In the Elizabethan society women were limited to do jobs such as painting, teaching etc. Men were bread winners and were the dominant sex and controlled what went in the house and out. Men had better jobs at the time, while women were only meant to be housewives or cleaners. Romeo and Juliet lived in a patriarchal society and at the time women had no rights. Shakespeare was breaking the cycle of family traditions by making Romeo and Juliet love each other and going against their parents.
In act 2 scene 2, there is lots of romantic imagery, love and powerful words. Shakespeare again says “Love can transform people’s lives”. For example Shakespeare says “O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that i might touch that cheek”. This shows that Shakespeare is very romantic and a loving person. This section is written in poetry which is opposite to metaphors, enjambment and extended similes. This to create an elaborated poetry. This means that there love is real. Shakespeare is very romantic and understands love for what it is. Romeo and Juliet is traditionally a romantic play because of their scenes such as the ball, when Juliet anticipates Romeo at the wedding and the balcony scene. For example “Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes” and “ O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek. This shows that Shakespeare is very romantic when writing a play.
Shakespeare suggests that love is hard and can result in conflict. Right from the beginning of the play the story about the two lovers starts with violence, for example Shakespeare uses language such as “Grudge, deathbury and death mark’d love” This language is already very violent and this is portrayed in an unconventional way. The prologue tells us the whole story so we know what is going on and what is going to happen, that love and violence will be a prominent theme throughout the whole play. We know this by the violent imagery, death, love and danger. Romeo and Juliet lived in a violent society which included death and romance.
Act 1 scene 1 opens up with two people called Gregory and Sampson talking about violence. This tells us already violence is a prominent theme. Gregory and Sampson were very harsh towards women and very negative. Some language they use is “choler we quickly”. This shows the play is very harsh towards women and negative. Gregory and Sampson’s attitude to women is again negative; we know this by “That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall”. What Gregory is saying means that women are a weaker vessel and that they are slaves and also they say “Ay, the heads of the maids or their maidenheads;” In act 1 scene 1 Romeo uses language with oxymoron’s and antithesis. This reflects the difficulty and the conflict.