Romeo and Juliet Final Essay

    The story of Romeo and Juliet is a little out dated, but it is still a classic. It tells the story of two rival families living in Verona Italy.  Although these two lover are forbidden to see each other they do. There love seems to grow but so does their families rivalry. In the end they decided they can't live without each other and they kill themselves. This seems very extreme especially for these times. No one should be going around killing themselves just because they can't see someone. Maybe if it's the love of your life you can find another way to see them. The story Romeo and Juliet still holds some universal themes such as love, family rivalry, death of a love one and just death and love in general. Also the characters have some differences and similarities to modern people. Such as Juliet to the modern women , although they may have many differences there are some similarities.

       Marriage.That has changed over the years. Women don't usually have arranged marriages, at least in the U.S. Except in some cultures such as parts in the Middle East, India and parts of China. Also the age of marriage has changed, I mean the age people get married. Juliet was supposed to be married to Paris at the age of fourteen!  In Act.1 Sc. 3 Lady Capulet says "Well think of marriage you. Younger then you here in Verona ladies  of esteam, Are already made mothers." Girls younger then 14 were already married and had children! I don't think any 14 year old girl would wanna be pregnant or married.Also the parent usually dosen't pick the spouse. Except Juliet's mother and father picked Paris for her, even though she did not want to marry him.

     The role of women has also changed. Juliet's main job was to marry Paris and have a child. In Act. 1 Sc.2  Paris says "Younger then she are happy mother's made." while talking to Capulet.  But women today have many different jobs some are mothers others are actors, lawyers, docters etc. all different types of jobs.

     The way women meet men is different. Some ways are similar others are not. Like Juliet met Romeo at a party. In Act.1 Sc.5 on page 105 *Romeo takes Juliet's hand* "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this how swine, the gentle sin this; my lips too blushing pilgrims." Women still meet men at parties and other social gatherings, But there are some new more high tech ways to meet men. There are hundreds of online dating websites. Also women usually date a variety if men before they marry one of them. Juliet and Romeo only knew each other at the most a week, then decide they should marry.

   As you can see there are some similarities and differences between the roles of women now and then and marrages and dating. Juliet is probaly more extreme then any modern women when it comes to love. But the universal theme of love, attraction and passion, that Juliet and the modern women share.