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Romeo And Juliet Lust

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The tale of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare will always be revered as one of the most tragic, classic tales of young love. However, is it possible that Romeo and Juliet’s feelings for each other could be something other than love? It is quite unlikely that two young teenagers who just met could be so passionately affectionate towards each other within such a short time frame. Yet, the situation becomes far more likely when one takes the time to carefully define what emotions they are truly experiencing. Love is defined as a strong affection for another. (Merriam-Webster) Although Romeo and Juliet are confidently convinced that their passionate feelings are directed towards one another and only one another, it is possible that their intense longing could be aimed at something else. One possibility is the ideal marriage. During this setting, many young girls are married off by their parents at an age as young as Juliet or even younger. During a conversation with her daughter, Juliet’s mother states, “By my count I was your mother much upon these …show more content…

They simply decide they are in love with each other after seeing their external appearances. This kind of affection and longing is not defined as love. It is lust. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, lust is defined as an intense longing. Both Romeo and Juliet, at this point in their lives, are intent on finding a significant other. What they first see in each other is potential, not a person or personality they love. When Romeo first sees Juliet he says, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear- beauty too rich for use…” (I.v.51-54) In this short excerpt Romeo only speaks of Juliet’s beauty, not her person. Love is not about what people look like on the outside, although lust can be a big part of

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