Prompt 2

In one of Shakespeare’s most renowned plays, Romeo and Juliet, the main characters of this story are infamous for their conflict with the social and moral standards set by both of their families, as well as by the society of Verona, Italy. It is through Romeo and Juliet’s ill-fated love affair and the ends they go to to stay together that they not only stand in the face of their adversaries, but cause the necessary changes needed in that society through the power of their tragic and untimely deaths.
Romeo Montague, a fickle boy in the midst of his adolescence, and Juliet Capulet, an innocent and sheltered girl who has barely experienced the world, belong to two very separate houses that have indulged in a ruthless feud against each other for decades. Despite the animosity that plagues these families, it is by fate that Romeo and Juliet are instantly enticed by one another upon their first meeting and fall prey to the devastating love that enslaves them to each other. It is not hours after they meet that they choose to defy the walls of hate that have been built between their opposing families and be bound to one another in holy matrimony.
Although Romeo and Juliet are willing to marry each other, regardless of their families’ conflict, they do not realize the depth of the hatred between the two houses and that their unapproved, forbidden love is destined to stoke that deadly feud. It is in the midst of their love that several people die including Mercucio, Romeo’s best friend who is killed in a street fight by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Tybalt is in turn killed by Romeo, who takes his life to avenge Mercucio. It is for this haenus crime that Romeo is banished from the city and forced to leave his new bride, Juliet.
As is the deaths of two men were not enough consequence for the love that Romeo and Juliet have for each other, the conflict that this love creates with the families takes their lives as well. Upon having her husband banished, Juliet is forced to face an arraigned marriage alone and takes the only action she finds available to her: to take a concoction that will give her death-like symptoms so that she might leave her family and be rejoined with Romeo in secret once all have been fooled. Unfortunately Romeo is misinformed about Juliet’s death and kills himself at her tomb to join her in death. Upon her awake, Juliet finds her husband dead and takes her own life to atone for his death and to join him in the afterlife. It is the deaths of these two innocent and youthful children that the Montagues and Capulets must finally end their hateful feud to end the bloodshed and prevent more loss of life.
Through forbidden love that conflicted heavily with the ideals of two opposing and vengeful families and through death, Romeo and Juliet were able to cause an end to the rein of violence that ensued between their families and bring peace to their society. It was thus fated that their passion and bravery would save the people that looked down upon them and rejected their unyielding love.