The Teenage Brain In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

What do you think when you hear the word “teenager”? Most people think of teenagers as pugnacious and restless human beings. Their rebellious and rambunctious behavior usually leads people to believe this. Teens tend to participate in jeopardous activities such as dangerous driving, binge-drinking, or fighting that could land them in serious trouble, the ER or the police station. Although engaging in these exercises is strongly frowned upon, some studies show that most of these actions cannot be controlled. Adolescents are drawn to risky acts due to specific messengers in the brain, peer pressure and their odd methods of apprehending the outcomes of a situation.

Juliet expressed her love for Romeo by stating “My only love sprung from my only hate.” In Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, there are many examples in which the main characters show lack of common sense. Romeo and Juliet were from two houses that had a fued, yet they managed to find love in the desperate of times. The play was based around the tragic, yet romantic, story of the forbidden star-crossed lover. However, some of the impulsive choices made throughout the play question whether what Romeo and Juliet had was love or lust. Many studies although have proved that the lack of common knowledge is because of the undeveloped brain. With this, scientists have dug deeper and found out that the reward system for adolescents is highly superior to the risk factor. Knowing this valuable information, some may conclude that the decisions made in the play might have

While the theme of teenage impulsivity is relevant during the 1600’s, science and statistics prove that this theme is ever-present to this day. For example, in an article concentrated specifically on the irrationality of teenage boys, when referring to the changing brain of an adolescent, the writer

Many teenagers make bad decisions, and act in a way most adult would say is unintelligent. Romeo and Juliet was a story about two feuding families with the same wealth living in Verona. After a big fight Prince Escalus tells them that if there is another fight they will be killed.  Later that night Romeo meets Juliet at her father’s party and they both fall in love, after the party Romeo talks with Juliet about getting married and she agrees to have the wedding the very next day. After the wedding the two families get into another fight. Due to the fight Mercutio and Tybalt gets killed. Romeo who was also fighting was sentenced to banishment even

However, this rivalry never lead to purposeful deaths until Romeo and Juliet started to date. Because of this, whenever someone figured out about the forbidden relationship, they were killed in some way. This situation could have been avoided if Romeo and Juliet knew better, but still, their brains have not made all the connections to do so. In fact, these connections are only fully developed around the age of 20 (Dobbs). “Stronger links also develop between the hippocampus, a sort of memory directory, and frontal areas that set goals and weigh different agendas; as a result, we get better at integrating memory and experience into our decisions." (Dobbs). If Romeo and Juliet were able to, they would think about their family rivalry and realize that if they began a relationship, something bad was destined to happen. But since they could not think that way, many characters experienced unnecessary deaths throughout the play. Their inability to solve problems with judgment was another element that failed to hold Romeo and Juliet apart from each

Researchers can look at the brain of a teen to examine their behavioral decisions.Teenage brains these years are more active and dynamic which means it’s still developing.Processing in the Limbic system is a result of risky behavior.The construction of a teenage thinking brain is not cable of fully processing necessary to make responsible decisions.At this stage the brain is still developing.The brain changes depending on interactions, helpimg the teen make changes. At this time the brain will need focused and support for a healthy connection.Surrounding impacts the child faces such as challenging situations is an effective technique.Parents need to consider the teens emotional

“Romeo and Juliet” is an amazing tragedy about two people which love each other and the whole world says no. This tragedy shows that impulsivity doesn’t always lead to a happy ending “ These violent delights have violent ends.”(Ⅱ,ⅵ,9) and that thinking over an action twice is a good decision. With the help of the article “Beautiful Brains” Romeo’s and Juliet’s actions are more understandable due to the slow process of brain development in

The teenage brain Teenagers are known for many things but especially for being unpredictable. They don’t think things through and are always making a scene. Many articles have been written to improve our knowledge and understand these behaviours. Research shows that a teenager’s brain doesn’t begin to resemble that of an adult until the early 20’s (TBHKI). Typical adolescent mannerism is well demonstrated all throughout the play Romeo and Juliet.

