Questions about Romeo and Juliet Play by Shakespeare - Assignment Example

2. No good deed goes unpunished. There are always consequences for our actions. Neither the Nurse nor Friar Laurence thought of the outcome of theiracts. We as the audience know that Friar Laurence wanted to stop the families from fighting as it had been going on for so long that neither family knew the reason. The Nurse seemed to only want Juliets happiness. Did they act as responsible adults can be discussed as they were treated by all in the play as responsible. "This is the matter, Nurse, give leave awhile, we must talk in secret: nurse, come back again; I have rememberd me, thous hear our counsel. Thou knowest my daughters of a pretty age.(1,iii,Lady Capulet). Nurse breast fed Juliet and tell her that she was married at her age. She considers Juliet her own daughter but obviously doesnt look at the consequences of her actions. Lady Capulet puts her in her social standing several times She is not happy that Juliet is getting married to Paris who is a flower. "A man, young lady! lady, such a man as all the world--why hes a man of wax…..No less! nay, bigger; women grow by men (1,iii, Nurse). "Your love says, like an honest gentleman and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and I warrant, a virtuous…." (1,v,Nurse) She is both immature and rude. She cares more about looks than standing. She is also a messenger, and a confident of Juliets rather than a parent figure. She cannot be considered a responsible adult as she only acts on orders. She doesnt think of the consequences of what she does Friar Laurence is a product of situational irony. He can be considered a "responsible adult" as he was Romeos father figure and did try to show Romeo that Romeo was not really in love. He was a good and kind hearted man. Everything he tried to do for the sake of goodness falls apart."I am the greatest able to do least, yet most suspected as the time and place doth make against me of the direful murther: and here I stand both to impeach and purge myself condemned, and myself excusd" (5,iii,Friar Laurence) Capulet then ask him to explain. Friar Laurence explains in a long monologue a summary of all he did to the end . He is responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet. He thinks that by getting Romeo and Juliet together he will get the Capulets and Montagues to stop their feuding. Was this a personification of the feuding between the Church of England and the Pope. He was a Friar and many says he was part of the Catholic church. By the time Shakespeare was writing, Henry VIII had established the Church of England. Was the friar a secret Catholic and the Nurse part of the Church of England? He was intelligent and educated. He knew about drugs that they could be used either to poison or to heal. He knew money could be used for good or bad. There were many dualities in his character. 3. Examine Romeo and Juliet as contemporary teenagers who are impetuous and rebelling against their respective families, traditions, the society in which they lived, and the resulting expectations imposed upon them. Characterize their actions as being heroic or admirable, foolish and unrealistic, naive, rebellious or willful--or "all of the above"--citing specific incidents of action and behavior and short illustrative quotes from the play to support your discussion.  ".....What love can do, that dares love attempt?.....".(2,ii.2,Romeo)" Romeo and Juliets feelings and emotions are universal for two people in love. As they were young and inexperienced, their passion was strong . Juliet was ashamed that she showed too much of her true self and her feelings to Romeo. "Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face; else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek." (2,ii.Juliet) The rebellion of wanting to get married the next day would be translated as going out without a parents permission or the first sexual encounter. The first love is strong and without limits. It was rebellious that she wouldnt marry Paris. It was naïve that she would be able to pull it off without any problems. There was nothing heroic or admirable about it. A modern teenager has more liberty to behave more irrationally than 400 years ago. The options are more open. Teenagers do not need to get married to have sexual gratification or rebel against their parents. In Shakespeares time, the options of rebellion against ones parents were limited. Throughout history, it was common to gain social status by choosing the right spouse for their child. Love was of little or no value. Marriage were often by child brides . Lady Capulet: "How stands your disposition to be married? It is an honor that I dream not of". (Act1.3,p45) She was only 12 or 14 years old. She was to go to a party that night to see what she thought of Paris. In Act 3 Scene 4, her father gave her hand to the County Paris in marriage to be planned in the same week. "Marry my child, early next Thursday morn, the gallant young, and noble gentleman, the county Paris..shall happily make thee there a joyful bride". ( 3.v, Lady Capulet) "I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris, these are news indeed"(3,v, Juliet) She did not