The Impact of the Tyrannical Use ofPower in Family in Romeo and Juliet

Abstract：This essay seeks to examine the tyrannical use of power in family in Romeo and Juliet， and discuss how this tyrannical use of power in family leads Juliet to despair， and to die in the end. It also analyses whether the impact of family power has contributed to making the play more tragic and accelerating the process of tragedy.

Key Word：tyrannical impact power death love tragedy

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is generally regarded as a tragicomedy.It contains different elements of tragedy，such as death，hatred and so on. It is noticeable that family power plays an important role in determining the fates of the major characters in the play and thus，to some extent，has influenced the plot development of the play.We can see that Juliet pretends to be dead by taking the potion to resist the imposed marriage arranged by her parents. The death is innocent and can be attributed，either directly or indirectly，to the impact of her family power.

In Romeo and Juliet，the Montague and Capulet have been feuding families for generations. Unfortunately，the only child of the two families，Romeo and Juliet，fall in love with each other after a party held at the Capulet’s house. Although the two young people have discovered each other’s identity， they are filled with the passion of love and are willing to relinquish their names for love.

Juliet “O Romeo，Romeo! Where are thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name;/Or，if thou wilt not，be but sworn my love，/And I’ll be no longer a Capulet…”

Romeo“I take thee at thy word./Call me but love，and I will be new baptized; / Henceforth I never will be Romeo”.

The two young people even exchanged vows and wished to be married as soon as possible. Juliet “If that thy bent of love be honorable，/ Thy purpose marriage， send me word to-morrow”.There are a thousand reasons for the young couple to fall in love with each other and wish for a marriage. It is only their names that are their enemies. They understand the situation they are in and the challenge they face from the very beginning of their relationship.

First，the Montague and the Capulet are feuding families，which makes it impossible for Romeo to propose a marriage to Juliet.Second，Capulet has intended to marry his daughter to Count Pairs.Romeo might not have known such an arrangement by Juliet’s father at the balcony scene，but Juliet is fully aware of the proposal. No matter what，the young couple has a thousand reasons to worry about their future as well.Romeo “O dear account! my life is my foe’s debt.” Juliet “My only love， sprung from my only hate!”Their reluctance to leave each other in the night，lest it is all but a dream，demonstrates their deep love on the one hand，but also reveals their worries on the other hand.They feel uncertain for their future and have no idea when they shall meet again.

Tybalt’s hostility represents a kind of family power，because as he overhears Romeo’s talk，he immediately becomes furious and wants to fight.Old Capulet stops him only because he does not want to spoil the good atmosphere of the family party.Tybalt is hostile towards the Montagues and apparently hates Romeo.How can he be willing to see Romeo marry Juliet and become his cousin？However，the real pressure comes from Old Capulet，especially after Tybalt’s death. From the moment that Capulet knows Tybalt’s death，he seems to have become a tyrant of the family and exerts great family power over his daughter Juliet as can be seen in the following quote.

Capulet“I think she will be ruled/In all respects by me；nor more.I doubt it not”.

“But fettle your fine joints’gainst Thursday next / To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church，/Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither./Hang thee，young baggage!Disobedient wretch!”.

“I’ll give you to my friend; /And you be not， hang， beg，starve， die in streets /For，by my soul，I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee，/Nor what is mine shall never do thee good”.

This tyrannical use of power in family leads Juliet to despair.Tybalt’s death is a turning point for the future of Romeo and Juliet as according to Carey，“Now both Romeo and Juliet have been threatened with exile—in his case，from his country；in hers，from her home”.Juliet becomes the loneliest and helpless person in her family.Both her parents are apathetic to her feelings and even the Nurse turns against her.Romeo is far away and under the threat of exile. She decides to go to the Friar for advice，and if he can give none， to find the strength to die.Juliet is now alienated from her family and can only seek strength from her love，Romeo，and her religion，represented by the Friar.She dares not rebel her parents openly as the punishment has been shown in Old Capulet’s words.Therefore，when the Friar outlines the plan—taking a potion which will render her unconscious for forty-two hours—Juliet desperately asks for it.The plan is quite dangerous as it might not have been tested by anyone before.The temporary“death”is chilling and seems just like real death，which foreshadows the imminent tragedy.

If Juliet had any other choices，she would not risk her life to take the potion.It is her father’s tyrannical use of power that compels her to try the dangerous plan.The deprivation of one’s choices is one important element in tragedy，and death，as Romeo and Juliet eventually end up with，is another.Juliet’s situation and her eventual death with her lover arouse the readers’great sympathy for the young couple. Although the young lovers’death brings reconciliation to the two feuding families，nothing can bring back the life of the innocent couple.It is not their fault to fall in love with each other，yet their families’interference into their relation cost their valuable life.Had Old Capulet not imposed his strong will so tyrannically upon Juliet，this young girl might not have to run the risk of drinking the poisonous liquid so soon，and thus the young couple might not have to die.The impact of family power，therefore，accelerates the process of tragedy and makes the play more tragic as the innocent Romeo and Juliet are only victims of their families''feud.

This essay has examined the impact of the tyrannical use of power in family on Juliet.By examining this character against the family background that she is in，I argue that the young lady’s death should be attributed to the impact of power in her family.Juliet’s death is innocent and arouse our great sympathy for her.The impact of power in family accelerates the plot development and adds different layers of tragedy to the play.

References：

\\[1\\]Bevington，D.，ed.Shakespeare：Four Tragedies.New York：Bantam Books，1988.

\\[2\\]Carey，G. K.，ed.Cliffs Notes on Romeo and Juliet.Lincoln：Nebraska，1979.

\\[3\\]Lamb，S.，ed.Shakespeare：Romeo and Juliet.Lincoln：Nebraska，1968.