Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a well-known Shakespearean text. Although, not considered by many as Shakespeare’s best, it is often taught to high school students of a mature age. The themes throughout are often highly relatable to a young audience, as is the storyline. The irrational and passionate behaviour of modern youth, as seen in Berstein’s West Side Story, emulates the behaviour of Romeo and Juliet, as well as their love for one another. The intensity of this behaviour often ties in with young love. The infatuation youth often feel towards one another is clearly acknowledged in Romeo and Juliet, and the consequences of such a relationship are boldly highlighted.
Friar Laurence, who marries Romeo and Juliet, understands the consequences of infatuation, which is often linked to young love. Although, he marries Romeo and Juliet, he makes it quite clear to Romeo that such a passionate and intense love, such as the one of his and Juliet’s, often does not end well. He encourages Romeo to pursue in a more moderate love. “These violent delights have violent ends/ And in their power triumph die, fire and powder/ Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey/ Is loathsome in his own deliciousness/ And in the taste confounds the appetite/ Therefore love moderately; long love doth so; / Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.” Friar Laurence is trying to warn Romeo of how quickly an intense and passionate love can die out and also that such a love is often the reason for its own demise. The Friar also states the impatience of rushing into something too fast often holds consequences equal to waiting too long. This speech foreshadows the fact that the young lovers’ intense passion and the fact they couldn’t be apart ended up killing them.
It is evident that throughout Romeo and Juliet that the pair of star crossed lovers jump into their relationship quite quickly and with little thought to any consequences or problems that could arise. Friar Laurence tells Romeo of these...

Similar Essays