Disputes In Romeo And Juliet

Martin Buber once said, “There are three principles in a man's being and life, the principle of thought, the principle of speech, and the principle of action”. If the idea of “thought”, “speech”, and “action” are so vital to one’s life, then not following an individual’s instincts nor taking any action to succeed in life results in conflict. These disputes can occur when individuals do not think straight and fail to realize there are consequences to their actions. Within Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, there are several factors that occur in the play that leads to conflict. For example, Juliet’s father, Capulet, arranges a wedding for her sooner than expected--even though she is secretly married to Romeo. In fact, conflicts are augmented in the play, especially when Romeo foreshadows his death as he fails to follow his instincts. In addition, Friar Lawrence foreshadows Romeo’s death since he predicts the outcome of their unwise marriage. Consequently, much of the conflict is created by Romeo and Juliet’s mutual outbursts, which is accentuated by the use of fire and celestial imagery. Ultimately, these avoidable disputes lead to their untimely demise. First of all, Romeo ignores his instincts which is demonstrated by the numerous examples of foreshadowing within the play. His failure to listen to his inner voice
ultimately leads to his own death. Romeo mentions how he fears “too early, for [his] mind misgives/Some consequence yet hanging in the stars/Shall bitterly begin his fearful date/With this night’s revels, and expire the term/Of a despised life closed in [his] breast/By some vile forfeit of untimely death./But he that hath the steerage of my course,/Direct [his] sail. On, lusty gentlemen” (1.4.107-114). As a result of Romeo’s ongoing depression and his inability to take charge of his life, he leaves his destiny up to fate. Before going to the party, he mentions how his “mind misgives” and feels that he is “hanging in the stars”. Romeo assumes that his mind is playing tricks on him, and it leads to the fact that he does not trust himself. Moreover,“stars” connote fate, and it suggests how Romeo is “hanging” in the lines of fate without having the capability to change his actions. He also states that he has a “despised life”, which enhances the point since Romeo’s unrequited love with Rosaline makes him feel miserable. He is ruining his life by not controlling his actions and is unwilling to be responsible, which conclusively leads to his downfall. Additionally, Romeo exclaims, “direct my sail”, indicating his desire to let fate take control over his life. Romeo is on a metaphorical boat and if there is no captain, then the rough seas, known as fate, would steer his course which leaves him to suffer the consequences. Romeo’s lack of attention to his life leads to his inevitable death, and ultimately surrenders. Furthermore, Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to marry him and Juliet, but conversely, even though he performs the marriage, Friar Lawrence believes that their marriage is not perfect for them. He indicates how “violent delights have violent ends/And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,/Which, as they kiss, consume” (2.6.9-11). In response to Romeo’s request for Friar Lawrence to conduct their marriage, the Friar fears their lives will come to an end. When he is talking with Romeo, Friar Lawrence says that his “delight” for Juliet will quickly come to a halt. The phrase “fire and powder” is implying how “powder” can be ignited by “fire”, and the burst it creates will not last long, just like there is a joyful time when the couple’s love is not interrupted by anything. However, fire eventually burns out, and Friar Lawrence is inferring that Romeo’s passion for Juliet will instantaneously expire soon enough. Overall, Romeo’s failure to see his death being foreshadowed multiple times shows his carelessness of his unfortunate life. Next, the use of fire imagery intensifies Romeo’s affection for Juliet, which creates conflict since they soon die in the end. During the time when he sees Juliet for the first time, Romeo’s emotions fluctuate, and forgets who his other loved one, Rosaline, is. He says how “she [Juliet] doth teach the torches to burn bright!/It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear” (1.5.42-44). Romeo’s feelings for Juliet are highlighted when he first sees her in person. The line “she doth teach the torches to burn bright” showcases how fire connotes intensity, illustrating that their love is so intense. In addition, he says Juliet “burn[s] bright” “upon the cheek of night”. Dur the night, the only thing that burns bright are the stars, and since “stars” connote fate, this conveys how if their love is so bright, the couple’s relationship will end up in the lines of fate. Clearly, Romeo thinks Juliet is the brightest star of all, and this point is heightened when he compares her to a “rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear”. A “jewel” connotes admiration, and if Juliet stands next to a group of dark-skinned people, she would stand out so much because she is so bright. When Romeo’s feelings for Juliet are compared to two other things, his desire for Juliet is more pronounced. To continue, Romeo’s passion for her is portrayed through the use of celestial imagery, which connotes both joy and ignorance. He sees Juliet on the balcony, and he mentions, “it is the east, and Juliet is the sun./Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,/Who is already sick and pale with grief” (2.2.4-6). As a result of using celestial imagery, Romeo’s love for Juliet is accentuated. She is being compared to a “sun” because Juliet is so bright that she outshines every single women. Moreover, the word “envious” denotes jealousy, and this depicts how the moon can be personified to be “with grief” when the sun is so bright during the day. Although people can see the moon during the day, it is “pale”, and that is why Juliet outcompetes the moon. Ultimately, this increases conflict because they die in the end, and the couples fail to realize that their bond is too strong. The quarrels within Romeo and Juliet are accentuated through the use of foreshadowing, fire imagery, and celestial imagery.
Romeo’s tremendous catastrophe of not follow his consciousness makes him having to face a burden of living a tough life. In general, conflict can easily be created, but it can get resolved if one takes the right steps. Each individual takes a different approach to deal with conflict, and even today, people make poor decisions to overcome this. However, listening to one’s gut feeling can lead them to the right path to success, and nevertheless, there are always other ways to settle with feud as long as each person is
committed.