Romeo And Juliet example essay topic

Parents today have a difficult job raising teenagers and teenagers have a difficult dealing with their parents. As teenagers try to be independent, parents want to know what they are doing and whom they are with at all times. Teenagers struggle with moodiness, depression, peer pressure, and love. Things were not much different in the Shakespearian era as told in the story of Romeo and Juliet.

They may have talked different than we do today, but they still struggled with the same issues. Romeo and Juliet is a classic story about how love and being a teenager do not go together. Teenagers think that the first person they fall in love with will last forever and nothing else in the world matters. Romeos first love interest comes when he meets Rosaline. Romeo's mom wants to know where he is and Benvolio reports that Romeo has been walking around by himself. Romeo has been secluding himself from everyone.

Later, Benvolio sees Romeo and is determined to find out why Romeo is acting like this. Benvolio speaks to Romeo, "What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours" (I, 1, 8)? Benvolio finds out the Romeo is in love with a girl named Rosaline. The problem is that Rosaline will not respond to Romeo's advances.

Romeo reports to Benvolio that "she " ll not be hit / with Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit/; and, in strong proof of chastity will arm'd / from love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd (I, 1, 10)". This scene happens to every teenager one time or another. They walk around in complete dazes and daydream. We become moody and take it out on others. Benvolio tries to help Romeo by telling him that "be ruled by me, forget to think of her (I, 1, 11)". Romeo responds by saying, "O, teach me how I should forget to think (I, 1, 11)".

There is a party being given by Capulet. Benvolio suggests Romeo go to this party and find Rosaline. Benvolio suggests he "examine other beauties" and compare them to Rosaline. This is typical behavior of teenagers. Friends help each other out and tell them there are other "fish in the sea". As the two friends enter the party, Benvolio and Mercurio try to cheer Romeo up. by lightening the mood with vulgar jokes and jests about Queen Mab.

He goes on and on... ". This is that very Mab / that plats the manes of horses in the night/, and bakes the el flocks in foul hairs/, this is the hag, when maids lie on their backs... (I, 5, 22.) Many teenagers will ramble and mumble on about nothing.

They try to cheer their friends up by talking down about people and telling them they are not as good as you my think they are. This usually makes them feel better. As the friends walk around, Romeo sees Juliet and immediately falls in love. Well, isn't this typical of teenagers.

So much for Rosaline, she is instantly forgotten. If his friends asked him about Rosaline now, he would say Rosaline who? Romeo asks a servant "what lady is that, which doth / enrich the hand / of yonder knight (I, 4, 24)? Romeo and Juliet talk the night away and Romeo states, "then move not, while my prayer's effect I take/. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged" (I, 5, 26).

Juliet responds with "then have my lips the sin that they have took (I, 5, 26). The two kiss and immediately fall in love. We must ask ourselves, since these are teenagers, is this love or lust? Do teenagers, at their age, know what love is? Romeo just had a crush on Rosaline and now he is in LOVE with Juliet? Romeo weds Juliet.

Juliet is awaiting Romeo's return so they can have their wedding night. The Nurses arrives to tell Juliet that Romeo has been banished for killing Ty balt. The nurse tells Juliet where Romeo is hiding. Juliet leaves at once to go to Romeo so they can consummate their marriage. This is so different they today's ideals. Teenagers today, for many, have sex before marriage.

Teenagers also struggle with the fact that to have someone love you, you must have sex. Romeo and Juliet meet and are "officially" married. The Friar tells Romeo he must leave and Juliet urges him to do so. Juliet calls upon the Friar to come up with a plan.

"Tell me not, friar, that thou hear " st of this/, unless thou tell me how I may prevent it (IV, 1, 84). The plan has Juliet swallow a potion that will make her appear death-like. "Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, then it is likely thou wilt undertake a thing like death to chide away this shame, that copes t with death himself to scape from it: and, if thou dares t, I'll give thee remedy (IV, 1, 85). Teenagers act on emotions and do not sit down and logically think things out until it's too late. We can predict that this is not going to be a smart move on Juliet's part.

Romeo was to receive a letter from Friar Lawrence explaining the situation. However, he does not receive the letter and assumes Juliet is actually dead. Teenagers must be patient and not jump to conclusion. They have not the experience to deal with such issues.

Romeo picks up the potion and drinks "O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die" (Act V, Scene 3, Pg 104). Romeo dies and Juliet awakens.

When Juliet sees what has taken place she is very distraught. She picks up Romeo's dagger and says, "this is thy sheath" (Act V, Scene 3, Pg 107) and stabs herself. Juliet dies beside Romeo's body. These types of relationships happen all too often. There are stories of teenagers who do a murder / suicide.

Teenagers and parents must work together to listen to each other. If the two families had not been feuding, then Romeo and Juliet would not have had to hide their relationship. Also, if Romeo and Juliet would have communicated better and had more trust in each other, they both would be alive. Teenagers today have to experience a lot in life before tackling a thing called "love". In the Shakespearian Era it was expected that you marry in your teenage years or you would become an "old maid". Today, teenagers are waiting until their thirties to plunge into the marriage thing.

Today, teenagers are surer of themselves than Romeo and Juliet were of themselves. Many teenagers today would marry whether their parents got along or not. We don't hear much anymore about families like the Capulet's and the Montague's not talking or communicating. We are more tolerating in today's society. Juliet's parents were to choose her future husband. Teenagers would not tolerate that in this era.

There are many similarities with today's teenagers and Romeo and Juliet. However, as outlined above, teenagers today struggle with so much more than simply deciding how to hide a marriage from their parents..