How Does Conflict Occur In Romeo And Juliet

Gabrielle Kouza

Mrs. Zink

Honors English 9

12 February 2023

Romeo & Juliet

When conflict occurs, people tend to point fingers at each other. Blaming other people is easier than looking at your innermost self and asking if the situation could have been prevented and if it was your fault. Sometimes the conflict can be trivial, like a brother and sister fighting, or serious, like death. In the case of Shakespeare’s tragic play, Romeo and Juliet, our young protagonists die at the end of the story. When they die, the streets in Verona, Italy, are crowded with people shouting at the Capulet and Montague families for their deaths. The families are busy mourning their children. Yet, no reforms are made until the Prince declares that the Families

At the time, which was the Elizabethan Era, Nobility had the most power next to God and the Monarchy. They had the most money, which meant they could educate themselves and their offspring. These families never had to worry about much besides playing their role in society. This role that they had involved power and money. The more money that you had, the more powerful you were. The Capulets and the Montagues have power and like to show off their money. They often threw grand parties. Romeo and Juliet know their parents all too well. They try to hide their relationship from their parents because they know that their parents will not react well. This causes them to act and marry a day after they meet. Because they hide from their families and act, they die. The Capulets and Montagues cause conflict in the story by not being accepting of their children's wants. They put their love of power above their children’s

In the play, it states that no one knows why or how this rivalry started. They hate each other so much that whenever one member of the Capulets sees a member of the Montagues, they fight one another with swords. Romeo and Juliet know this. After they meet, Juliet says, “My only love Sprung from my only hate!” This shows us that even though Juliet did not know any Montagues, she hated them. When she falls in love with Romeo, she doesn’t know he is a Montague. When she realizes that he’s the son of her family's enemy, she despairs because she knows her family will never allow her to marry a Montague. Even though her father said at the beginning of the play that Juliet could make her choice, he later disowns her for not wanting to marry Paris. Romeo has the same struggle. His family allows him to pine over other women, and they encourage it even. Yet, the minute he shows interest in Juliet, he knows his family would’ve never approved. The central conflict in their relationship is that their families have a feud. Romeo and Juliet don’t know how to balance their duties: they have responsibilities to their church, their society, and most of all to their family. The fact that they know their families wouldn’t approve of their love affects their choices. When parents and family put their interests before their children, it can be dangerous for the children despite good intentions on all