The play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare is about two people who fall in love and commit suicide because their families hate each other. A key relationship in the text is of Romeo and Juliet, who conducted their relationship in secret because of the conflict between their families, the Capulets, and Montagues. The escalation of violence between the two families meant that Romeo and Juliet acted in haste without considering the consequences of their actions. We see this when they decide to get married when Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo kills Tybalt, and in the final scenes where they take their lives.
The violence caused between the two families meant that Romeo and Juliet had to conduct their relationship in secret because their families would never let them be together. An example of this is when they decide to get married. Juliet says “ Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” meaning that she would rather be with Romeo than worry about the feud happening between the families. Romeo and Juliet’s desition to get married straight away make us think that they weren’t as in-love as we thought. Romeo risking his life and sneaking into Juliet’s garden around made things more exciting which Romeo liked. An hour after meeting Juliet he proposed to her and married the next day. Getting married at this age has never crossed my mind but maybe because of the conflict Romeo and Juliet were more desperate to be together.
In the text, Juliet’s cousin Tybalt kills Romeo’s cousin Mercutio, in the town square which escalates the feud that drives the conflict to become worse. Romeo and Juliet should be able to not hide their relationship because of the conflict between their families. The violence quickly escalated to where Romeo ended up killing Tybalt and was banished from Verona. R&J conducted their relationship in secret and without giving careful thought to their actions. Romeo knows the dangers that he put himself in but he ignored them because he was so in love with Juliet. However, the conflict builds and Romeo kills Tybalt as a result of Mercutio’s death. This leads to Romeo being banished to Mantua which results in tragic consequences. “My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain. And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband. Tybalt is dead, and Romeo is banished…” Juliet has chosen their love over the hate of their families.
The conflict eventually leads to the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet. Through a series of events and without thinking, Romeo and Juliet act in haste where they end up taking their own lives. Because Juliet was so upset that Romeo was dead and didn’t want to be with Parris she ends up stabbing herself and falling down beside Romeo where they are set free from their families feud. As Juliet stabs herself she says” o happy dagger! this is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die.” The reference to the happy dagger means that she wants to die so she can be happy in death with Romeo. I think it’s really unfair that they both killed themself to be happy in peace with each other,
In conclusion, the key relationship between Romeo and Juliet was driven by conflict resulting in their death helping bring the Montagues and Capulets together to end the long feud.
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