Social Expectations In Romeo And Juliet

Frederick Douglas once said, “‘[i]t is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men’” (Brainy Quotes) proving that a child’s experience growing up will determine who they are when they reach adulthood be. Parents with excessive requirement that seem unachievable are what create figuratively “broken” men and women throughout time. Romeo and Juliet, the tragic play written by William Shakespeare in the 1500s, is about a bitter feud between families that results in devastating effects on their children. Two teenagers from opposing families, Juliet and Romeo, fall in love throughout the play and show their perpetual love for each other by trying to overcome family obstacles that are keeping them apart. Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

The underlying theme of the play, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare was the clash between the company pursuing their personal desires or deciding to conform to what is socially expected. The circumstances of this affray were on display when Romeo presented his plot of marrying Juliet to Friar Laurence. The consequences of Romeo deciding to pursue personal desire were also on display when displayed his disapproval to his punishment for extirpating Tybalt. These instances culminate Shakespeare's idea of that the pursuit of personal desire not always rewarding the aspirant.

Social media today, women are pressed to be sexually attractive, while men are represented as being physically desirable, aggressive and violent. Back in the Elizabethan era, when Shakespeare's classic tragic star-crossed love story of Romeo and Juliet was performed, this standard of men and women would have been considered as normal. In Elizabethan times women were considered as objects that could be used to forge alliances with other powerful families through arranged marriages whereas men were of higher rank than women. With the exception if Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare reinforces the stereotypical Elizabethan man and women. But, in Baz Luhrmann, 1996 film of the play, does he follow or challenge the way Shakespeare originally represented males and females?

A world where men dominate women. This idea was the basis of many Renaissance era dramas. Writers always used to perceive certain genders as having distinctive qualities and traits. Men were held up to a higher respect and given more violent roles than women. Their tough archetypes were always present in many plays and reinforced the idea of male superiority. This fact held true, especially for a certain tragic classic by William Shakespeare. There was a misogynistic mentality towards women in Romeo and Juliet, evident through the way women were shown as objects, portrayed as weak, and made to seem unable to dictate their own lives.

Teenage behavior has not changed in over five hundred years. The behaviors portrayed in Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare are very similar to the behaviors of the average teenager today. The teenage brain takes years to become fully developed which is why teens make impulsive decisions, express new emotions, and have rebellious behaviors as shown in Romeo and Juliet.

A white veil drapes her face, shadowing innocence and naivete. He stares as if he sees the most beautiful masterpiece only he is capable of appreciating. She is about to wed a boy she barely knows but feels a passion that is everlasting. Their lips touch like hands do: warm and rough, yet tender; not wanting to break, but wanting to relish in the unity of two people, and only two people--as it should be. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, paints the image of boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy weds girl--except boy’s family hates girl’s family and boy loves girl to the point of death. Many stigmatize the story written by Shakespeare as two teenagers who engage in a toxic relationship or as the basis of most teenage melodramas. But when looked

In William Shakespeare’s timeless play Romeo and Juliet, two star crossed lovers are faced with great adversity as they hide their romance from their feuding families. As author James Lane Allen once said, “Adversity does not build character, it reveals it”. Romeo, a Montague, struggles to hide his love for the Capulet daughter, Juliet, from his family and friends. The challenge of lying to his closest companions, and going against his family’s ways to secretly marry Juliet causes Romeo to act erratically and carelessly. Throughout Act 3 Scene One, Shakespeare exposes the lovestruck Romeo’s mercurial nature and impulsivity through his thoughtless actions.

In the play Romeo and Juliet, the submissive characteristics of Juliet, show the control men had over women at the time. Juliet allowed Lord Capulet

“And though she be but little, she is fierce” -William Shakespeare. In today’s day and age, one of the greatest topics of debate is gender roles. It is evident everywhere, from cyberspace to the streets of home, from online petitions to marches across the country such as the Women’s March. Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan Era of England, where Queen Elizabeth I, the virgin queen ruled. At that time in history, the status quo and social norm was simple. Patriarchy was the predominant force as men were regarded as superior to women, both in society as well as the relationship scene. Shakespeare attempted to change this perception through his multiple works of literature. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare uses the theme of gender roles to express the idea that the status quo and social norm in the Elizabethan era can be challenged through courtship, father-daughter relationships, and wedlock. The play commences with the courtship of multiple individuals.

Intertextuality is the way in which texts refer to other media texts that producers assume audiences will recognize.

For Shakespeare’s plays to contain enduring ideas, it must illustrate concepts that still remain relevant today, in modern society. Shakespeare utilises his tragic play Othello, to make an important social commentary on the common gender stereotypes. During early modern England, Shakespeare had to comply to the strict social expectations where women were viewed as tools, platonic and mellow, and where men were displayed as masculine, powerful, tempered, violent and manipulative. As distinct as this context is to the 21st century, the play exposes how women were victimised by the men who hold primary power in the community in which they compelled women to conform to the ideal world of a perfect wife or confront an appalling destiny for challenging the system. Moreover, Shakespeare utilises the main antagonist, Iago, to portray how men are desperate to achieve what they want and to indirectly fulfil the stereotype of masculinity and power through manipulation. Throughout the play we observe Emilia’s character change, and how she suffered the consequence of challenging the system.

“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare entertains the audience through use of character, language and drama. The plot focuses on the theme of conflict and consequences, using deep characterisation, descriptive language and high drama to entertain. Act 3 Scene 1 focuses on a brutal feud between two enemies and Act 3 Scene 5 follows the patriarchal society’s approach to women marriage and societal expectations. Shakespeare forces the audience to engage with the idea of conflict and what it must have been like to live through this time.

The male roles in the family seem to be above females’ because they get to make decisions for girls. Men feel dominant to women, so the same behaviors as the women are acceptable for them. Along with these, the ladies are not expected to crave love and affection like the gentlemen do. The gender issue of men being dominant and women being submissive used in the drama, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, shows the differences in the roles, behaviors, and expectations appropriate for each gender and is an example of an outdated stereotype. Unlike the time frame of this literature, women in the present are valued equal to men. Although it took time, each person realizes that there really is no difference other than the

The aim of this essay is to define the nature of the feud in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and to discuss its function in the dramatic development of the play. The conflict between the families of Montagues and Capuletes is presented as the outcome of an ultimate expression of patriarchal society in Verona which promotes virility at any cost and obscene sexual innuendo targeting women. However, the love of Romeo and Juliet comes to prove the young people’s indifference towards the feud but at the same time the patriarchy’s tremendous power over them. Finally, the family’s feud combined with the contribution of fate makes the timing of events such, that a tragic resolution cannot be prevented.

Romeo and Juliet represents two families of similar social economic status and wealth but are in an interpersonal conflict between a flourishing love and a gory family feud. Juliet immensely changes during the course of the movie from a young girl to a mature young lady because she must deal with a forced marriage, abusive parents, and the banishment of Romeo. However, Romeo is a flat character focusing more on love than understanding the seriousness of the feud. When the two beloved children die, the dynamic changes as both families have empathy towards each other, therefore peace emerges from the tragic loss. Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers are very relatable and that is why we still read and watch his play four-hundred years