Different relationships in literature
In life we have a lot of types of relationships such as friendship, love/ romance, marriage/family and work/common activity relationships. Literature is a piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. In every book we can find different relationships between characters.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. In this story different types on relationships are revealed. It is now considered to be the greatest love story of all time. According to a famous literary critic Harold Bloom, “Romeo and Juliet” "is unmatched, in Shakespeare and in the world's literature, as a vision of uncompromising mutual love that perishes of its own idealism and intensity”. Romeo and Juliet are the main characters in the tragedy. It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays, having been turned into paintings, ballets, and several operas. Its hero even became a common noun: "a romeo" used to mean a lover. But it is largely Juliet who makes the play come alive.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo Montague falls in love with his great enemies’ daughter Juliet Capulet. Their love is very special, as don’t matter how many obstacles they have in order to be together, they still love each other. In the beginning of the story, they are two teenage lovers. At first, their relationship is very romantic and passionate. Unfortunately, it is troubled, due to the fact that once Capulet has promised Paris he can marry Juliet. He behaves very arrogant toward her, acting as if they are already married.
After all, Romeo and Juliet’s relationships are special. They believe in a true love at first sight.
Romeo:
“See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!”
Although the plot describes Juliet as absurdly young, her passion is expressed with a fine intelligence and wit which makes her irresistible.
Juliet:
“Oh, Romeo, Romeo, why do you have to be Romeo?
Forget about your father and change your name.
Or else, if you won't change your name,
just swear you love me and I'll stop being a Capulet.”
Romeo:
“I trust your words.
Just call me your love, and I will take a new name.
From now on I will never be Romeo again.”
This is the most famous love scene shows Romeo lusting after the young girl he has just met at the masked ball. The balcony scene is about Juliet's decision that she loves Romeo, but hates The Montagues. The way out of this for them is to stop being Montagues and Capulets. Romeo and Juliet care about each other, as a result, they decide to get married. Romeo rushes to Friar Lawrence to ask him to marry the young couple. After marrying, Romeo's relationship with Juliet becomes even complex and involves many factors other than themselves. Romeo becomes a more active character who is capable of being involved in a complex romantic relationship. An important moment occurs when Romeo encounters his old enemy Tybalt . Unfortunately, Romeo eventually responds to Tybalt's challenge and kills him in a fight. For this murder, Romeo is banished to Mantua and separated from his new bride.
When he receives word, mistakenly, that Juliet is dead, Romeo is devastated and immediately decides to join her. Romeo finds Juliet's seemingly lifeless body in the tomb and says:
"I will stay with thee and never from this palace of dim night/
Depart again.”
After that, Romeo kills himself by ingesting poison. Committing suicide is Romeo's final and the most profound act. Romeo and Juliet's death brings peace between Montague and Capulet. Romeo and Juliet’s intimate relationship and eternal love has never died.
The nurse
Juliet’s nurse, the woman who has cared for Juliet her entire life. She is a vulgar, long-winded, and sentimental character. Also, the Nurse is Juliet’s faithful confidante in her affair with Romeo. The Nurse’s view of love is earthy and sexual, whereas Juliet is idealistic and intense. The Nurse believes in love and wants Juliet to have a nice-looking husband, but the idea that Juliet would want to sacrifice herself for love is incomprehensible to her. Their relationship is very close, as the nurse is like her mother and a friend. She knows her biggest secrets and still supports Juliet.
Friar Lawrence
Friar Lawrence occupies a strange position in “Romeo and Juliet”. He is a kind-hearted cleric, who helps Romeo and Juliet throughout the play. He performs their marriage and gives good advice. Friar Lawrence is also the most helpful and political of characters in the play: he marries Romeo and Juliet, because it is a part of a plan to end the civil strife in Verona; he spirits Romeo into Juliet’s room and then out of Verona; he devises the plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet through the deceptive ruse of a sleeping potion that seems to arise from almost mystic knowledge. In addition, though Friar Lawrence plays a huge role in helping Romeo and Juliet.
The Capulets
Capulet is the patriarch of the Capulet family, father of Juliet, husband of Lady Capulet, and enemy, for unexplained reasons, of Montague. He truly loves his daughter, though he is not well acquainted with Juliet’s thoughts or feelings. Their relations are very difficult and strained, as he doesn’t want to be emphatic or even understand Juliet’s wishes.
Lady Capulet - Juliet’s mother, Capulet’s wife. A woman who married young (she gave a birth to Juliet at the age of fourteen), she is eager to see her daughter marry Paris. Juliet’s relationships with her parents are very difficult. They think that they know better how Juliet should behave and live.
The feud between Montagues and Capulets
The cause of the feud has never been explained by Shakespeare. Romeo was from the Montagues family; Juliet was from the Capulets. They die because of the feud. The only thing that the reader knows, that it was something that lasted for a very long time. Shakespeare, however, didn't actually invent this story, someone else did. The cause may have been explained by the unknown author. They continued fighting because it was all they had ever known. Each family wanted more power than the other. They used words, swords and people as weapons. Due to the feuds, families had to suffer the death of the loved ones.
Lady Montague
Though the women don't speak or get involved in the fighting, it seems clear that each is tired of the situation.Lady Montague has only one question on her mind:
“O, where is Romeo, saw you him today?
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.”
She didn't want her husband involved in a brawl, and she is worried about her son. She doesn't seem like a bad wife and mother. The Montagues are worried about their son. They want to know what is up with him, and they would like to be able to help him. This kind of relationship tells that their family is very strong and close. The characters of this tragedy are very interesting. Every person has a connection with Romeo and Juliet. Some of them are against their friendship and love, the others understand their situation and help them. In this tragedy we can learn a lot from those characters’ behavior and find different types of relationships such as the friend, the lover, the spouse, and the parent relationships.
