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What Are The Changes In Romeo And Juliet Gender Roles Essay

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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a tragic tale of two star-crossed lovers who end their lives to be together. Members of wealthy, rival families, the Montagues and the Capulets, Romeo and Juliet meet at a party Romeo was not supposed to attend and fall in love. They get married in secret and create a plan to stay together after learning that Juliet is set to marry Count Paris, however, their plan fails and they both commit suicide. Since the publication of the play, much has changed in our society, and actions once considered improper have become perfectly normal. Women have gained more respect and power. Throughout the story there are many examples of how gender roles affected Romeo and Juliet’s daily lives and decision-making. In the United States today, gender roles have changed dramatically from late 1500’s London, England as is presumed Shakespeare was writing about in Romeo and Juliet. I will examine gender roles in the United States in the past five years, from London in the late 1500s, and what about them has stayed the same and changed. Section 1 In the United States today, three out of every five people with incomes below the poverty line are women, and the average income of female-headed families is less than half …show more content…

Colors, toys, clothes, television, games, and more are shaped to fit the certain genders. Stereotypically, girls are supposed to like “girly” things like dolls or the color pink, while boys are supposed to like sports, and action figures. Kids usually buy into these kinds of stereotypes, and are expected to act in those ways as well. The environment that a child is raised in plays a large part in their perspective and personality. Parents that believe that women should not work pass that idea onto their children, who are likely to follow in their footsteps. This is the same for any concept, whether it is political standing, religious beliefs, or ideas regarding

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