Teenagers In Romeo And Juliet

The Teenage Brain in Connection to Romeo and Juliet

If girls are from Venus and boy are from Mars, teenagers must be from a galaxy far far away. The way teenagers behave can be attributed to them being from a different planet because of their impulsive and many times emotional decisions coming forth as rash and uncalculated. The Shakespearean characters Romeo and Juliet exhibit these characteristics in the way they behave. Throughout the play, Romeo and Juliet make the same choices as any ordinary modern teen. The characters are rebellious, infatuated, and moody all because their brains lack key fundamental development in areas such as the frontal cortex and the amygdala. With these areas under severe development, the flood of chemicals in

Teenagers are as unpredictable as they are uncalculated. Teens act on instinct rather than think critically. The amygdala which is responsible for instucual reactions, fear, and aggressive behavior is the most active in teenagers, especially those in situations that demand a quick-response (America). Both Romeo and Juliet act very instinctual, Romeo when he decides to kill himself when he finds out his love has supposedly died, and Juliet killing herself after finding her lover dead. The frontal cortex of the brain which controls reasoning and helps humans think before they act, continues to develop through adolescence well into the mid-20s (American). This part of the brain has not been fully developed in the brain’s of Romeo and Juliet and perhaps lead them to not think critically about the situation they found themselves in with a lover dead by their side. They acted on instinct and decided to kill themselves rather than use their brain to understand what was going on around them. The teenage years are a time for connections being made between the brain cells and pruning of brain pathways which are essential for the development of thought, action, and behavior (American). This is

Teenager’s brains light up like wildfire when they receive a pleasurable stimulus. The ventral striatum provides the brain with receptors that trigger the release of dopamine, essentially a drug for good feeling in the brain . The ventral striatum upon view lights up more in teenagers than adults. This suggests that teens are more sensitive and less experienced to certain stimulus and are therefore more susceptible to the consequences that follow (Lewis). During adolescence, there is an increase in the neurotransmitter dopamine which is responsible for pleasure in the reward system. This chemical can be abused by teens by engaging in risky behavior and making quick and easy decisions instead of taking the time to critically think (Seigel). The combination of risky behavior and reward is perilous and can lead down a dangerous path. Love and or spending time with other loved ones can also triggers the release of dopamine. Romeo and Juliet both make the decision to risk their futures by continuing to meet with each other in secrecy. Both in a way get addicted to the other’s company and this eventually leads them to committing the ultimate sacrifice. The lovers were hooked on the feeling they received from their brains telling them this is good and that their relationship needs to continue even when known that it