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    The document analyzes themes of marriage, love, and family dynamics in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It notes that in the time period, marriage was often used to build relationships between powerful families for political and economic reasons, rather than love. Juliet finds herself betrothed to Paris by her parents, even though she has fallen in love with Romeo, who comes from a rival family, the Montagues. The document argues that if the families could look past their feud, a marriage between Romeo and Juliet could achieve the same goals as the arranged marriage to Paris, while allowing the two young lovers to be together.

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    The document analyzes themes of marriage, love, and family dynamics in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It notes that in the time period, marriage was often used to build relationships between powerful families for political and economic reasons, rather than love. Juliet finds herself betrothed to Paris by her parents, even though she has fallen in love with Romeo, who comes from a rival family, the Montagues. The document argues that if the families could look past their feud, a marriage between Romeo and Juliet could achieve the same goals as the arranged marriage to Paris, while allowing the two young lovers to be together.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    19 views3 pages

    Bettertitle Aidancannon

    Uploaded by

    api-315913253
    The document analyzes themes of marriage, love, and family dynamics in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It notes that in the time period, marriage was often used to build relationships between powerful families for political and economic reasons, rather than love. Juliet finds herself betrothed to Paris by her parents, even though she has fallen in love with Romeo, who comes from a rival family, the Montagues. The document argues that if the families could look past their feud, a marriage between Romeo and Juliet could achieve the same goals as the arranged marriage to Paris, while allowing the two young lovers to be together.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    Cannon1

    AidanCannon
    OConnor
    HonorsEnglish
    27May2016

    MarriageLove?

    Canyoucommityourselftosomeoneyoudontlove,evenwhenyourparentsaretelling
    youthatitsbestforyourfamily?Willyousacrificeyourpersonalcomfortandchoiceto
    ensurepeacewithanothertownorregion?ThesearethehardchoicesfacingJuliet,from
    Shakespearesplay,
    RomeoandJuliet
    ,inatimewhenloveandmarriagealmostnevercorrelated.
    Whentheplaysplotisbeginningtohaveitswheelsturned,itisrevealedbyLady
    CapuletthataprincenamedPariswouldliketohavethehandoffairJulietfromVerona.The
    valiantParisseeksyouforhislove.(I.iii.74)Backintheeraofknightsandcastles(the
    medievaltimes/darkagesfortheintellectualsintheaudience)itwasacommoncustomto
    attempttogainpowerthroughmarriagesbetweenfamilies.Itwaseasier,simpler,andfasterthan
    writingoutaformaltreatyortruce.Asisimpliedlaterintheplay,theproudCapuletfamily
    wantstomarryofftheirdaughterasamethodtobuildarelationshipoftrust/trade/peace/etc.with
    Parissfamily.Thisway,neithersidewillfeelmotivatedtoattackoneanother,nowthatthey
    havearelationshipthatbridgesfamilies.Thiswouldbeallfineanddandy,butJulietsheart
    belongedtoanother,someonefromarivalfamilythatherparentswouldneveraccept...

    Cannon2
    EnterRomeo.Romeoisacharmingandrespectablelittlelad(ifabitcrassandcrudeat
    times),andhemeetsJuliet.Oddlyenoughforpeoplewhohaveonlyknowneachotherforan
    hourorso,theymakeout.AndnowJulietisinabitofapickle.ShelovesRomeobuthastobe
    marriedtoParis.Thatsbadenough,right?
    WRONG!
    TurnsoutRomeoisalsoaMontague,a
    memberofthefamilyrivaltotheCapulets!Ifonlyhehadadifferentname:Tisbutthyname
    thatismyenemy.Thouartthyself,thoughnotaMontague.(II.ii.3839)Ultimately,herlovefor
    Romeoispure,whereasshedoesntlikeParis.Butsheisbetrothedtohim,andtheweddingwill
    occur,whichagainbegsthequestion:Whatismoreimportanttome:aweddingthatIdont
    wanttobeapartof,ortruelovethatIhavetohide?
    ItisaprobabletheorythatifRomeoandJuliettoldtheirparents,theywouldbepunished.
    However,iftheparentscouldlookpasttheirsillyfeud,themarriagebetweenthetwoofthem
    couldnotonlysymbolizethattrueloveispossible,butalsohave
    thesamedesiredeffectof
    marryingJuliettoParis!
    Theirmarriagewouldensurethattheywerenthurtingeachother
    anymorebecausetheyarefamily,andtheywouldntwanttooffendRomeoandJulietby
    insultingtheinlaws.
    Luckilyforthegenerationoftoday,theproblemspresentinRomeoandJulietslives
    arentnearlyasprevalent.In2016America,itismorewidelyacceptedthatpeoplehavearight
    totheirpersonalhappiness,whichincludeslovingandmarryingofourchoice.Whilebusiness
    weddingsdostilloccurtoday,onecouldarguetheworldhasprogressedandmaturedtoamore
    civilandunderstandingstate.

    Cannon3
    Thestoryof
    RomeoandJuliet
    showsthatloveconquersall.Evenwhenthecharactersdie
    itshowsthattheiraffectionforeachothercouldntbeshackledbyaweddingbuddingwith
    politicalpromise.Teenagers.Alwaysruiningeverything.

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