William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet focuses on the tribalism that comes between the two main characters. In their hometown, Verona, Romeo and Juliet are part of the rival families Montagues and Capulets. Romeo and Juliet are loyal to their house, but despite that, they still fall in love and get married. The rivalry between their families is an introduction to one of the play's main themes - tribalism. Although tribalism is one of the main themes of this play, it's also one of the main hurdles Romeo and Juliet have to overcome. In Romeo and Juliet, the theme of tribalism is developed in the fight between Romeo and Tybalt, through their hidden marriage, and during constant fighting and disagreement throughout the story, Tribalism ultimately …show more content…
When Romeo and Juliet meet at the Capulet party, they immediately fall in love. They decide to get married, even though their families are rivals and hate each other. Romeo states; "...my heart dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet; as mine is on hers, so hers is set on mine." (2.4, 57-59) This quote is of Romeo telling Friar Lawrence that he loves and wants to marry Juliet. The Friar's reaction is surprised that Romeo, a Montague, wants to marry Juliet, who is a Capulet. His reaction showcases that a Montague even liking a Capulet is rare because they hate each other. He has to explain why he loves and wants to marry Juliet because the Friar is shocked at this connection between the houses. This conversation introduces the theme of tribalism and continues to do so when Romeo fights …show more content…
Since the very beginning of the story, they have been arguing against each other. Tybalt and Romeo's relationship is an example of this. Tybalt talks to Lord Capulet about his anger and frustration towards Romeo's appearance at the Capulet party. Tybalt says; "It fits when such a villain is a guest. I shall not endure him." (1.5, 74-75) This conversation shows the hate Tybalt has for Romeo and the Montagues in general. This is an example of Tribalism, because Tybalt is loyal to the Capulet house, and he does not like how Romeo involves himself. This hate is an obvious problem throughout the story, because Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, get married. Their families, who hate each other, now join. This conversation is important to the development of
The play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is about a tragedy of two star crossed lovers who want nothing more than to be together forever. “…Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” (2.2.35-36) Romeo, a Montague, who is young and passionate, meets Juliet at a Capulet party. When they meet, it’s love at first sight. Juliet, a Capulet, is a beautiful young lady tired of being controlled by her father, Lord Capulet. The two families are in a never ending feud that comes between Romeo and Juliet’s love. In the course of four and a half days, Romeo and Juliet plan their marriage with the help of Priest Friar Laurence and Juliet’s Nurse. After the couple is married,
The contempt the children in their family have for the other houses leads to the death of Tybalt, a kinsman to the Capulets, and Mercutio, a kinsman to the Prince, alongside Romeo’s banishment. Tybalt challenging Romeo to a fight for coming to the Capulet party leads to his and Mercutio’s demise and further tragedy to follow the two houses, “Tybalt. Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: thou art a villain,” (2.1.55-56) and “Tybalt. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw,” (2.1.61-62). Romeo had disrespected the wishes of the Capulets for no Montagues to be present at their party; in turn, this had furthered Tybalt’s detestation of the Montagues.
Not only did they not stop their quarrel, the Capulet and Montagues hatred had pushed Romeo and Juliet to the edge and had led them to their deaths. Again, the resentment that Tybalt has for the Montagues is even more extreme than mentioned before, having a horrific reaction to seeing Romeo at one of the Capulet's party: “.A villain, that is hither come in spite / To scorn at our solemnity this night” (1.5.60-61). After being told to leave Romeo alone by Lord Capulet, Tybalt refuses and strives to get revenge. His revenge leads to him fighting Mercutio, Romeo’s close friend who isn’t even related to the Montagues but has stood by his side. Tybalt kills Mercutio and angers Romeo, who gets revenge and murders Tybalt.
The Capulets and Montagues, dangerously full of pride, let their small-minded hate for each other restrict the potential of their lives as acquainted equals. When Romeo and Juliet ask Friar Laurence to marry them, he could have said no, apprehensive of getting in between this often violent familial rivalry. Rather, he gives them their right to marriage when others would have refused. Friar does not let fear test his morals and instead recognizes how this marriage could result in the reconciliation and
Romeo and Juliet display the themes love and violence in multiple ways. The feud between the Montagues and Capulet is the reason for the violence in Verona. Romeo and Juliet's parents have a strong hatred towards each other that has been going on forever, and it's caused everyone from each household to hate one another. Violence in Romeo and Juliet is shown with the frequent fights between the Montagues and Capulets. A scene involving conflict is the fight involving Romeo (Montague) and Tybalt (Capulet), which didn't end well. Everything was calm, until the Capulets arrived with Tybalt who was looking for Romeo. Tybalt called Romeo a "villain" this caused insults to be thrown from him and Mercutio. When Romeo arrives he speaks with Tybalt, trying to calm him down. Romeo wanted to end this rivalry and unite the two families together, but all Tybalt wanted was to start a fight with
Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare, and it highlights a pair of starcrossed lovers named Romeo and Juliet in the city of Verona. Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet is a Capulet. This means they are not supposed to be together, for the Capulets and the Montagues are sworn enemies. Romeo and Juliet’s love is forbidden, and for most of the play only Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse know about it. They meet when Romeo is let into a Capulet party where he sees Juliet, and he is captured by her beauty and grace. Less than twenty-four hours after they meet, Friar Lawrence marries the couple in secret. After the marriage, Romeo is exiled from Verona, for he fights Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Later, Juliet pretends to die, so she will not have to marry Paris—a man who Lord Capulet wants Juliet to marry.
