It is not
an uncommon occurrence for two people to fall in love, especially if they are
young. But how often do these relationships last forever, and how often do they
actually work out? In William Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet, Shakespeare is trying to teach us that young love cannot always
work out, because young people tend to be more impetuous, impulsive, and often
are not mature enough to make such serious decisions.
Shakespeare
often voices his opinion through other characters in the play that Romeo and
Juliet’s relationship isn’t completely right, or that they should slow down.
The only characters completely supportive of Romeo and Juliet’s romance are
themselves. Friar Lawrence notes to Romeo early in the story that he wants them
to move more slowly so that when the end comes, it won’t hit them as hard.
“Violent delights have violent ends,” (2.6.9.) he says. He is saying that a love this lustful,
fast, passionate and young will have an equally strong and powerful
ending. He’s right, as they both die for
love in the end of the play. Many other characters, such as Mercutio and the
Nurse, actively voice their disapproval of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship.
Romeo and
Juliet was a tragedy, which means that there will be at least one death in the
play. Sure enough, Romeo and Juliet die for each other in the end of the story.
They each say that they cannot live without the other before they kill themselves.
Romeo’s last words are “O true apothecary, / thy drugs are quick. Thus with a
kiss I die.” (5. 3. 119-120) “Here’s to my love” clearly and obviously states
that he would rather be dead than live without Juliet. Juliet’s intent is
similar in some of her last words, “I will kiss thy lips. / Haply some poison
yet doth hang on them, / so that I may die with a restorative.” (5. 3.
169-171.) She hopes there is still poison on his lips, so she kisses him. She
feels as if to love Romeo is her purpose, so she tries to end her life by
making it the last thing she does. Romeo and Juliet are very young, Juliet
being thirteen and Romeo being of a slightly older but equally youthful age. By
making Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Shakespeare is emphasizing their immaturity.
If you are as young as Romeo and Juliet, you still have your whole life ahead
of you and you should not kill yourself over another person, you will
eventually move on. Young people often have feelings of suicide or angst, and
Shakespeare is showing that they are this young by showing that they are
feeling this way. Romeo and Juliet should not have had to make this decision.
Romeo and
Juliet only knew each other for less than a week before marrying each other and
dying. It was “love at first sight” when they met at Capulet’s party- when
Romeo first saw her, he gushed over Juliet’s beauty and asked himself, “did my
heart love till now?” (1. 5. 59) Romeo, being young and impulsive, decided that
they were meant to be forever with only a glance. What happened to Rosaline?
What happened to loving her forever? If Romeo was so convinced he was in love
with Rosaline before, how does he know he really loves Juliet? Juliet is also
impulsive, and again shares a similar opinion when she asks Romeo to propose to
her in the Balcony Scene. “If that thy bent of love be honorable, / thy purpose
marriage, send me word tomorrow.” (2. 2. 150-151) Shakespeare wants us to be
shocked at how young they are, and to question how in love they really are in
order to move this fast.
By
including his disapproving opinions and adding a tragic ending, William
Shakespeare is trying to share with us his true thoughts on young love. He thought
young lovers were somewhat immature, impetuous, and that they should stop being
so serious in their relationship. If two people are as immature in a
relationship as Romeo and Juliet were, their relationship has high chances of
ending badly, with death, or with heartbreak.
Whoa, this font is small and hard to read! In your first body paragraph, you mention that Mercutio and the Nurse voice their disapproval - how can that be when Mercutio doesn't know about their relationship? Make sure to offer evidence for all claims!
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