Examples Of Impulsivity In Romeo And Juliet

Impulsivity poses a threat to the majority of teens in modern day society. Teens are plagued by recklessness and stubbornness which can get them into trouble or even get them involved in addictive and dangerous behavior. In the tragedy Romeo and Juliet written by Shakespeare, a popular text among ninth grade classrooms, two teens heedlessly pursue their “love at first sight” relationship despite their families’ long history of rivalry resulting in their ultimate demise. Throughout the play, the two lovers: Romeo and Juliet, run head first into each situation they face, rarely giving a thought about what they are about to do. By reading the play it becomes apparent that teens have always acted in an unregarding manner, not just in modern times.

Initially, Romeo meets Juliet at her family's party in which they exchange a conversation and a kiss. Romeo secretly visits Juliet after the party and in the very night that they met, Juliet suggests to Romeo “If that thy [Romeo] bent of love be honorable,/ Thy [Romeo] purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,” (Shakespeare Ⅱ.ⅱ, l 150-151). Juliet proposes the idea of the two of them getting married notwithstanding the fact that they just met that same day. Furthermore, before the party, Romeo was rejected by another woman and could not get her name or beauty out of his head, until he met Juliet later in the day. The two act extremely reckless, for they jumped into a relationship after just meeting one another. Additionally, Critics have pointed out that “Romeo's return to Verona upon receiving the information of Juliet's death also demonstrates his impulsive nature” (Carter). In the final act of the play, Juliet drank a vial of liquid that made it seem that she was deceased, so she could escape marriage to another man. This plan did not work out because when Romeo hears of her apparent death, he makes a rash decision to buy a vial of poison and drink it at Juliet’s grave where he believes she is actually dead. They end up both taking their lives in a series of other foolish efforts that occur in the final scene. Romeo and Juliet’s rushed relationship and impulsive

Typical risky behavior that teens get involved in is the use of alcohol and drugs which could be “the outcome of difficult lives or exposure to family conflict or indulgence, where the teen takes to the substance to self-medicate” (Direnfield). Many teens may not recognize the danger in using such products because of their lack of knowledge as an adolescent. Also, they may be provoked to start using drugs and alcohol because of harsh conditions or strenuous situations that they may be experiencing at their age. Teens may also be inspired to do risky actions such as trespassing, shoplifting, or sneaking into restricted areas or activities; these behaviors can lead to legal repercussions such as jail time. Studies even show that 88% of criminal arrests are produced by those ages 12-20. Not all teens do participate in such actions, but it is safe to say that a large quantity do. The reason for why teens act more reckless than most other age groups is because “the prefrontal cortex, responsible for judgment and impulse control, matures last” and “isn't ‘done’ until the early 20s--and sometimes even later in men” (Shute). Teenagers do not have a fully mature brain which makes their sense of reasoning less developed and allows them to make more foolish decisions than most people of older age. Due to a higher risk of incautious actions amid adolescence many end