When faced with reading Romeo & Juliet, many teenagers bemoan that the literature is antiquated and out-of-touch with their lives. What common themes or similarities do the characters in the play share with our current society? How might the teenagers of today relate to the teenagers in Romeo & Juliet? Explain.
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A lot of teenagers could probably relate to the whole "forbidden love" idea because in some situations, people may be banned from seeing each other and whatnot. Granted, most situations with modern day teenager do not involve thier families fighting physically and things like this. Teenagers can probably relate to Juliette and her "first romance" (Juliette was only fourteen)and they can see through her eyes. So yes, the language may be a bit antiquated, but the same general message can still be clear and relatable to modern day society.
Romeo and Juliet is about two love-struck teenagers who are trying to find their way in society. Romeo and Juliet both love each other very much and will do anything to be able to see each other. Even though the two teenagers love each other, the parents have a family feud. This can be compared to our society, when two teenagers love each other very much but the parents do not approve of either, the family, or the other person. However, I don't think that anyone these days would give up their life for someone they love, as they did in Romeo and Juliet. In our society, many kids have lost their way and try to find it by falling head-over-heels for someone else, thinking that they can solve their problems. I think this is how Romeo and Juliet felt, when falling in love.
Romeo & Juliet is a tale of division and unwanted love. Though Romeo and Juliet are happy together, their families believe that it is wrong for them to be together. Though teenagers may not admit it, their parents' opinions shape their lives. If your parents don't like who you are dating, there is a rare chance that your relationship will last. This very much relates to the story of Romeo & Juliet. They defied their parents in order to be together and they both ended up dead because of it. Since their parents didn’t approve, the relationship didn’t last. As most people would say, parents control the strings and you are just the doll.
Tanner, I agree that teens these days fall in love and that their parents don't approve. I also agree with Sam that most families these days don't fight physically when it comes to their kids in love. I also think you are right that when a teen has lost their way the often look for love like Romeo and Juliet did. I don't agree though about teens giving up their lives. You would be surprised that a some of teen suicide is instigated by the loss of someone they love or are in love with.
I agree with Sam.Some of today's teenagers most likely have this same problem. Their parents might take away their privileges of dating. If that occurred they would be in the same situation as Romeo and Juliet. They might have to have sort of a forbidden love. Most people don't have family conflicts, so that being modern society has improved from that point of view. If a situation like this had occurred in modern society, I think the teenagers would disregard what rules their parents have set aside.
I agree with Sam, many parents don't let their kids date until they reach a certain age. This can sometimes cause strife within the family, and then carry over to the family of the other lovestruck kid. Parents may have verbal arguements, sometimes saying hurtful things, but like Sam said, they don't physically fight like they did in Romeo and Juliet. This can sometimes be a good and bad thing. People sometimes say, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." There is some truth in this, but now, people say more hurtful things that may hurt worse than sticks and stones.
Many teenagers probably can't relate to this because they have parents who don't care or do accept who they love. Some don't however, this may be because of many different reasons. Their familys may have gotten into a fight so then they have to pay the price for it because of the parents selfishness. Or maybe they have seen or experienced a heart break and they think that it is everybody's fate. Some parents may be overprotective. For some parents they believe that their children should stay away from somebody else because of race or color. Some may think they have had an experience with "forbidden love" and blame the parents, but sometimes it is for their own good.
Romeo and Juliet are not the average teenagers that are in 'love'. By the word 'love' I am referring to isnt how is slurred about by people dont even know the true meaning of it today. The meaning I am referring to is true love, the love that doesnt come easy. I believe the reason teenagers might relate to Romeo and Juliet becasue of first the rebelion with the family. Most teenagers try to rebel agaisnt a lot of things, not just whom they date. In this specific story though, Romeo and Juliet truly love each other despite their own age. Romeo and Juliet seem to give some hope on the teenage dating scene with their own love triumph and all the diffuclities they fact. Dating now in this time era seems almost impossible to find anyone compatable. Also, with even the divorce rates in adults this might make some teenagers believe there is not hope in finding someone they love. Antoher reason why teenagers might like this play so much is because possibly they might seek to find their own romance through this.
