Society’s Influence on Youth In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

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The expectations that society has for its youth has a large impact on their behaviour. Often in novels, the authors will use the faults of society as the largest impact on its youth. William Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliet”, is a great way of displaying the ways that young people are affected by the society they live in. Romeo and Juliet, the main characters in the play, are forced to hide the truth from society or they would be shamed upon. Romeo and Juliet must defy society’s unwillingness to solve the conflict between the Montague and Capulet families, in order to follow their desires to be together.
The “ancient grudge” between the Montague and Capulet families is a feud that influences the whole society of Verona. All of the people living in Verona know about the conflict between the houses. Even the servants of the households are involved with the feud. Sampson, a servant of the Capulet household says, “A dog of the house of Montague moves me,” (I. i. 7). The anger that Sampson has shows that he is enduring the same conflict of hatred toward the Montagues as the Capulet family. Although Sampson is not a member of the Capulet family, he is willing to fight to support them. Another servant says to Benvolio and Romeo: “Now I’ll tell you without asking: my master is the / great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house / of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. / Rest you merry!” (I. ii. 77-80). He is unaccepting of the Montague family. Inviting Romeo and Benvolio to the Capulet house for a party is acceptable, unless he found out that they were a part of the Montague family. The servants of the Capulet household have a big influence on the quarrel between the families continuing.
The star-cro...

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...ociety because they know that society will judge them instantly.
For Romeo and Juliet to be together, they know they must hide their feelings from the society that will put shame upon them for being together. Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio and Tybalt’s lives all come to an end as society continues to resist taking a stand in resolving the ancient grudge of the Montagues and Capulets. William Shakespeare not only displayed the influences love can have on two people in the play “Romeo and Juliet”, but the influences that a negative society can have on a relationship. The impact that societies and cultures can have on youth often end in a tragedy. For Romeo and Juliet, the feud between the Capulets and Montagues is turned into a feud between love and hate.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Oxford: Oxford University Pretty, 2005. Print.

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