Introduction
William Shakespeare wrote the play, Romeo and Juliet, in 1597. This play begins with Romeo and Juliet introduced as prisoners of their social mantle. Romeo chooses Rosalina despite the expectations that a boy his age would be chasing women. However, Rosalina has vowed to maintain her virginity. Romeo finds the conflict between his family and the Capulets sorrowful, like being in love with Rosalina: "o brawling love, o loving hate" (act 1, scene 1). Juliet gets introduced as an obedient young woman who expects her parents to marry her off to someone. However, she seems passive after learning she would be married to Paris: “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move.” (Act 1, scene 3).
Romeo`s Love
Romeo sets things in motion by attending a Capulet family party. Tybalt perceives Romeo's visit as a violation and vows to revenge: "this intrusion shall, / now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall" (act 1, scene 5.). Tybalt challenges Romeo to duel later. Romeo meets Juliet at this party, where they are love-struck. They talk and establish the peculiarity of their love in religious words such as "prayers" and "pilgrims," indicating that their love has no limits. Their love offers them an air of freedom, with Romeo feeling as if he is flying on "love's light wings" (Act 2 scene 2).
Juliet`s Love
On the other hand, Juliet describes her love "as boundless as the sea" (Act 2 scene 2). She trusts that love is capable of relieving them both of their family obligations: "be but sworn my love / And I'll no longer be a Capulet" (Act 2 scene 2). Friar Lawrence is introduced and portrays the image an evil stain of all good things: “virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied” (Act 2 scene 3). However, Friar is moved by the lovers' excitement and believes that their love ends the Montague-Capulet rivalry (Shakespeare 2000 Vol. 1). Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet, who device a proposition to marry in secret. The lovers marry at the end of act two, making it seem like the rivalry could end. After the couple is happily married, the play heads in a different direction, switching from comedy to disaster, when Tybalt provokes Mercutio. Tybalt is still seeking revenge for Romeo attending the party. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt with the belief that the secret marriage delivered him form the family rivalry. In the wake of it all, Mercutio gets killed by Tybalt after the duel. Romeo is forced to revenge his friend’s death, putting his obligations to the Capulets into jeopardy. He kills Tybalt and is no longer innocent of murder. His relationship with Juliet is troubled because Romeo gets burnished from Verona (Shakespeare 2000 Vol. 1). He spends his first and last night with Juliet before leaving Verona. The set is sweet and sour because this might be the last time Romeo and Juliet are alive together. Romeo and Juliet pretend the morning has not come: “more light and light, more dark and dark our woes” (Act 3 scene 5).
Conclusion
At the final stage, Romeo and Juliet's situations get worse. Romeo is faced with the reality that he is bound for proscription to Mantua, while Juliet is faced with marriage to Paris. Out of desperation to escape the marriage, Juliet pretends to be dead by use of a sleeping portion given to her by Lawrence. Romeo hastens to the tomb of Juliet, finding Paris and killing him, and then enters the tomb. He kills himself just before Juliet wakes up. Juliet kills herself with the dagger left by Romeo after seeing him dead. By killing themselves, they escape a world that has kept them from each other, trapped by their fate. The two mourning families agree to end their long-held rivalry.
