Conflict in Romeo and Juliet

One of the main conflicts in the play is Romeo and Juliet’s love and marriage versus the society in which they live.  They love each other and can’t live without each other, but at the same time, they aren’t supposed to be together because of the fight between their families.  For example, Romeo tells Juliet, “My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee,” (2.2.60).  They know that their love is not supposed to be, yet they can’t help but love each other.  Friar Lawrence only agrees to marry the two because he thinks their marriage will solve the fight between their families that keeps them apart, (2.3).  This conflict helps enhance the theme that nothing but death can keep true love apart.  The mere fact that the Montagues and Capulets are fighting will not separate Romeo and Juliet.  They are so in love that if they can’t be together, they would rather kill themselves.

                This person versus society conflict is present in our world today.  For example, people may be in relationships that their family and friends don’t approve of like Romeo and Juliet.  Another example is the pressure people may feel to go into a certain field of work that they don’t feel passionately about.  There are many more examples, but this type of conflict is important because people are forced to do something that they may not want to.  The decision s that people are making may affect them in negative ways, but they succumb to the pressure they are feeling.  I don’t have much experience with this type of conflict, but I have experienced person versus person conflict, and it has had a large impact on my life.  If I am in a conflict, I will typically walk away until I have cooled down so that I can deal with the problem more rationally.  Other people get fired up, and they explode without considering their decisions.  Conflict is present in Romeo and Juliet and in our lives today.  That is part of what makes this play such a timeless classic, and it is why this book will continue to be read by teens and adults alike for a long time to come.