The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
‘Romeo and Juliet’ is set in ‘fair Verona’ and is about ‘a pair of
star-crossed lovers’ from ‘two house holds both a like in dignity’
fall in love. Their ‘death marked love’ is tainted from the start as
their families have an ‘ancient grudge’ which only ‘with their death
bury their parents strife’. There are several reasons why people may
believe that this could only happen in a patriarchal society, but in
my opinion the principles are still the same today.
Shakespeare set the scene in Verona, Italy, during July. Juliet and
Romeo meet and fall instantly in love at a masked ball of the Capulets
and profess their love when Romeo later visits her at her private
balcony in her family's home. Because the two noble families are
enemies, the couple is married secretly by Friar Laurence. When Tybalt,
a Capulet, kills Romeo's friend Mercutio in a quarrel, Romeo kills
Tybalt and is banished to Mantua. Juliet's father insists on her
marrying Count Paris, and Juliet goes to consult the friar. He gives
her a potion that will make her appear to be dead and proposes that
she take it and that Romeo rescue her; she complies. Unaware of the
friar's scheme, Romeo returns to Verona on hearing of Juliet's
apparent death. He encounters Paris, kills him, and finds Juliet in
the burial vault. There he gives her a last kiss and kills himself
with poison. Juliet awakens, sees the dead Romeo, and kills herself.
The families learn what has happened and end their feud.
The characters of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ are very clearly separated
between young and old. The young characters include:
* Romeo
* Juliet
* Tybalt
* Paris
* Benvolio
* Mercutio
* Lady Capulet
The young are always shown as fit, healthy and energetic people in the
play; it seems that in Scene they are fighting, love making, dying or