In Romeo and Juliet, an excerpt from Act 1 Scene 5, Shakespeare highlights the impetuousness of youth compared to people of old age. Throughout the passage, we can see Romeo and Juliet swept off their feet with love and passion and overwhelming excitement. We see their hopes for a future together and their impatience to be united. But, as a reader, we all know they die in the end. Like Friar Lawrence said, “violent delights lead to violent ends.” In that, he’s trying to tell them that their love is powerful, but the true reality is that their complete and utter infatuation with each other can make them so blinded with wanting that they will forget the inevitable consequences of their impulsivity.
All hope and high spirits aside, both know
…show more content…
We are jubilant and hopeful for the two star crossed lovers, but take little notice of the impending doom yet to come.
Juliet, shortly before learning about her forthcoming marriage, repeatedly begs her nurse to say whether she has good or bad news. Her reply, “Fie, my bones ache,” emphasizes her age against Juliet’s eagerness to rush into marriage. When leaving to go to the church, Juliet says “Off to good fortune,” which plays into the dramatic irony.
Time and time again we see juxtaposition, which was earlier mentioned in the prologue, “ancient grudge break to new mutiny” The high spirits and hope of love, like Romeo and Juliet promising each other to the rest of their life, is actually a bit pointless until they actually die for each other. When seeing the graveyard woeful and shattered, the two seperate groups realize that they tried to take away what was impossible. They tried to fight for control and power, and once they saw what was inevitably going to happen, their actions were suddenly pointless. They tried to fight for the wrong thing, and chose the wrong battle. Now, it’s clear that Romeo and Juliet fought endlessly, but lost, just like how both Montagues and Capulets would lose. Lose their family, relatives, friends, for a senseless