Romeo and Juliet Context

In Elizabethan times, men had power over women. Fathers decided who their daughters would marry, and they would arrange this. For a daughter to speak out against their father's choice, would mean great disrespect towards them and the family name.

Against the background, a beautiful love form blossoms and becomes a lasting symbol of perfection. The strength of their doomed love has given the story of Romeo and Juliet its enduring popularity. Each generation sees Shakespeare differently and society’s attitudes are always changing but the power f love, the finest expression of the human spirit remains constant.

Romeo:    The son and heir of Montague and Lady Montague. A young man of about sixteen, Romeo is handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. Though impulsive and immature, his idealism and passion make him an extremely likable character. He lives in the middle of a violent feud between his family and the Capulets, but he is not at all interested in violence. His only interest is love and he goes to extremes to prove the seriousness of his feelings. He secretly marries Juliet, the daughter of his father’s worst enemy; he happily takes abuse from Tybalt; and he would rather die than live without his beloved. Romeo is also an affectionate and devoted friend to his relative Benvolio, Mercutio, and Friar Lawrence.

Women were controlled by men in the family: women were subservient to men and expected to…