquy through the excessive use oxymorons in between rhyming
“It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; Too like the lightning, which cloth cease to be Ere on can say it lightens.” Says Juliet in the play written by Shakespeare “The Tradegy of Romeo and Juliet”.In Romeo and Juliet the death of the “star crossed lovers” could be blamed on Friar Lawrence and Romeo because of their rapidity and lack of common sense. Even though, Capulet forced Juliet to marry Paris, Friar Lawrence and Romeo should be blamed because they both acted with haste.
It is Friar Laurence’s good intentions, his willingness to take risks and his shortsightedness that lead to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence does not have very much time on stage, but the time he does have is crucial to the plot line. Through his words, Friar Lawrence demonstrates that he is well intentioned, yet sometimes shortsighted, and is not afraid to take risks to help others. He may do something out of the ordinary, if he thinks the outcome will help someone for whom he cares. For example, when he says "In one respect I'll thy assistant be;/ for this alliance may so happy prove, / to turn your households rancor to pure love" (II.iii.97-99), he is saying that the only reason he will marry Romeo and Juliet is that he hopes that the marriage will end the hostilities between the two houses.
Friar Lawrence is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s stronger affections for each other because he married them and therefore binding their love. Friar Lawrence also came up with a risky solution to get Romeo and Juliet together for the rest of their lives without anyone knowing. However, it consisted of faking Juliet’s death and Romeo did not know she was not actually dead, but alive. Friar Lawrence’s messenger did not tell Romeo the plan in time because Romeo had already heard of Juliet’s death and had gone to her tomb to die with her. Friar Lawrence is responsible for the star-crossed lovers’ death because of his miscalculated
In contrast to common characteristics of a cleric, conformist and conservative, Friar Lawrence advocates freedom over following rules in society and always try to solve issues using the most risky methods. This is illustrated when he plans out Juliet’s death, “then as the manner of manner of our country is, in thy best robes, uncover’d on the bier, thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault where all the Capulet lie.” (IV.ii.109-113). He indirectly plays an influence to the tragic ending even though his primal motive intends to unite the lovers and offer citizens a peaceful town. As opposed to playing their ordinary roles in society, Friar Lawrence devises plans and encourages Romeo and Juliet to pursue forbidden love under a risky circumstance in order to turn his notions into reality. Friar Lawrence’s dialogue informs Juliet of the plan illustrates his part in causing the tragedy, “Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, then it is likely thou wilt under a thing like death to chide away this shame,” (IV.i.72-74). From secretly marrying the them to sending Romeo to take Juliet’s virginity, he is informed about Romeo’s approaching banishment and the notorious reputation which will follow Juliet permanently. However,he continues to cover the mistake by creating the facade of Juliet’s death. This is illustrated in “All this is I know, and to the marriage he nurse is privy,” (V.iii.265-266). Friar Lawrence challenges conformism to pursue liberty, serves to liberate the forbidden love of two youngsters from opposing families but only earns a tragic fruition for his
In Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, Friar Lawrence plays a dominate role in the eventual death of Romeo and Juliet even though he is not on stage for most of the play. There are basically three major parts that lead to the tragedy; the marriage, the plan, and the inevitable deaths in all which Friar Lawrence plays a vital role.Friar Lawrence plays an essential role in the marriage of young Romeo and Juliet. At Romeo’s request Friar Lawrence states, "In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households to pure love" (Act 2 Scene 3.) Friar Lawrence believes that this holy marriage would bring the Capulet family and Montuague family closer together, for he anticipates that the families will stop hating each other and be peaceful. His attempts to make the marriage of Romeo and Juliet are admirable but poorly planned.
This is a catalyst in triggering tragic events, consisting of the deaths of many other characters, including themselves. Friar Lawrence plays a crucial role in the action, character development, and themes of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence plays an integral part in the action and plot of Romeo and Juliet by secretly marrying them, and giving Juliet the idea to fake her own death. Romeo and Juliet meet in the Friar’s cell for their marriage and the Friar says, “Come, come with me. For, by your leaves you shall not stay alone, Till the Holy Church incorporates two in one.
