Romeo&Juliet: Relationships

   In the play of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare includes a wide range of relationships, from lovers to kids and their parents. The relationship that best describes the complexity of modern teenager is the relationship they have with their parents.

   One example of this type of relationship is the one Juliet has with her parents and nurse. She lives with her mother, father and nurse, who takes care of her more than her actual parents do. Juliet's mother does not really take care of Juliet like any other mother would take care of their child. Her mother is more about living the rich lifestyle of being a Capulet, drinking all the time, buying expensive clothes and partying. Nurse is the one who actually takes care of Juliet and Juliet looks up to her as more of a mother figure than her actual mother. Since Juliet is only thirteen, becoming a teenager she needs her mother to be there for her as she goes through changes and needs someone to talk to about her problems and feelings. Her mother is not there for her through all that so nurse fills in that position. One example that shows Juliet's mother has lost track of her daughter is, is in Act 1, Scene 3. Lady Capulet orders nurse to call Juliet and then tells nurse to leave so they can talk in private. Lady Capulet then quotes " Thou knowest my daughter's of a pretty age. " Nurse is still around and responds quote, " Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. " In this scene Juliet's mom is saying how young her daughter is and nurse says, well of course I do, I know her age ever since she was born.  They continue to  argue about who knows Juliet better and in reality nurse does because she knows Juliet's birthday and her mom does not, although she is the one who gave Juliet birth she forgets her birthday, which is August 1st. Every other parent knows their kid's birthday but Lady Capulet forgets and her dad does not know either. The time that Juliet was growing up, nurse is the one who breast fed her while her parents were away in Mantua. Nurse knows that she has been there more for Juliet than Lady Capulet. By birth and name she may be Juliet's mother but nurse is still the one who did the motherhood role and still is. When Lady Capulet says things like this, it makes nurse emotional because she is attached to Juliet and treats her like she is her daughter, loves her and cares about her genuinely. This is the feeling that any mother would feel with their child. As nurse and Lady Capulet are going back and forth, nurse is saying things as to being superior towards Lady Capulet which makes her feel jealous and angry that she knows Juliet better than her. Another example that shows nurse is actually taking Juliet's feelings into consideration is when she meets Romeo. Although nurse knows the feud between the Capulet's and Montague's, she still agrees to listen to Juliet go on about Romeo and does not tell her parents, or make Juliet change her mind about him. As any parent, it is important you understand your child's perspective before saying anything and this is what nurse does. In Act 2, Scene 4 Nurse delivers a message from Juliet to Romeo since it is hard for them to meet, she also tells Romeo what would happen if he messed around with Juliet. Nurse says quote, "Pray you, sir, a word. And as I told you, my young lady bid me to inquire you out. What she bade me say, I will keep to myself. But first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say. For the gentlewomen is young, and therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly if I were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewomen, and very weak dealing." Nurse is basically saying that before she delivers the message from Juliet, he can not play with her heart because that will show a very bad reputation for himself and it is a crime to trick such a young lady that way.  Romeo swears he can never betray the love of his life and nurse does not see him as an enemy but a good hearted boy that will keep Juliet happy. She says quote " Good heart, and i'faith, I will tell her as much. Lord, she will be a joyful woman." This scene shows how much nurse cares for Juliet unlike her real parents, who just want Juliet to be married to some random, rich and way older man than her. When Juliet tries to explain how she will not marry Paris to her mother, her mother does not understand at all and father gets angry.
    Juliet's relationship with her father is very complex, she has no voice when she is even speaking to him. The household is ran by only him and everyone must obey his rules. As a father or any parent there should be communication between your child, except  Juliet and her father do not communicate unless he needs her to do something for him. An example of this is when Lord Capulet needs Juliet to marry Prince, who is way much older than her but because he is rich, it will give them more wealth and good reputation to the family and this is where Juliet fits in the picture. In Act 3, Scene 5. Juliet asks her father to listen to her thoughts about the marriage, he responds quote "Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch! I tell thee: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face. Speak not. Reply not. Do not answer me. My fingers itch.-Wife, we scarce thought us blest That god had lent us but this only child, But now I see this one is one too much And that we have a curse in having her. Out on her, hilding!" Lord Capulet is furious, He is so mad about Juliet's disagreement, he tells her she has to go to church on Thursday to be married or to never look him in the face or speak to him again and not to even respond to what he is saying. Lord Capulet feels like slapping his wife because god gave them only this one child that turned out to be a curse in their family. He only uses the word "curse" significantly since she refuses to the marriage which is not how a parent should act with their child or say to them. Nurse then speaks towards Lord Capulet and sticks up for Juliet, she says quote " God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so." Lord Capulet responds quote " And why, My lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue, Good prudence. Smatter with your gossips, go. " As nurse explains to Lord Capulet that Juliet should not be spoken to in the angry tone he is, he tells nurse to to shut up and go away. This is another example showing how nurse uses her voice acting superior towards Juliet's parents. Nurse is the real mother and father to Juliet.
   Relationships today are very similar despite being centuries apart because some people still follow old traditions or mostly try to fit into society. For example, the rich will marry rich and the poor will marry poor, but there is no point of marrying someone with money if you do not love them back because you will not stay happy. The saying today, " Money cannot buy happiness" fits into many people's relationships today. If the poor people marry poor people they can marry whoever they want, fall in love and have a happy life. If rich people still get arranged to marry other rich people it is not really love. Money can buy you the biggest house, luxurious lifestyle and nice things but all those things do not compare to being loved and happy for the rest of your life. This is why a lot of parents are disappointed with their children when they do not agree to marriages and their relationships become complex.
   Shakespeare invented teenagers "Romeo and Juliet" to be very adolescent. Today, people have made many movies, plays and operas based on this one love story which left this story to be the "classic" love story of all time. Shakespeare showed us the tragedy side of things, he would think of teenagers today to be completely comical but have the same traits of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare created intensity in the play of two lovers who can not see each other, but sneakily do which many teenagers still do today. The difference is love, by once glance you can not fall in love and today teenagers consider that as just being attractive, not being in love. This is also an idea Shakespeare created.
   The idea of relationships centuries ago and relationships today still follow up with each other, but money can never buy happiness.