Although Romeo and Juliet was was written a long time ago, there are still some similarities and themes that mimic teenager's everyday lives. One of the major similarities is the Forbidden Love. In our time its more like dads not wanting their daughters to go out with a 23 year old who has a bunch of tattoos and smokes. Another similarity is the fighting for what you want or love. People think that just because a story was written so long ago that it has no correlation with modern day society and they're wrong, Romeo and Juliet have striking similarities with our society today.
I think as teenagers we can relate to the idea of Romeo and Juliet. If you're like so people I know, and you're not allowed to date, the idea of a relationship that is hidden from your parents/relatives may seem like a good idea. I don't think it is because it is dangerous, like Romeo and Juliet's love. The idea that it is "forbidden" gives both Romeo and Juliet and teens today the idea of rebellion. This rebellion allows teens to have their own little world, their own taste of freedom. I think that is how we can relate to Romeo and Juliet. They felt free in their love like many teenagers do, whether their relationship is "forbidden" or not.
I don't think Romeo and Juliet is out of touch with our lives at all. I know for a fact that my parents have told me that I'm not allowed to date or see people that I've wanted to before. Me arguing with my parents over who I can see isn't equivalent to the drama in the story, and I'm not saying things would get physical or god forbid there was death involved, but it is similar to what Juliet experiences. It kind of shows what us teenagers have to deal with every day. Whether we like it or not, at our age our parents have a huge amount of say in what we do and don't. Sometimes it's directly and sometimes it isn't. So, to say that we have nothing in common with Romeo and Juliet and that the play isn't relatable to our lives today doesn't make sense.
Romeo & juliet is about love that others don't want. I think that kids today can relate to this in many ways. Some times your friends will forbid you from seeing someone they like or who you have a history with. Or your parents wont want you to see someone becuase there a bad influnce or there just not up to your parents standards.
Lizzy, I totally agree with you. The fact that teens do fall in love and sometimes their parents won't let them go out with them. Although I do know some people, that if their child really loves someone, and that person is a good character they try and get to know them better. I definatly agree with you though. Usually the parents do end the relationship or the relationship doesn't last.
I agree with Sam Mowery, though fashion, technology, and government have changed throughout the many years, teenagers will be teenagers. And that means the whole boy-girl, true love, mushy stuff. Teenagers are caught in this sort of phase in their life where they are too young to be considered adults and too old to be considered children. They strive to be mature but yet their lively, youthful character is still ever-present in emotions and values. They are in love, all they want is eachother. Their parents are looming over them and prohibiting the "only thing they will ever want". Like present day teenagers, when parents tell you not do do something, or not to want something, that only makes it more desirable and important to have. They let their emotions influence their logic and way of thinking, and they make a dramatic choice. I'm sure you can think of several teenagers yourself that have made drastic decisions to prove a point.
@Everyone
Your explanations are valid, but only in a comparison sense. Yes, their love was banned, and modern teens' relationships may be frowned upon. However, the modern teen cannot even comprehend in the slightest the ultimate rebellion and danger the Bard's lovers committed. Modern teens are committing the same sort of thing Romeo and Juliet did, but on the smallest scale there is. These two are from families that KILL EACH OTHER. So your parents don't really like your boy/girlfriend, but they are not murderous. Plus, Romeo and Juliet were courting in a serious manner, not just a small fancy for a person. Honestly, the modern teen doesn't even sort of begin to relate to the plight of the lovers.
