conflict in romeo and juliet essay

For many years dramatic texts have been well appreciated in the culture of literature. William Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors of dramatic texts and has written many well-known pieces of literature such as, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, it appears that the characters are forced into conflict with the social world around them: family, friends, political authority, and religion. Romeo and Juliet’s family has affected them by raising them up into a world full of conflict. Their friends have also led them into conflict physically and socially. Religion has caused many problems with the social world around them. One aspect of conflict was their family which caused many social and physical arguments. Throughput the text both families of Romeo and Juliet have brought them up into a world of constant tension. An example of this is Juliet’s parents arranging her marriage. Juliet’s father “Capulet” said, “O’ Thursday let it be- O’ Thursday, tell her, she shall be married to this noble earl” (III,4,20-22). In their time the parents would arrange who their daughters were going to marry, meaning they wouldn’t get an opinion or choice. Romeo’s father always influenced him into fighting. Both the Montague’s and Capulets despised each other which was how Romeo and Juliet were brought up into conflict. Towards the beginning of the text Montague announced, “Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not; let me go” (I.1,77). In life there is always two sides to every story and both sides usually think their opinion is right which is what causes conflict and fighting. The Capulets always despised the Montagues but most importantly Romeo since he was in love with Juliet. Lady Capulet proclaims, “Romeo slew Tybalt: Romeo must not live”. In many novels and movies when a main character causes an issue something either happens to them or they get banished like Romeo. Just like Romeo and Juliet’s family their friends have also led them into many conflicts. In the Dramatic Text Romeo and Juliet should not have been sending their friends around to communicate with each other. Juliet said “The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse; in half an hour she promis’d to return. Perchance she cannot meet him!” Juliet had to send the nurse to talk to Romeo since they cannot be seen together. Just like Juliet, sometimes in life we must have secrets to avoid conflict. Montague’s and Capulets both are against each other and it causes Romeo and Juliet to be involved because both sides don’t want them to be together. On page (III, 1, 60-82) Tybalt added,” thou art a villain” … “I am for you” and they fight. Just like many action novels, when two characters are disagreeing, most of the time it leads to a fight. Verbal or physical. Since the Capulet’s arranged for Juliet to marry Paris this caused conflict between Romeo and Paris. In the text it shows that Romeo and Paris fight (V, 3,70). In life when things don’t go the way people want it to, it causes tension and can lead to a fight. For many characters in Romeo and Juliet love is like a religion since it is many of the characters most central beliefs. Romeo is an example of one of these characters. Romeos beliefs consist of love and lust for Juliet. This is causing him to have conflict with himself. Romeo states “she hath forsworn to love, and in that vow do I live dead that live to tell it now” (I, 1 221-222). Love can take over any of us and our spiritual beliefs without even knowing so. Romeo and Juliet decided to get married by Friar Lawrence, even though Juliet was supposed to get married to Paris, this causes many problems. Friar Lawrence stated, “hence from Verona art thou banished” (III, 3, 15). When we do things without permission it can sometimes lead us into punishment. All Romeo and Juliet wanted was to be together even if it meant they had to die for each other. Juliet proclaims to Friar Lawrence, “and I will do it without fear or doubt, t live an unstain’d wife to my sweet love” (IV, 1, 87-88). When we believe something is right and have so much love and passion for someone, we will risk anything for them, even life. In many ways love is a religion for Romeo and Juliet which causes many conflicts in the world around them. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, it appears that the characters are forced into conflict with the social world around them: family, friends, political authority, and religion. For many years Dramatic Texts have been well appreciated in the culture of literature. Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors of Dramatic Texts. In Romeo and Juliet, nothing compared to the love they had for each other which caused the biggest conflict of them all, their death. In other ways this huge conflict at the end of the text may be seen as a peacemaking between the two families since they both went through this tragedy rather than a conflict.