This presents that Tybalt may have been seeking a fight or was attracted to the aggressive situation as a perfect place to displace his own frustrations. It is as if Tybalt uses his family’s pride and hatred toward the Montague’s as an excuse to mask his anger management problems. Toward the end of Act 1, Tybalt again uses his family’s dignity for an excuse to fight Romeo when even Lord Capulet himself is unbothered by his enemy’s
Out of their control, Romeo and Juliet are born into two different disputing families.. In the beginning of the play when Tybalt, a Capulet, encounters Benvolio, a Montague, he says "What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee (13). " With his outbursts of rage for the Montague family, Tybalt is known throughout the book as a hateful character. Romeo and Juliet were born into feuding families which neither the Capulets nor the Montagues could have prevented; therefore it was fate, rather than choice, that set the stage.
William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet is a traumatic love story between young adults Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet come from different families who have been feuding for years, the Capulets and the Montagues. Abandoning the indifferences between their families they go against it all, fall in love, and marry in secret. Little do they know their love story will result in a tragic ending, death. William Shakespeare writes this play set in Verona, Italy and to him this place is thought of as a timeless fantasy land. Even though Shakespeare sets the play in Verona the characters do not act the way people from there acted and their beliefs and customs were not the same. The way the families act and treat others in based more on
The Individuals vs Society The second most obvious theme in Romeo and Juliet is the lovers’ (the individuals) relationship versus their families (society). Regardless of the Montague’s and Capulet’s feud, Romeo and Juliet fall in love with one another, a relationship that would be most disapproved of in their families’ opinions. One example of a single person vs society (or in this case, family) is Juliet vs her parents. Juliet’s family wants her to marry Paris, and constantly insists on her doing so, but Capulet does not want this forced marriage. She does not love Paris, and dislikes him even more when she falls in love with Romeo.
Tybalt was an outside force that changes their love story. Tybalt is presented by Shakespeare as a character who loves to fight. He will take advantage of any occasion or excuse so he can fight another man. The Capulets and the Montagues are two important families in the city of Verona but they are enemies. Tybalt has multiple fights in the streets with the Capulets.
The theme of conflict is instantly introduced in the Prologue of the play. We are told that the families are both of equal status and have an 'ancient grudge' suggesting that the conflict has been on-going for many generations. We are told that the conflict will 'break to new mutiny' and are reminded again of their death through the 'parents rage'. Romeo and Juliet are described as a 'pair of star-crossed lovers' informing the audience that nothing can change their fate which is itself another form of conflict.
Romeo kept on forcing the idea upon him, so he marries them hoping that their marriage would end the Capulet and Montague feud, even though he did not ask for the parents’ consent. He displays his hope when he says, “For this alliance may so happy prove / to turn your household’s rancor to pure love”(Act I, Scene 4, Lines 91-92). Friar Laurence kept Romeo and Juliet’s relationship secretive, making the situation worsen. Later on, the Friar shows that he has regrets about the marriage. The Friar feels that, “Violent delights have violent ends / And their triumph die… too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” (Act II, scene 6, Lines 9-15). The Friar senses that the wedding is happening too quickly and doubts his decision. He had the potential to prevent the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, but his decisions led Romeo and Juliet to do reckless actions under his ideas. Friar Laurence’s thoughtless decisions led to the deaths of Romeo and
He is eager to defend his family name and honor. This hostile individual takes the conflict with the Montagues very seriously, and is often the instigator of conflicts. Frequently, he exhibits impulsive behavior. An example of Tybalt’s hostile attitude occurs when he and Benvolio are speaking, “What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward!” (Act I, Scene I). Here Tybalt is the instigator. As Benvolio asks for peace, Tybalt refuses, never backing down from a possible fight. When the Capulets host a party, Tybalt is irate over Romeo being there, “Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe. A villain, that is hither to come in spite. . .” (Act I, Scene 5). This is a prime example of Tybalt defending his family name, and the intensity in which he despises Montagues. One critical review describes Tybalt as, “. . . an individual who will not be dishonored in anyway, and will quarrel over any discrepancy.” (Andersen, 83). This pertains to Tybalt’s impulsive behavior that in some cases leads to rash
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a tragic love story. The story concerns the love between two young people, Romeo and Juliet. This is set against a feud between their two families: the Montagues and the Capulets. This feud develops the themes of conflict, deception and dignity in the play. The play includes a lot of themes, love, family, hate, deception and revenge.