Juliet brings her tragic end upon herself, through the disloyalty and disobedience to her family" How far do you agree?

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“Juliet brings her tragic end upon herself, through the disloyalty and disobedience to her family”

How far do you agree?

“Madam, I am here.  What is your will?”

Juliet’s demise comes to pass as a direct result of failing to follow the wishes of her family.  This is not true.  Juliet died because of loyalty to the prescripts of her heart.  Our first indication of this is the instant attraction between Juliet and Romeo.  Juliet was also willing to ignore the blood feud between the Capulets and Montagues in order to follow the prescripts of her heart.  Juliet was willing to defy her father’s wishes for her to marry Paris.  Finally and most importantly, Juliet died because of unbearable grief.

Juliet and Romeo were instantly attracted to one another.  Love at first glance is not unusual, but its repercussions can be devastating – as John Clare wrote:

My heart had left its dwelling place

And can return no more.

When Romeo and Juliet spoke to each other at the Capulet ball they instantly knew what the appropriate thing was to say, and when to say it:

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“Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purg’d.”

Juliet replies,

“Then have my lips the sin that they have took.”

The language used in these quotes worked well because of the metaphors that were used in each one.  They spoke to one another as though they had known each other for years.  It was very obvious at that stage that Juliet had fallen in love.

Shakespeare presented them with the idea of love because they spoke in a sonnet to each other,

“My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth ...

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