The Role Of Conformity In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

708 Words3 Pages

Personal desire and choosing to conform is a battle between right and wrong, shown in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, because Juliet chooses Romeo over everyone else, pursuing what she wants to make herself happy, but everyone else in the family views this as wrong.

Juliet wants to do the right thing, which is doing what makes her happy. Lady Capulet wants to know Juliet’s idea of getting married but Juliet does not want to get married, which upsets her family and the nurse. “It is an honour that I dream not of.” (Act 1, Scene 3, line 68). Juliet feels that she is too young and too immature to get married, she wants to explore what makes her happy. “ I will not marry yet; and, when I do, I swear, It shall be Romeo, whom …show more content…

Juliet chooses her love for Romeo quickly. “If that thy bent of love be honourable thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow” (Act 2 , scene 2, line 143-144). Juliet is going to send someone tomorrow to ask what time she is going to get married to Romeo, even though they just met a couple hours ago. Juliet is starting to just care about if she is getting married and nothing else. “To-morrow night look that thou lie alone; Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber. Take thou this vial, being then in bed”(Act 4, Scene 1, Line 91-93). Juliet goes to the extreme by preferring to pretend to be dead so she does not have to marry Paris. These ‘wrong’ actions are all because Juliet sees the value in who Romeo is and that the idea of Paris is empty in the sight of love “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.” (Act 2, Scene 2, line 43-44). Conforming to Juliet’s family wishes would be empty and wrong because she knows that she does not love Paris. So even though others view Juliet’s actions as wrong, pursuing a personal desire is worth