Tanner, I completely agree with you. Whether for better or worse, people aren't willing to do such crazy things for the sake of love. (At least, as crazy as it gets in this play.) I think that people are different enough today that we don't head straight for the most "out-there" solution to our problems. Which, seeing that, actually makes me realize something. As much as people change throughout their lives and throughout history, the emotions are still exactly the same as they always were. They might just be treated differently, and taken out through other means. I think that this relation with our ancestors, as we see through Romeo and Juliet, might make us realize that we aren't as different now as we think. Which makes me ask myself- what would I have done if I were one of them? What would any of us have done?
i agree with Rebecca, alot of people are not allowed to date when their first a teenager or not until they leave their parnets. so to romeo and juliet they feel like no one understands them except eachother, just like today. we think we know everything and have got the whole world figured out untill we see a side of it like never before and start to understand the simpliest of things. i also like how jenna called it rebelion and about the divorce rates being high than ever, showing how hard it is to find your other half.
I agree with Brianna. Our parents do have a lot of say in who we are, or who we want to be with. Also I agree with Kaylen that our parents don't want us to be with someone who they think isn't "good enough" for us Even though I think our parentsshould let us make our own mistakes, sometimes things that shouldn't be, actually do work out.
Teenagers of today may not only relate to the theme in this story “Forbidden love” but the issue of suicide in the ending. Everyone has heard a story at some point about a teen that didn’t get their way and made the unfortunate decision to take their life. It is ever-growing problem currently today and is more common to hear about it now a days then it might have been in their time. This story might be a lesson to us about the danger of getting involved in relationships too fast and having the added pressure of a disapproving family has overwhelming effects on teenagers. It may have been a long time ago when Romeo and Juliet fell in “Love” as young teenagers. They felt like they were meant to be together forever. Today, some teenagers feel the same way and go to extremes as they did.
I agree with what Sam said about how when teenagers in modern times don’t have their parents fighting for them to stay apart from each other. Though, I agree with Kayla on the fact that people will do to that extreme over a lost, or in this case, forbidden loved one. Teenagers now, however, have an easier way of solving their problems when these situations occur. I also agree with Lizzy on the fact of being controlled by our parents in these instances and that usually in modern times, the reason for “forbidden” loves is that the parents don’t approve of the other person. The teenagers in Romeo and Juliet relate to teenagers of present day because so many times in modern day there are people that love each other, yet will never be together due to restrictions and other outside factors.
I agree with Rachael. She is right! Romeo and Juliet do have a lot of similarities to people in the current world, especially in teenagers. Romeo and Juliet both share love and emotions for each other just how teenagers do now in our society. Teenagers often think it is different just because it was written a long time ago, but there is really no difference. People are still the same people just as back then. There really aren't any differences between the relationship of the modern day teenagers compared to Romeo and Juliet.
I agree with both Lizzy and Brianna. Present day teenagers can relate in some aspects to the “forbidden love” because their parents might not approve of who they want to be with. I also think Adam makes an interesting point. It is a very extreme relation to modern day life, but I disagree that it is no connection at all. It’s true that our parents are not going to physically fight with the other family and Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is very different from modern day teenagers’, but I don't think that teens should write Romeo and Juliet off as an old, antiquated story that has no relation to modern day life.
Romeo and Juliet is about two teenagers who are in love with each other. The hardest part of being in love as a teenager is getting everyone else to approve of it. Unfortunately for Romeo and Juliet there love is not approved of, it is forbidden. Like most teenagers they do not care what people think. They go behind everyone's backs just to be with each other.
Like in Romeo and Juliette, most teenagers rebel against their parents’ wishes. Forbidden love, love that is not allowed, is just one example. Most people would do anything for someone they love even if it means having a relationship with someone behind their parents back. Modern families also still have feuds with other families. Nowadays, however, most family feuds are not as physical or as deadly. Most teens can relate to the whole forbidden love thing because most parents want to keep thinking that they are still too young and/or their little babies.
Some people I know hide relationships from their parents/family members. Also if the parents don't approvve then thye may try anything and everything to make sure you don't talk or make communication with him/her. But they would never go full out war on the other family. Some teenagers feel that they are "forbidded" to see the person they "love"when really their parents are just trying to protect them, which will cause rebellious actions and go against their parents because they are tired of listing to what they say. They have listened to aldults for their whole lives and just want to try something on their own without hearing a complaint, or asking permission to do so. They do it even though they know they will get cought.