"For this alliance may so prove, to turn your households' rancor to pure love," he states. Failing to uphold his end of the plan, causing the plan to fail and resulting in both Romeo and Juliet dying. Friar Laurence admits to being responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence made a huge mistake that he could have avoided himself, if only he had thought out his plan better. He trusted Juliet, an unstable fourteen-year-old, with a potion to make her appear dead just so she would not have to marry Paris.
Lady Capulet is very materialistic and she wants Juliet to gain wealth and status by marrying Paris ‘’Share all that he doth possess’’. In addition, because she got married at a young age, therefore she thinks it’s right for Juliet to be married at a young age ‘’I was likely your mother at just about your age’’. Moreover, she constantly urges Juliet to marry Paris without any sense of consideration for Juliet’s opinions or feelings, about the alliance of the marriage. Furthermore, this illustrates her cold attitude towards love and marriage as she only talks about Paris Social position and wealth.
Friar Lawrence wants to marry Romeo and Juliet in hopes their love for one another will end the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. He schemes and has the characters believe it is out of his love for Romeo and Juliet; as in their eyes, he is a fatherly figure. He is an older man who should be out to help the citizenry of Verona, but being egotistical, he uses Romeo and Juliet for his personal desires to end the feud between the families. Him being egocentric has the Friar make rash decisions in situations that he had not planned for. When the Capulets and the Montagues come together after the death of their children, Friar Lawrence says, “Her nurse is privy; and if aught in this/ Miscarried by my fault, let my old life/ Be sacrificed some hour before his time/ Unto the rigor of severest law.” (V.iii.266-269). The Friar explains Romeo and Juliet’s love story and the reasoning behind their secret marriage and why he went through with marrying the star-crossed lovers. He does not say that his rashness is to be blamed for their children’s death, but turns to the Nurse’s knowledge of the secret marriage. Friar Lawrence is showcasing his rashness by outing the Nurse’s role in the marriage and not taking blame for the deaths, but has the Prince decide his punishment. He wants to blame another character with the knowledge of the marriage to make it seem as though he is not to be blamed. His
When Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence, Romeo’s mentor, he is not sure he should marry these two adolescents. He finally agrees because he thinks it will end the feuding between the two families. But, when he is actually going through with it, he begins to have second thoughts. Friar cries out, “So smile the heavens upon this holy act/ That after hours with sorrow chide us not!” ( 2. 6. 1-2) If he is truly worried that he will be punished for this later, he should have stopped right there. Instead, he married them. This overreaction leads to lying and death in scenes to
“ A pair of two star crossed lovers take their life.” This quote is made in prologue 7 and spoiled what will happen to the reader, but the reason why or who is at fault is never spoken of. Juliet Capulet, daughter of Lady Capulet and Lord Capulet is a thirteen year old girl who is obedient and wants to do the best on behalf of the family. Throughout the play the reader is given many instances were Juliet’s parents feel obligated to love her. At first they threatened to throw her out onto the streets as in Act three Scene 5 Capulet says to Juliet “Thursday is near lay hand on heart and you be mine, Ill give you to my friend, and you to be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets.”. Even though she obeyed her parents they had high expectations of her to do what was beneficial
Juliet’s arranged marriage with Paris, as well as the ancient feud between Capulets and Montagues, eventually contributed to the deaths of their children. In Act 1 Scene 2, Paris asks Capulet, ‘But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?’ which shows that Capulet and Paris are discussing Juliet’s possible marriage without consulting her, perhaps implying they think she is too nave to decide on her future. They are arranging her marriage for her, which implies that men are very controlling of women’s lives, especially those of their daughters. The scene establishes how Juliet is subject to parental influence, and how she is very constrained since her father can force her to marry whoever he wants. Juliet’s status as a woman leaves her with no power or choice in the decision of whom she should marry.
to be a quite romantic person, as, to start with, he is in love with
In William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet lord Capulet decides that this daughter has to marry Paris even though she isn’t interested in marrying him and the fact that Juliet is married to Romeo. Getting married can be very difficult and it could change lives. When parents arrange their children’s marriages there is little amount of time to get to know each other. They’re not allowed to choose their husbands or wives and there are higher divorce rates than regular marriages. One of the most important things in arranged marriages is that the parent or parents don’t give the children enough time to get to know the person.