Familial Obligation In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Throughout the passage of time, standards for familial relationships have adapted and changed as the surrounding society changes. That being said, the contrasting families in "Romeo and Juliet" play a major role in the decisions and perceptions of the main characters. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the themes of loyalty and obligation to family not only shed light on the familial roles and their positions in a hierarchy in the past, but also remain relevant in today’s society as evidenced by contemporary examples of things such as religious beliefs and societal pressures.

One major aspect that influenced the decisions and affected the overall plot of the play was the familial roles that were a dominating force in the lives

Many contemporary instances of familial obligation can be seen throughout this story; but to be specific, examples of this using the church as well as societal pressures are not limited. For instance, Line 70-72 of Act 1 Scene 1 states, " 'What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montages, and thee. Have at thee, coward!' " Moreover, the purpose of Tybalt saying this is to highlight his hatred toward these specific things. But the reason he hates these things so much is due to his obligation toward his family and their values, not to mention the social pressures he faces. He also subtly mentions his religious faith by saying he hates hell. Likewise, another quote which underlines this sort of family commitment is when Tybalt sees Romeo at Lord Capulet's party and seeks to get rid of Romeo because of family values. The text mentions, " 'Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, a villain, that is hither come in spite to scorn at our solemnity this night.' " (1.5.63). Furthermore, this means that Tybalt is so blinded by his responsibility to uphold his family's values that he would go as far to fight Romeo right in the middle of the party. This simply re-affirms what has been mentioned earlier, and proves that the main idea of this story is the character's obligation to their own