The Capulets and Montagues were unable to walk past one another without causing a brawl in the street. It was pathetic that violence was caused in Verona because of their war. This made Verona an unsafe place to live in. so the violence not only affected the two families but it also affected to civilians of Verona. They would not only draw their swords anytime that they saw each other but they would mock each other as well. (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 39 – 42) ‘I will frown as I pass by’…‘I will bite my thumb which is disgrace.’ To bite your thumb at someone is an ancient Italian insult; it was rude and extremely offensive to do that to someone.
As the violence and conflict caused mayhem and chaos in Verona a warning was given to the houses by the Prince. In this day and age we have groups such as the mafia and gangs that make the environment that we live in awkward. The Montagues and Capulets are similar to the brutal gangs; they cause conflict in the streets whenever they please and they put civilians lives in danger with all the violence. The Capulets and Montagues made life tough for the Veronese people.
Shakespeare was wise to include violence and conflict into Romeo and Juliet. Violence gave the play an excitable edge, it was not predictable like many other love stories. All the action and live fighting scenes attracted the audiences to watch the play. Shakespeare’s opening scene was that of violence. This was clever as it kept the audience prepared for anything. It also portrayed that the story was not only about (The Prologue Line 6) ‘a pair of star-crossed lovers’ and that it would include action. The violence and conflict entertained the audiences with the action and liveliness that was produced on the stages. If it did not include the violence then Romeo and Juliet would have finished a ‘happily ever after’ ending, which would not have shocked the audiences. In may plays and films the majority of them emphasize the violence and conflict immensely.
The two houses knew when violence was going to occur. (Act 3 Scene1 Line 1-3) ‘the day is hot, the Capels are abroad. And if we meet we shall not ‘scape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.’ This quote implies that the violence that surrounded them was too hot to handle. You can also see that the hatred between the two families was so strong, that it was on their minds a lot. If the two houses meet they will not be able to escape a fight from one another and when they do meet, blood will spill. So it would be wise that they should prevent themselves from meeting each other.
There was not only conflict on the streets of Verona but it was within their houses as well. It was Juliet’s fate to marry Paris but because she fell in love with Romeo, she did not want to marry Paris as she did not love him. Lord Capulet expected his daughter to obey him. However, she did quite the opposite and he became violent and furious with his daughter. (Act 3 Scene 5 Line 193 – 195) ‘I’ll give you to my friend. An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, For, by myself, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee.’ While in conflict with someone you sometimes say things that you do not mean. Lord Capulet was extremely annoyed with Juliet so he burst out with anything. However, it was clear that he meant to say that because, he was violent and extremely annoyed with his daughter’s stubbornness.
Shakespeare killed off five of his characters during conflict. (Act 3 Scene 1 Line 106) ‘A plague a’ both your houses.’ Mercutio said this because, he anted to curse the two families for their stupid feud. It was the feud that killed him. If the two houses did not have their petty quarrels then he would not have died. The quote also implies that the quarrel had gone too far. The war between the two houses cost innocent lives and Mercutio thought it was wrong. (Act 3 Scene 1 Line 103) ‘I was hurt under your arm.’ Mercutio may have been on the House of Montague but he still feels the need to blame them for his tragic death. His life was taken because, they were unable to put their differences aside and be civil.
Loyalty to your own house was also shown whilst in conflict with one another. (Act 3 Scene 1 Line 84) ‘Draw Benvolio, Beat down their weapons.’ Even though Benvolio is known as the peacemaker, he still was not reluctant to help out members of the Montague house when he was told to. This showed that he was loyal to the Montagues and that he would do anything for them when he was told to. Tybalt also, shows great loyalty to the Capulets. He was always in conflict with members of the Montague family. He always defends his house and is in conflict with people who mock the House of Capulet. Shakespeare showed that there was outstanding loyalty to houses in some conflict scenes that he wrote. In contrast, Romeo and Juliet do not show loyalty to their houses as they fell in love with each other and they are from two houses that hate each other. But their love caused violence and conflict.
It was odd that Shakespeare only put Lord Capulet and Lord Montague in conflict once , and that was only for a short while. The younger generations were mainly in conflict with one another. The hatred towards the old men was only shown once in the whole of Romeo and Juliet. (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 87 – 88) ‘old Montague is come And flourishes his blade in spite of me.’ This quote implies that Lord Capulet is coming to the scene of the fight with his blade drawn to have a conflict with him. This may have been true however, there is no other time in Romeo and Juliet when Shakespeare allows the two men to be in conflict with each other. Why was it that Shakespeare only put the younger generation in conflict? Was he trying to portray the fact that the two older men had become sensible enough that they were going to be civil with each other, or were they not included into the play as much to show that there wasn’t a lot of violence between them.
Shakespeare did not make all the violence in the play physical. Some of the disagreements were verbal. They would not only draw their swords but they would mock each other. By mocking one another they would push someone to fight and cause conflict. (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 71) ‘Have at thee coward.’ By calling someone a coward, the other person is obviously going to show that they are not. The best way they knew to settle comments like this was to draw their swords. It was small pathetic things like that, that caused violence.
Nevertheless, it was the violence and the conflict that made the play not only a love story but a tragic love story. If the Montagues and the Capulets had just put all their differences aside then Romeo and Juliet would not have contained any violence and conflict; what a boring trouble-free love story Romeo and Juliet would have been without all the violence. Violence and conflict is one of the main themes in Romeo and Juliet which, keeps the audience entertained. All of the brawls that the two families faced showed the deep hatred towards one another. However, it is ironic that the two houses were only able to put their differences aside when they lose the two things that were most precious to them, Romeo and Juliet. This also showed how stubborn the Montagues and the Capulets were. Shakespeare included the violence and conflict into the play to show that Romeo and Juliet was not just a love story with a happy ending.
Approx. 1588 words (not including quotes).
