In the play Romeo and Juliet, the concept of age is often disregarded. This is because the theme of true love between the characters is thought to transcend all societal barriers, most importantly the mutiny of the Capulet and the Montague family. However, taking into consideration the stage of life in which the characters are in serves to provide useful insight as to why they choose to follow through with certain decisions. Romeo and Juliet are both teenagers in the play, and it is known through research that adolescents are largely run by their emotions and greatly valuing reward over possible risk. The greatest conflict in the play is that the love between Romeo and Juliet is strictly forbidden due to the nature of their two families relations.