Manipulation In Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare

Manipulation is a mental diagnosis that can have very ill and unhealthy intentions behind it. Sheri Stritof states that “manipulating someone means that a person is using mental distortion and emotional exploitation to influence and control others” (Stritof). Sheri Stritof is an expert in the field of manipulation and writing. As previously defined by her, manipulation can be seen as a mental distortion which means it has a negative connotation to it. This type of mental distortion can also be used as part of a psychoanalysis to categorize and label different items of literature. Psychoanalysis is used to seek “unconscious or latent meaning underneath the manifest language and analyz[e] the symbols contained in a given work” (Lacan). Psychoanalysis has been used for a

While Melinda’s parents in the novel, “Speak,” by Laurie Anderson and Juliet’s parents in the play, “Romeo and Juliet,” by William Shakespeare have differences between them, both pairs of parents display manipulative behavior that makes it possible to compare and contrast them. Although both of these pieces of literature are almost polar opposites in what message they’re trying to convey, the characters show an abundance of similarities in their manipulative behavior/actions. For example, Juliet’s parents, Lord and Lady Capulet, make it seem as though it is Juliet’s choice as to whether or not she marries Paris. However, we later see that this is not true and they pressure her into taking the offer of the marriage. Along with Lord Capulet having a strong disapproval of Juliet's refusal of marriage, Lady Capulet states, “I would the fool were married to her grave!” (Shakespeare 3.5 140). This statement shows her utter disapproval of Juliet’s decision. Also, it expresses how her views align with her husband’s. Because of this verbalization and agreement with Lord Capulet, we can see her manipulative behavior show