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Adults In Romeo And Juliet

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Throughout history, we view adults as the primary caretakers of children that they are responsible for. Being an adult comes with many responsibilities such as; providing basic needs and shelter, acting as a role-model, and facilitating their lives. When a child comes into your hands, you are entitled to live up to these responsibilities. Though, in the play Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, many of the elders fail to meet the requirements that society views an adult to have. Evidently, throughout this play, many selfish and impulsive decisions chosen by the adults for their personal gains lead them to fail in their responsibilities towards young people. The adults that contributed towards their unmet responsibilities are …show more content…

As the father of Juliet, Lord Capulet started off as an exemplary father during an era when people saw women as items; he gave her a choice. Ultimately, his wants overpowered any of Juliet's desires which lead him to fail in responsibilities as a father. His first act of impulse was when he arranged a forced marriage between Juliet and Paris, hoping that it would take Juliet's mind of Tybalt's death. "Tonight she [Juliet] is mewed up to her heaviness." (3. 4. 11), said Lady Capulet referring to Juliet grievance. With Capulet informed of this knowledge, he stated that "she'll be married to this [Paris] noble Earl." (3. 4. 22). Without fully having known that Juliet would consent to this marriage, Capulet had it set up. As a father, Capulet should have gotten Juliet's approval towards her future, but instead, he planned it without her input. Although Capulet was fulfilling his responsibilities as a father by planning his child's future, he failed her by not giving her any say in it, and a father should respect their child's input. As he rashly decided to marry Juliet and Paris, it was apparent that Capulet's emotions were running high after Tybalt's death, which was also noticeable when Juliet refused to marry Paris. He responded to Juliet's reluctance by calling her "green sickness" (3. 5, 156),

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