Friday, December 15, 2017

What quotation show the difference between how adults and young people feel about marriage?

Until Tybalt's death changes his mind, Juliet's father's thoughts about marriage are very moderate (at least, for his time).  Although Paris is very anxious to marry her, Capulet considers her too young -- she's not quite fourteen -- to marry right now.  He encourages Paris to "Let two more summers wither in their pride / Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride" (1.2.10-11).  In other words, he wants Paris to wait at...

Until Tybalt's death changes his mind, Juliet's father's thoughts about marriage are very moderate (at least, for his time).  Although Paris is very anxious to marry her, Capulet considers her too young -- she's not quite fourteen -- to marry right now.  He encourages Paris to "Let two more summers wither in their pride / Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride" (1.2.10-11).  In other words, he wants Paris to wait at least two more years before he brings up marriage again.  It's pretty sound advice: he's concerned that Juliet could be "marred" if she is made a wife and mother too soon.  He wants to give her time to grow up a little bit and be more sure of what she wants (and he seems to want the same thing for Paris, too). 


Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, are utterly immoderate and ready to rush into marriage, betrothing themselves to one another on the first night that they meet.  From her balcony, she says to him, "If that thy bent of love be honorable, / Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow [...]" (2.2.150-151).  She says that if Romeo's feelings for her are sincere, he should figure out where and when they can marry and then let her know.  At this point, knowing that he's the son of her father's enemy, having only known him herself for a few hours at most, Juliet is prepared to lay "all [her] fortunes at [his] foot [...] / And follow [him] throughout the world" (2.2.154-155).  She will give up everything, relinquishing family and fortune, just to be with him. 

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