​Passion. Something that many think they have, when in reality do not. Best described as an incontrollable emotion, passion is often seen as taking a huge role in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Although characters show the qualities associated with being passionate, their true attitudes can be summed up by a different word: obsessive. In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare develops the idea that trying to force passion can lead to obsession. In other words, when people deceive themselves into thinking they have passion, they can become obsessive. This is shown repeatedly in Romeo’s character. First through his immediate change of love from Rosaline to Juliet; secondly when he tries to kill

In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is one of the more compulsive characters in the story. Romeo is compulsive, because he doesn’t think before he does things, and falls in love way to easily. An example would be in the beginning of the Act during scene 1. During this scene Romeo walks on the stage sad and depressed, and Benvolio asks what is wrong. Romeo pours his heart out and says that he’s in love with someone he had just met, Rosaline. “She is too fair, too wise, wisely to fair, to merit bliss by making me despair. She hath for worth to who, and in that vow do I lire alad that live to tell it how.” This example shows that Romeo falls in love with their beauty, instead of getting to know them first. And it also shows him falling in love to easily.

Love is defined as the intense feeling of deep affection. In the play, Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, the attraction between the two protagonists, Romeo and Juliet, does not factually classify as true love. Meanwhile, lust is a concept in which is commonly mistaken for love, which is very apparent throughout this classic “love story” of Romeo and Juliet. While others could debate that Romeo and Juliet’s love, was love at first sight, it is debateable that their feelings towards one another were pure lust. Romeo and Juliet are too immature to fully understand the concept of love as they are too young and hormone-driven, they were both in search for escapism from their present troubles, and they had an excessive amount of

Romeo and Juliet versus the Teenage Brain The play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a play about two “Star-crossed lovers” from different sides of two feuding households. Throughout the play, the main characters Romeo and Juliet, make a series of irrational, un thought out, and compulsive decisions. In Fact, most of the play actually revolves around these two characters poor choices. However, today's scientists say that decisions like these are actually a normal part of the average teenage brain.

Romeo may put Juliet first, by risking to stay in the city for their wedding night, but Juliet puts her wants first before Romeo’s safety, which proves they are not equals. Their connection is merely based off the adrenaline rush they get from being with each other and the sexual frustration they have pent up since their first meeting. Keeping this in mind, studies have shown that many teenagers have such impulses and sexual frustrations because of how adolescent minds develop. According to The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction, published by the National Institute of Mental Health, “reproductive hormones shape (...) sex related hormones and behavior”. These behaviors include the urge to try new sexual things with others and explore the physical and emotional experiences that are new to them.

Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says 'I need you because I love you.' Erich Fromm. Romeo and Juliet is based on immature love, and is not a true love story. Love is a great source of passion throughout the world. Though love is considered a good emotion, it can also be one of the biggest flaws a person can have. When one is in love, they will basically do anything to be with the one they love. They don’t care about the number of rules they break, or how much they change themselves, as long as they can be with the one they truly love. They may take drastic measures from defying their parents and friends to committing suicide. Shakespeare shows the power of love and the

The play is so well known since it shows the deepest example of passion. The proclamation of love for the first time between Juliet and Romeo adds a great deal of passion to the play, as it helps develop their journey of love. In the balcony scene, Juliet expresses to Romeo, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea,/My love as deep. The more I give to thee,/ The more I have, for both are infinite” (Shakespeare 2. 2. 133-135). Juliet reveals to Romeo that the more love she gives him, the more love she has, and that her love for him is limitless. Additionally, the passion that Romeo and Juliet share is violent and disobedient. As Friar Laurence tells Romeo, “These violent delights have violent ends/And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,/Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey/Is loathsome in his own deliciousness/And in the taste confounds the appetite./Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so./Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” (2.6. 9-15). The Friar tries to notify Romeo that his and Juliet's intense passion may end violently, as they go behind their parents backs to get married. As a result, this passion lead to the lovers death. Little did Romeo and Juliet know that something so bad could come out of their intense passion. Romeo says,