individual v society

• What do Romeo and Juliet struggle against in the play?

  Public and social institutions opposing their love
• What types of structures oppose Romeo and Juliet's love?

  Families, law, religion, masculine honor
• How do societal institutions conflict in the play?

  They create obstacles for Romeo and Juliet
• What does the emphasis on honor lead to in the play?

  Brawls that disturb public peace
• What creates a profound conflict for Romeo and Juliet?

  The enmity between their families
• How does the patriarchal power structure affect Juliet?

  It places her in a vulnerable position
• Who controls the actions of family members in Renaissance families?

  The father
• What does Juliet's family believe about her heart?

  It is not hers to give
• How does the law affect Romeo and Juliet's love?

  It demands conduct incompatible with love
• What does religion demand from Romeo and Juliet?

  Priorities they cannot abide by
• How do Romeo and Juliet uphold Christian traditions?

  They wait to marry before consummating love
• How does Juliet elevate Romeo in her view?

  She calls him "the god of my idolatry"
• What is the significance of Romeo and Juliet's final act?

  It is un-Christian and reflects their love's intensity
• How does masculine honor affect Romeo's actions?

  It forces him to commit unwanted actions
• What can Romeo and Juliet's story be seen as a battle between?

  Social institutions and private desires
• What does the lovers' appreciation of night symbolize?

  Desire to escape the public world
• What happens when night becomes day for the lovers?

  They cannot escape their identities
• How can the lovers' suicides be interpreted?

  As the ultimate night and privacy