want to marry Paris. Her father refused any discussion. There was no room for argument. Juliet was in love, she was married and she was not a virgin. She could not obey her parents.. Shakespeare was ironically putting forth the sadness of planned marriages. In different cultures, marriage is treated very differently. Young girls are sold as child brides for poor families to earn some money. Different tribes in Africa use brides as gifts among tribes. In different religions, there are strict rules regulating the contact a girl has with a boy before marriage. It is often decided between families which couple can unite. Love is considered a feeling that develops over time. Western cultures are more open but divorce is high.. First Romeo is in love with Rosaline. Friar Laurence is surprised. "God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline?...."Holy Saint Francis! what a change is here! Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear (2,iv,Friar Laurence) He quickly changed his mind. Romeo falling in love with a Capulet was unrealistic. "He showed his young foolish side by even going to the party that night as he could have lost his life. His naïve look on life allowed him to fall in love so quickly. People in Shakespeares time married because the marriages were arranged; not out of love. 4. Lady Capulet shows no motherly love to Juliet. She only cares about her daughter marrying someone of a higher social class. She tells her daughter to look for the love within Paris."This precious book of love, to beutify him, only lacks a cover…..that book in manys eyes doth share the glory, that in gold clasps locks in the golden story; so shall you share all that he doth possess, by having him making yourself no less." (1,iii,Lady Capulet) The book is the metaphor of the love that exists. Her father gives her no choice in marrying Paris. Her mother considers her father a careful man who has found a husband for her but she gets angry when Juliet refuses. "Ay sir; but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave" (3, v, Lady Capulet) "Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch!" (3,v, Capulet) Montague shows himself not to be part of Romeos life. He does try to defend Romeo in front of the Prince."Not Romeo, prince; he was Mercutios friend; his fault concludes but what the law should end, the life of Tybalt." (3,ii, Montague) He agrees to resolve the family feuding when he says that he will raise a "statue in pure gold glorifying Juliet" (5,iii) His role in Romeos life is vague because Friar Laurence was such a father figure. Sons confide in the father whereas he only told his dark secrets to the Friar. Romeos mother doesnt participate in his life. 5. Verbal Irony "I will confess to you that I love him" (4,i, Juliet) "My grave is like to be my wedding bed"(1,v,Juliet) When she sees that she has fallen in love with a "loathed" enemy of her family. This is also situational irony as they will eternally be together. They are in the wedding bed of their mutual grave. Situational irony: In the beginning of Act 2, both Benvolio and Mercution do not know of Juliets existence. "Nay Ill conjure too. Romeo, humors, madman, passion, lover,….I conjure thee by Rosalines bright eyes…blind is his love, and best befits the dark" (2,I, Benvolio) The audience knows that Romeo is in love with Juliet. "My grave is like to be my wedding bed"(1,v,Juliet) When she sees that she has fallen in love with a "loathed" enemy of her family. This is also situational irony as they will eternally be together. They are in the wedding bed of their mutual grave. Dramatic irony: the audience knows the outcome before the characters. "A pair of star-crossd lovers, take their life: whose misadventured piteous overthrows, doth with their death bury their parentsstrife." (prologue) Shakespeare has let his audience know the plot of Romeo and Juliet when later neither of them have any idea. ."Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, by one that Ill procure to come to thee, where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, and all my fortunes at thy foot Ill lay,…"(2,ii,Juliet) Romeo does not know that Juliet has only taken a drug and will eventually wake up. When he kills himself and she kills herself this is an example of dramatic irony. Quotes to Note  "Whats in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (Juliet, II, ii) example of a hyperbole. With all the hatred and bad feelings between two families, a Capulet and a Montague still fall in love. The lovers, Romeo and Juliet, are young people who would be considered adolescents today. Shakespeare shows that they have not had the time in their lives to learn to hate other than what they have learned from their families. " Family names are important but as Juliet says, A rose is a set of letters put together as it smell sweet no matter what it would be called. Romeo in giving up his family name would still be a good man. "Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night, till it be morrow." (Romeo, II,ii) An example of one of the many oxymorons as sorrow or tears cannot be sweet. Romeo is sad to be leaving Juliet for the night but thinks he will see her the next day. Read More