The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is not in the death of two young lovers, but the failure of society to overcome the social barriers that would have prevented the loss of so many innocent lives. Lord Capulet followed his social role of the father, and felt it was his duty as the man of the house to protect his family and their reputation. His wife, Lady Capulet, took it as her role to sit back and obey her husband, even if in the end it would mean the death of her only daughter. Friar Lawrence's role as a peacemaker leads him to see Romeo and Juliet’s relationship and marriage as an opportunity to stop the family feuding than as two
“Friar Lawrence, less ambitious and more desperate than his fellow manipulators, does not hope that Juliet’s death will dissolve the families’ hatreds but only that it will give Romeo and chance to come and carry her off” (Snyder). At this point Romeo and Juliet’s relationship could not solve the problems between the families and the Friar was only uniting them. This is what made the Friar so repulsive. Even now after deaths and family issues, He treated the situation like a game. “Hold, daughter, I do spy a kind of hope, / Which craves as desperate an execution / As that is desperate which we would prevent (4.1.69-71).
After making this statement Romeo kisses her, he kisses her again shortly after. When reading the dialogue said between Romeo and Juliet the reader is able to really feel as if the characters’ meeting by accident is not such a bad that after all. Although, there is one thing keeping them apart the Montague’s and Capulet’s have had a family feud that has been tearing their families down for many years. They later end up going against their parents’ wishes and getting married, when you know you are meant to be with someone you will feel it inside your heart and nothing will stand in the way of fate and stop you. Tybalt (who is Juliet’s cousin), was killed and her parents believe that is the reason for her heartache and committing suicide.
Themes of Romeo & Juliet Love Love is a theme in “Romeo and Juliet” because Romeo and Juliet are the most famous lovers in history. Romeo starts the play infatuated with Rosaline, a not so pretty girl with an ambition to stay chaste. Then, there is a “love at first sight” situation with Juliet. These lovers (Romeo & Juliet) come from rivalled families, but their love overpowers their families hate towards each other. Their romance ends in a tragedy when they both think the other is dead and chooses to commit suicide rather than live alone, without their love.
This is highlighted when the Friar succumbs to the desires of the young lovers, “you two shall not be alone, till holy church incorporate two in one”. By permitting the two to wed, Friar Lawrence’s intentions may have been good, but he ultimately contributes to their “doomed” romance by not informing Romeo and Juliet’s parents of their marriage. In contrast to the bliss of the marriage, Romeo is soon banished for murdering Tybalt, where Friar Lawrence remains ignorantly optimistic that he can somehow help the two young lovers remain together. Through this episode Friar Lawrence still strives for the young lovers happiness in hope that all will come together, but he fails to see the destructiveness of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship, thus through lack of guidance can be held responsible for the continuance of their affair. This is further illustrated when Juliet is forced to marry Count Paris when Friar Lawrence presents her with an alternative, “I’ll give thee remedy”.
Romeo and Juliet did not have to keep their love a secret. They could have told their parents about their matrimony. Then, Juliet's parents would have canceled her wedding to Paris seeing that she was already married. If this occurred, then Juliet would not have taken the potion, and her death would’ve been prevented, along with Romeo's death. This would have also prevented the way her father wondered, “Doth she not count her blest, Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought so worthy of a gentleman to be her bride?” (Romeo and Juliet 3.
Though they do not always work in concert, each of these societal institutions in some way present obstacles for Romeo and Juliet. The enmity between their families, coupled with the emphasis placed on loyalty and honor to kin, combine to create a profound conflict for Romeo and Juliet, who must rebel against their heritages. With evidence from one of Romeo and Juliet’s most famous line; “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” (II.ii.33), it is manifest that the ancient grudge serves to create a dramatic obstacle which demands the lovers to rue their roots and rebel against authority, in context of their families. This is expressed in a well-known phrase; “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other word would smell as sweet;” (II.ii.43-44).
These were the words that Queen Gertrude delivered to Ophelia's brother, Laertes, when she took her own life. Many think Hamlet is the most tragic character in the play, but some critics like to think that Ophelia is the most tragic. Ophelia's life is not mentioned often throughout the play, so it is shadowed by the life of Hamlet. Many obstacles that Ophelia faces throughout Shakespeare's tragedy support reasons why she is considered the most tragic character. Ophelia lives in a society ruled by men, faces rejection from the love of her life, and deals with the death of her father.
Basically he just wants her to be 'shown off' as little as possible. We could say that this is parental worrying but having the audacity to go to the extreme of thinking of not even giving her a chance to stand on her own feet, clearly eliminates the idea of parental concern. The fact that he states that “The heads are turning like windmills” knowing that those ‘heads’ turn to every woman passing, reflect his jealousy rather than his care. This establishes the idea in the reader's mind that he is 'over-protective' about Catherine in the context of a lover. Having this level of Dominance towards not a daughter, but a niece, is very uncommon in the real world.
When his most loved daughter comments on her sister’s reactions about his wishes, he then begins to go insane after irrationally separating his land between two of his three daughters based on their charm bringing terrible consequences for everyone. I would say that’s Lear’s first mistake; separating power and responsibility. His two eldest daughters are prepared to be in control of their own lives (age wise) but not necessarily mature enough. A reason of immaturity from the daughters that Lear didn’t notice was how fond they were of him when he declared his wanting, therefore, they aren’t ready to rule a kingdom. They allowed their father to act as if he is still in charge.