I agree with Adam. In modern day, many teenagers are dating. But how many of those teens are truly in love? Being in love with someone doesn't mean you eat lunch together and go on a few dates. If you are truly in love with someone, then you want to spend the rest of your life with that person. Romeo and Juliet were deeply in love. They wanted to be together forever and even died for each other. I just don't think that the relationships of modern teens compare to that.
I agree with rebecca, I think that we as teenagers can definatly relate to Romeo and Juliet's love story that was forbidden to them. A lot of teenagers today want some form of freedom and a way to get that freedom would be by doing something that their parents probably wouldn't allow. Sometimes you need to find your own form of happiness and wether your friends or family approve, well it really wouldn't matter to you as long as you felt it was right and you would stick with for a long time. Ill admit doing what you want with out your parents approval wouldn't be the best idea, because after all they have their reasons. Sometimes the outcome of that decision isn't always going to turn out as planned or the way you hoped it would have. I think that just taking that risk wouldn't hurt or come out the way Romeo and Juliet's story ended up as. I think that maybe it would unfold differently with your parents approval, so waiting wouldn't hurt anyone until the time for your forbidden wants are able to become part of your life without any restrictions.
I agree with Jenna, teenagers do not necessarily relate to the love Romeo and Juliette had but to their rebellion. Teens of today are constantly rebelling against their parents’ rules or beliefs. The more Romeo’s and Juliette’s parents forbid their love the stronger they fought for it. This sort of thing is being done every day by teens however on a different level. For instance they may wear something against their parents’ wishes or see a movie they weren’t allowed to see. The play of Romeo and Juliette also dramatizes situations that teens may go through. Even though the situation may not be as intense as the play teens can still relate. The last way in which I believe teens can relate to the story is through empathy. If we can see things from the characters’ perspective then we can also relate to their situation. This is how the tale of Romeo and Juliette relates to the teens of today.
I agree with Lizzy. If your mom and dad don't approve of who you are dating, then most of the time the relationship doesn't last. Though some couples do try and defy their parents, it usually does not work out. Like you said, Romeo and Juliet both ended up dead for not listening. A lot of kids give into the ‘forbidden love’ theme and everyone knows you want what you can’t have, but in the end, parents tend to be right and that person you swore you were in love with, isn’t who you thought they would be.
Quite a bit of teenagers could relate to the concept of love that nobody wants. Currently I know multiple people who are not allowed to "date" or "be in love", but quite honestly no parent/guardian can stop true love. This is a way that present kids may struggle with the same idea as Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet were faced with many problems and relied on love to pull them through and this is not a foreign idea to modern day teens. Although many believe that ninth graders have no idea what love is look at Romeo and Juliet, nobody thought they'd "last", but they did, they brushed off what their society said and focused on each other, and current relationships follow the same idea. Overall, Modern day teens could relate to many of Romeo and Juliet's problems to their own issues.
Quite a bit of teenagers could relate to the concept of love that nobody wants. Currently I know multiple people who are not allowed to "date" or "be in love", but quite honestly no parent/guardian can stop true love. This is a way that present kids may struggle with the same idea as Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet were faced with many problems and relied on love to pull them through and this is not a foreign idea to modern day teens. Although many believe that ninth graders have no idea what love is look at Romeo and Juliet, nobody thought they'd "last", but they did, they brushed off what their society said and focused on each other, and current relationships follow the same idea. Overall, Modern day teens could relate to many of Romeo and Juliet's problems to their own issues.
Today many teenagers have forbiden realationships and cant be together because of their parents dont agree with it.Although most realationships arent wars and all but there is still arguments wether it is between the girlfriend/boyfriend and the parents or between both parents. In conclusion I believe that today many teenagers face the whole not allowed to be together thing.
Sam,
I agree with you when you say that most teenagers face the "forbidden love" thing. Yes, most couples dont have to deal with the whole physicall fitting thing but they still have to deal with parents not getting along. I also agree with how you said that the language may not be the same as it used to be but the general message is that they arent allowed to be together. In conclusion I believe that your opionion is very accurate.
