We all know the basic stereotype of teenagers. They are moody, emotional, dramatic, impulsive, reckless, and irresponsible. They are defiant, rebellious, and are often in trouble. They are often prone to breaking expensive things. Countless teenagers either currently have a cracked screen on their phone or they have broken one in the past. An excellent portrayal of this recklessness is in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In this book we see how the ability to control emotions is impaired as a result of teenage brain development and hormones.
Romeo and Juliet move too fast as a result of their inability to make mature decisions. For example, Romeo and Juliet plan to get married after meeting each other only hours before at the party; “What o’clock
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There is a logical explanation for their inability to make mature decisions. Claudia Wallis explains that, “The very last part of the brain to be pruned and shaped to its adult dimensions is the prefrontal cortex.” This part of the brain is used for the overall process of making logical decisions and weighing the consequences of one’s actions. During this book, Romeo and Juliet’s brains are obviously not matured yet. The area that would warn them that they are moving too quickly and too illogically is not matured enough to do so.
Romeo and Juliet make hormonal and impulsive decisions that show their immaturity. After Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo cannot control his emotions and feels the need for revenge. He says, “Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now”(3.1.127-129). Part of being mature is the ability to control strong emotions, and here Romeo tells us that he is letting his fury guide his actions. He is moving too fast and too irrationally to properly think about the potential consequences of actions made in rage. Romeo is giving in to his hormonal impulses when he slays Tybalt. Hormones play a major role in the cause for