“From forth the fatal
loins of these two foes / a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.” In the story of Romeo and Juliet their families hate eachother. The only way thay can escape hate and enter love is by taking their lives. Romeo
and Juliet’s love is known all around the world, but some teens in our world
deal with the same tragedies. Romeo and Juliet's love story is similar and different to Amerian teens today because of their dating norms, the way that parents and teens deal with arguments and forbidden love.
Long ago in Verona
love had different dating norms compared to today. The ages were much younger
to have kids and get married. In the play Juliet is around the age 13. In lines
10-15 on pg.27 Paris, (the man Juliet is suppose to marry) says, “Younger than
she are happy mothers made” (1.2.12). This shows that girls could have been mothers before the age 13. Girls in America today are usually ages 18 and up when they
get married and have kids. That's the way that the society was built to believe Younger than that doesn't seem right.
Even though the dating norms are very different, the way that teens and parents responded to arguments were similar. Parents and children
don’t always see eye to eye, the way they dealt with it then in Verona is
similar to how they deal with it today. In the play Capulet said, “Thursday is
near. Lay had on Herat; advise. An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend. An
you be not, hang, beg, starve, die on the streets…” (3.5.202)He threatens and frightens
Juliet so she can listen. Now and days when there’s a disagreement parents act
the same way, some parents are just harsh or they threat children. This way of
life hasn’t really changed since that time in Verona.
As you can see the way that arguments were dealt with were very similar when you compare then and now, so is forbbiden love.Forbidden love has
been around for centuries and still hasn’t changed. Forbidden love always has
to do with family history, culture, or simply because of parents not approving your
lover. In the love story of Romeo and Juliet, the couple’s families were enemies
to each other. This caused their love be forbidden because, no one wanted them
to be together. Especially their parents. In America today friend and family don't approve becaue they don't think your love is real. Like a figment of your imagination. What I mean by this is that maybe you think that the person that you love, love's you back, but your friends and family see other wise. That's why your parnts forbid you to see your lover.
I have discovered that love is very
complicated when no one approves. If no one approves your love than it ccould leave you to do what Romeo and Juliet did. The bad thing about this is not only the idea of suicide, but also the affect it will have on your family. If you know well enough, you should already know that your family loves you and was just looking out for you. Relationships can cause confusion and big problems for family. Something that many teens should know is not to let their relationship get in the way of family, because fmily is blood and that is what should come first. No matter what family has your back and you should remember that.
