Romeo and Juliet
characters
Quotes
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Themes
Shakespeare wanted to illustrate how love, conflict and family intertwine with one another.
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Religion
Honour
Feud
Fate
Love
This is a powerful force in the play, as Romeo and Juliet lived in a religious society.
Once Juliet marries Romeo, The audience knows that she can't marry Paris, as if she did she would be breaking the law and therefore would go to hell.
For example getting married was their only option.
However, Both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide- which suicide was a sin in those days.
The Church had a big influence in the 16th century
In Shakespeare time, everybody had to go to the church on Sunday, anyone who didn't would have to pay a fine.
No one could get married except in a church. Couples couldn't live together unless they got married. Divorce was almost impossible.
Religion was more powerful than law. Religion provided an accepted set of rules for people to live their lives by.
Conflict
The friar has the role of the church in Verona.
Family and Marriage
The characters have respect for the church which is shown through their relationship with Friar Lawrence. The only time the Capulets allow Juliet out alone is when she's going "to Lawrence' cell, / to make confession. This shows that they trust the Friar and think confession is very important.
The Montagues - Parents
Romeo - Is a young man who's romantic and passionate. He falls in love with Juliet
Mercutio - Is Romeo's friend. hes a joker and doesn't take life too seriously.
The friar - Is an expert on the use of herbs. He's a father figure to Romeo.
The Capulets - Parents
Juliet - Is a young girl whose parents want her to marry a man called paris. she falls in love with Romeo.
Tybalt - Is Juliets cousin. He hates the Montagues and is always starting fights.
Paris - Is a rich young man who wants to marry Juliet.
The Nurse - Has brought Juliet up since she was a baby. They're very close.
Benvolio - Is Romeo's cousin and best friend. He's usually quite peaceful
Romeo and Juliet respects his advice more than anyone else's. They're rebellious enough to defy their parents - but they usually follow all of the Friars plan, However risky.
The Friar religious vows means he has to help Romeo and Juliet in certain ways. He isn't allowed to tell anybody the things he hears in confession, so he has to keep everything secret. Marriage is sacred to the church, so he has to protect their marriage and help Juliet escape marriage to Paris.
The capulets' family structure is fairly typical of what was expected in Shakespeare's time. The husband is in control of his wife and daughter, so Capulet can tell Juliet to marry whoever he wants.
Sometimes marriage was for money, not love. In the 16th Century, rich people like the Capulet didn't get married for love. Their parents would arrange a marriage with someone rich and powerful. It was a business deal - a way of getting money or power. Normally the bride or groom didn't get a choice. They were told they had to get married, just like Juliet.
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When Juliet refuses, Capulet is furious - he sees her as his property, so she should do as he says. He also thinks he's done his duty and set her up with a good match - so he may be hurt as well.
Juliet rebels against family structure. - Juliet's position in the family restricts her. She's a young, unmarried daughter so she can't be in public unaccompanied, or leave without permission.
This conflicts with what she actually wants to do - Juliet struggles to make her parents happy and make herself happy.
She doesn't want to upset her parents - But the family structure forces her to rebel.
The audience would've easily related to this theme. Many people during Shakespeare's time experienced this conflict between family duty and personal happiness, so they'd have understood Juliet difficulties.