Marriage in Romeo and Juliet versus Now While reading Romeo and Juliet many people have noticed that how a marriage works is very different than how they work today. In this play the marriages are very different because of the proposal, the ceremony, and the reception. These are only some of the many things from Shakespeare’s time that are different now. In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the proposal is very different than they are today. To be specific, the time frame in which it happens, the age they propose at, and how they do it differ a lot. In Shakespeare’s time, the proposal happened very quickly. When Romeo proposes to Juliet, they haven’t even known each other for a whole day. In contrast, in current times it could take anywhere from a couple months to years to decide to propose. The age at which the proposal takes place also differs massively. When this play was written, marriage happened very quickly. For example, Juliet was only fourteen and Romeo was somewhere around seventeen …show more content…
It’s different because who is invited, where it happens, and how it happens are different from now. In the time the play was written, not much of the family was invited to watch the ceremony. This was because they liked to have a private, heart-felt ceremony with just their significant other. In present day, a lot of family and friends are invited to the wedding to watch the two lovers get married. Also, where it happens is different. In Romeo and Juliet, they went to their local Friar’s cell for the ceremony. Now, people choose a big church, a nice beach or even go out of the country to get married. How the ceremony happens also differs from recent times. In this play, they go quickly to the Friar’s cell and have him do it right there without even preparing. In current times, they plan and prepare up to a year for their ceremony and don’t do it on the spot. This is another way Romeo and Juliet differ from
In the beginning of this play Lady Capulet brings up marriage to Juliet, whom states that she had not even thought of marriage, yet she considers marriage an honor. Juliet wants to follow her parent's wishes and agrees to meet Paris, but she is only willing to see if she likes him. When Romeo appears in the balcony scene, Juliet states that she wants to wait and see if her and Romeo’s feeling’s remain the same overnight since she believes that their feelings may just be the heat of the moment
Centuries ago in Elizabethan England there were many traditions about marriage and the treatment of women. One strong tradition of these times was the practice of marriage between races. Interracial marriages were considered extremely taboo. (High Beam). In this era marriages were arranged by the parents with strong help from the local church. The individuals had little choice as to who they would marry. (Elizabethan England Life). Yet another example of these traditions was the respectable treatment of women. While the husband was in charge of his wife, as was the father, the husband were expected to treat the women right (Elizbethi). In spurning all of these traditions, Shakespeare demonstrates a view of marriage far different from that
he is later in the play. He thinks that Juliet is too young and if she
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
Early in the play, Romeo and Juliet meet and instantly fall in love. In the infamous balcony scene, they clearly express their love and decide to get married. Juliet says, “Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bend of love be honorable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow, By one that I’ll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay And follow thee my lord throughout the world,” (2.2.149-155). Juliet has confirmed that she wants to marry Romeo the next day so long as he gives her a notice the next day. Romeo and Juliet are so in love that they are willing to rush into this marriage, not truly thinking of what is about to come next. They don’t stop to think about what this marriage will mean for the rivalry between the families and they don’t understand that maybe it isn’t a good idea. If Romeo and Juliet had considered the trouble that this marriage would cause, perhaps they would not have gotten married so quickly. Later, once Romeo has been banished to Mantua and Juliet is told she must marry another guy named Paris, she is distraught and runs to Friar Lawrence. Once there, Friar tells Juliet of a plan that involves her faking her death using a concoction that will make her appear dead. Romeo will then find her and they will be reunited and live their lives together away from their feuding
tension, the second he lays his eyes on her he says “if I profane with
To begin, the decision of Romeo and Juliet to marry soon as possible leads to a tragedy. As Shakespeare writes in Romeo and Juliet, “Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow”(2.2.151). This shows that the marriage was rushed because Romeo and Juliet decided to get married with in the hours of their meeting. The marriage was done in secret the next day. Romeo and Juliet made an impulsive action, which leads to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Everyone wants to marry the love of their life. Seeking the approval of our family and friends, we all look ahead fondly at the idea of living a long and happy life with our soulmate. Unfortunately, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet this is not the way life played out.
Within the play titled Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare the character Juliet of the Capulet family changes her attitude toward love and marriage. Shakespeare's play displays that Juliet’s attitude adjusts throughout the play; she goes from being an independent woman who does not seek marriage, to having a cautious love, to eventually hopelessly in love. At the beginning of the play Juliet’s mother speaks with her about marriage, which Juliet answers to her mother "It is an honor I dream not of,” showing that she has no interest in love. Then when the play moves to the balcony scene Juliet shows change of where she feels that Romeo is her first love, yet she still displays no intent to marry. Eventually after Juliet does decide
Examine the different ways in which Shakespeare presents the attitude towards marriage in the play, ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’
After their first meeting Juliet is on her balcony, talking to herself; she professes her love for Romeo. Romeo is eavesdropping below and hears this. The traditions of courtly love require the lady to show little sign of love and take little interest in the man. Juliet ruins this by announcing her love without realizing it. "If thou thinkst I am too easily won, I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay," she tells Romeo, trying to resurrect some traditional values between them. She wants Romeo to be her noble knight who writes her poetry and slays dragons for her, she wants to play the game properly but has already given "love's faithful vow". In this same meeting the couple agree to marry. I think Shakespeare made a point of leaving out their courting to display the hastiness of their teenage love.
The 1500’s play focuses more on marriage, as like teenage dating in this modern era, for the play’s intended audience, it was marriage that the Elizabethan era society was preoccupied on, and was something they felt they “had to do”. The difference between relationships and marriage is shown
Romeo and Juliet were facing many obstacles during the time they first encountered one another. Their, so-called, “love” sprung as they were both trying to escape from their present problems. Romeo was previously in love with a beautiful girl named Rosaline, although she couldn’t love him back and fulfill Romeo’s sexual desires because she was becoming a nun. He was heartbroken when he found out about this, and thus, he was left inconsolable. Once he discovered that Rosaline was attending the Capulet ball, he decided to sneak in. Minutes into the ball, Romeo sees Juliet and immediately professes his love for her. Juliet also had her own dilemmas to deal with. Some of which included being forced into marrying Paris, a man whom she did not love. Therefore, her love for Romeo was influenced by her reluctance to marry Paris. Prior to Romeo and Juliet’s encounter at the Capulet party, Juliet comments on marriage stating, “It is an honor that I dream not of,” (1.3.68). This quote shows that Juliet had no interest in getting married anytime soon, although when she meets
The idea of marriage that is presented in the play differs from what we see marriage as
Social norms differ greatly between now and the age of Romeo and Juliet. The two young lovers would have thought it completely normal to marry at such a young age as they did. Juliet’s own mother said it herself, with the words “Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you / Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, / Are made already mothers” (I.iii.75-77). At only thirteen years of age, a girl today may dream of marrying, but would not actually plan on marriage until she grew much older. However, many young girls in fourteenth-century Italy had already found husbands, and some had even had children. Also, many families arranged their children’s marriages, and rarely did men and women marry for love, as Romeo and Juliet decided to. This went against the social norm, but the two did not care, because they had fallen in love and wanted to stay together forever.