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Social Expectations In Romeo And Juliet

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According to the time period being examined, men and women are held hostage to social expectations set for that time, and this is prevalent within the play of Romeo and Juliet. Written by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet is a play of unexpected love, yet there are certain expectations for men and women that are hindrances to the characters. Men and women in this play are constricted to living a certain lifestyle due to many factors such as their gender and status. The characters actions are greatly affected by their social expectations, and this iron-grip on their personality drives a few characters to regretful decisions. In the play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare reveals the social expectations for men and women in the play, and from there he describes characters whose actions and emotions have been greatly …show more content…

Both men and women are held hostage to act according to their set expectations, and if you acted differently, you were frowned upon. Throughout the play, problems prevailed for both genders when the topic of social expectations arose. Many characters within the play are affected by this hindrance administered by their society. It is important to note that these expectations can still be found in our society today, yet over the years, they have been diluted due to our society confronting and expelling them. Also, in the time of Romeo and Juliet, these expectations were traditional and they had never been questioned. In contemporary times, women are not perceived as the servant to her husband, and society has changed greatly to come to this point. This perspective enhances the idea that the characters had not been aware that their social expectations oppressed both genders. With this, it can be understood that there were social expectations that held these characters hostage and oppressed both

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