Romance, Storagé, Courtly love... The tragic drama of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare tells of two children of two wealthy families who are fated to fall in love despite their family feud. Romeo, the son of the Montagues, is an immature boy who craves love and is very impulsive in his decisions. Juliet, the daughter of the Capulets, is presented as an obedient, demure girl, however, she possesses a slight sense of rebellion and a maturity that Romeo lacks. These two protagonists meet at a party where they fall in love at first sight, and even after realizing the other’s family, cannot separate. Their ill-fated love will bring about their deaths, but will put an end to their family feud. By the end of Act Ⅰ, Shakespeare depicts …show more content…
He seems to crave the idea of being in love more than Rosaline herself, and his words show that he is inexperienced in love. But when he meets Juliet, he realizes how insincere his love was, and is immediately smitten by her. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!/ For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night”(1.5.50). His sudden change of love and the fact that they share a kiss without knowing the other’s name shows the speed of love. Their fast paced love indicates that Romeo and Juliet are very impulsive and immature, and are not ready to take on adulthood. In the beginning of the act, Juliet seems like an innocent, obedient girl. But further into the act, Juliet shows signs of persistence. Even in her agreement with her mother’s suggestion to marry Paris, there is passive rebellion. Both Romeo and Juliet have a distant relationship with their parents, respecting them out of filial love, or storagé. “Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour”(1.3.12). Juliet is closer to her nurse than her mother, while Romeo is closer to his friends than his parents. Their family feud and their parents will go against their love, but they will persist nonetheless. Through their ordeals, Shakespeare highlights the theme of duty versus desire, or the conflict of whether to follow your parents’ wishes or your own