Rebecca, I agree with you on the rebellion idea. When kids today rebel against there parents a lot today, like the no dating policy. When parents say "You're not allowed to date", it makes us teenagers want to date someone even more. I also agree that Romeo and Juliet shows how dangerous hiding a relationship can be. The whole "forbidden love" ordeal does relate to us teenagers, because we rebel against our parents by liking someone they don't.
Sam, I completly agree with you. Teenagers today could relate to "forbidden love" and Juliette's "first romance" and everything else. The language is differnt than todays though, and that could be one thing that is not the same with today, but just like you said it has a message that people today can relate to. Also, I am sure there could be a few situations where there is violence like how the movie represents with gangs but there are more situations where it is just the parents not accepting the other person.
In Romeo and Juliet, there is a lot of violence. Today, there are wars and people fighting all the time. In Romeo and Juliet, the Capulet and the Montague families hate each other because of their ancestors. That is kind of like today, when your parents hate someone, you tend to hate them as well. When teenagers get aggravated with someone they act out in violence most of the time. That is just like in Romeo and Juliet. When the families are mad at each other they begin fighting, which is acting out in violence.
Romeo and Juliet is an example of extreme love. A lot of times it doesn't seem like any teenagers these days love as fully as Romeo and Juliet did back in the day. But we really do. Teens try to be with their boyfriend or girlfriend as much as possible at school. As soon as they get out of school they are texting or calling or Skyping each other. Romeo tried as hard as he could to be with Juliet.
Jenna, I agree with you,love is today a 4-lettered word just tossed around that really doesn't have a strong meaning to it like it used to. Romeo & Juliet are just two, love struck teenagers that fell in love just at the sight of each other. They come both from feuding families,that don't approve of their relationship. Like today, many teenagers "fall in love" and will do anything to be with that person. If their parents disapprove of it, they just are rebellious and son't listen to their parents. So much like Romeo & Juliet's love that ended in a tragedy. Parents back then and today control a lot of our life whether its who we hang out with, where we go, where we live, or what we eat for dinner, parents can control who we date if they don't think that the person is right for us. "Forbidden love" is a theme in this play that is seen here in modern times, a lot of teenage suicides are caused by not being able to be with the one they love. Juliet was only fourteen when she thought she was in "love" sure Romeo seems like a great guy and they seem happy together and all but today, most teenage girls don't "fall in love" at such a young age. It's sad what happens when teenagers don't listen to their parents, they are the ones that know what is right for you. In this play, the language might be old-fashioned and all but the general, overall message is clear to readers. Romeo & Juliet are lost in the sea of society, desperately trying to find a way out.
Rachael, I totally agree with what you have to say about the fact that we aren't allowed to do or have everything we want and/or love. Also of the fact that we chase those things and can relate to the Forbidden Love shown throughout Romeo & Juliet although we have a huge gap between the time period. But I think the parents now are less strict about the person we have to marry, although the dad might be resistant at first, I don't think they are as serious and violent over who their kid dates as much as before.
Many teenagers today would say that what affects their relationships the most would be parents. It is true that parents and families can have a big effect on relationships, like in Romeo and Juliet. But I believe that friends have an even larger impact. If your group of friends does not approve of the person that you like, then sometimes it can be the end of the relationship. I think that the friends of teenagers today are more like the families in the play Romeo and Juliet than the parents are. So they may have to overcome someone’s disapproval in order to love.
The forbidden love theme seems to be a common theme, but I think it goes deeper that that. I have very little love for the actual main characters, Romeo and Juliet, but I love the play. When I read Romeo and Juliet, I see a story about how war and holding onto bitter fights really messes up the common, everyday things we take for granted. All in all, the Montagues and the Capulets are very passionate people, and that results in both the blood fued and the tragic Romance of their heirs. I think the common theme is the necessity to let go of hatred, rather than to chase down a lover who will probably get you killed.
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