5.+Romeo+and+Juliet+Essay

Rona Sayed Josie Tierney-Fife English 9 Advanced 09 June 2011 Juliet’s Betrayal

Many people have heard of a tragic love story written by a very famous person. This love story is called //Romeo and Juliet// by William Shakespeare. This play is about the struggle of love between two star crossed lovers named Romeo and Juliet. Their parents have been hating each other for what seems like eternity. Romeo and Juliet come across many obstacles just to be with each other. In a time of need and support Juliet seems to struggle for the adults in her life to reach out and connect to her. Even though adults have more experience than children, they still don’t understand children, who see things in a different way. The adults betrayed Juliet because they did not see things in the same view as she did. Experience alters their choices in how to act. In the play //Romeo and Juliet//, the adults betray Juliet because they are unable to understand her; Shakespeare demonstrates this to show how misunderstanding adults can be.

Shakespeare introduces the first betrayal to Juliet through her parents. After the death of her cousin Tybalt, Juliet was not only grieving for him, but also for her husband Romeo. Her father decided to have her marry Paris, the Prince’s nephew. However, Juliet was already married to Romeo and she denied the offer. When her father found out he threaten to disown her: An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend. / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good (III. v. 200-203). Juliet’s parents didn’t even ask Juliet what she wanted and if she wanted to get married. They just came to conclusions and decided to wed her to Paris. When Juliet refused her parents flipped out at her and were all angry at her. There was no relax, sit down, and talk about it, it was all, you do this or your gone. Even her mother, Lady Capulet turned around and told Juliet that she had nothing to do with her. Of all the people who are really close to you, a mother is defiantly the first. This leads to shutting down Juliet’s connection with her parents and makes her feel betrayed by them. The only person who can now comfort Juliet is the Nurse. The misunderstanding of the Capulets causes Juliet to feel betrayed by them.

The Nurse is the second person that Shakespeare shows as a misunderstanding adult. The Nurse has always supported Juliet, she has been like a best friend for Juliet. From when she was young to now the Nurse knows Juliet better than her own parents. Juliet goes to the Nurse for her support in helping her convince her parents that she does not want to marry Paris. To Juliet’s surprise the Nurse also wants Juliet to marry Paris, even though she knows that Romeo is Juliet’s spouse: “I think it best you married with the County. / O, he's a lovely gentleman! / Romeo's a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, / Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye / As Paris hath” (III.v. 227-230). Juliet can’t believe she is hearing this from the very same women who got her married to Romeo. She has all of a sudden changed her mind and believes that Paris would be better for Juliet. The Nurse seems to misunderstand Juliet’s own decision in staying married to Romeo. In the past, the Nurse had always supported Juliet, but now she has betrayed her. Upon losing comfort from the Nurse, Juliet is all alone now; the only person she can think as her last resource to help her would be Friar Lawrence. Shakespeare portrays adults unable to understand children through the Nurse.

Shakespeare viewed Friar Lawrence as the last source of help for Juliet, moreover showed the last betrayal through him. Although he did help out at first, he was careless at the end. He didn’t understand the true love between Romeo and Juliet, he was mistaken by the fact that Romeo really loved Juliet. Juliet was able to get a potion from Friar Lawrence in order for her to not marry Paris, she is was supposed to wake up from being “dead” in the Capulets’ tomb. Friar Lawrence was down there with her, but when he heard someone coming he fled leaving Juliet all alone: “Stay not to question, for the watch is coming. / Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay” (V. iii. 163-164). Friar Lawrence could have saved Juliet by staying with her and comforting her rather than running away. If only he had been with her, there would have been a chance for Juliet to not commit suicide. Juliet felt betrayed by Friar Lawrence leaving her; she felt that he didn’t understand her desire. Due to having no help at all she was hopeless and committed suicide. Friar Lawrence knew the state of what Juliet was in, he knew that she wanted to die if she was not with Romeo. He was a misunderstanding man and was careless in the tomb resulting in Juliet’s death. Shakespeare portrays Friar Lawrence as a misunderstanding adult that betrays Juliet.

In this play, William Shakespeare wants the viewers to really understand the fact that by not see things in the same view as others and not understanding them can lead to betrayal. The Capulets fail to understand Juliet's decision not to marry Paris. The Nurse fails Juliet by not supporting her decision to remain married to Romeo. Friar Lawrence fails by not comprehending Juliet and Romeo's love for each other. This play made me realize that in our society we still are facing similar troubles like in the play. Adults believe that they know what’s best for children, but sometimes that can’t seem to really understand and feel what the children are feeling. Due to the age differences and the experiences in the two worlds, they balance differently from one another. This misunderstanding can be fatal to both the adult and the child. Without really comprehending and understanding one another can lead to betrayal. This play has really brought up the fact that children and adults should really understand each other to help prevent betrayal to happen between them.