The Responsibility Of Parents In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Parents. The people who are responsible for giving life and loving their children unconditionally and setting an example for them. Parents can also be strong in their decisions, not listen to their children, and instead, go off on their arrogant ways “knowing what's best for their children”. All these characteristics describe Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet’s parents: two families who despise each other. Filled with so much hatred that they even breathe each other's anger and disgust for each other. All these characters are in the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, a tragic love story, where an uncommon romance appears between two youths: Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, from two families, who loathe each other. However, instead

In Romeo and Juliet, there is such a war, such as the families loathing each other, and having their own children die as the victims of the feud. In one act of the play, the Prince exiles Romeo for killing Tybalt, even though Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, but in Lady Capulet’s eyes “Romeo slew Tybalt/Romeo must not live…”. Whereas in Montague’s eyes, “His fault concludes but what the law should end/The life of Tybalt”. Though the two parent’s ideas of justice contradict each other, the Prince, or the ruler of the land, believes “...that offence/Immediately we do exile him hence/I have an interest in your hearts' proceeding/My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding/But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine/That you shall all repent the loss of mine/I will be deaf to pleading and excuses/Nor

Even the Friar was sick of this pathetic feud, so he even agreed to marry the “star-crossed lovers”, and even giving a speech, “...But come, young waverer, come, go with me/In one respect I'll thy assistant be/For this alliance/may so happy prove/To turn your households' rancor to pure love” (2.3.96-99). Though the Friar thought he was bringing the two closer together, he was, in fact, tearing them more apart. This caused Romeo and Juliet to break the rules even more, and to do anything to be with each other, which caused them to be in even more trouble. This, also, caused them to come back to the Friar for more help, and the only plan he gives is full of failure. For example, when Juliet had found out Romeo is no longer in Verona and that she had to marry Paris, she felt angry and depressed. To help with her emotions, she sought out Friar Laurence, who calmed her by saying “..Hold, then. Go home, be merry. Give consent/To marry Paris/Wednesday is tomorrow/Tomorrow night look that thou lie alone./Let not the Nurse lie with thee in thy chamber/(shows her a vial)/Take thou this vial, being then in bed/And this distillèd liquor drink thou off/When presently through all thy veins shall run/A cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse/Shall keep his native progress, but surcease./No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest/The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade/To paly ashes, thy