Romeo and Juliet: Friendship

Question 1

parent child relationship

Answer 1

Shakespeare presents the friendship between Romeo and Friar Lawrence and The Nurse and Juliet as a comment on the breakdown of parent-child relationships in the text
juliet and parents:
“out you green sickness carrion! Out you baggage”
“my fingers itch” Lord capulet 3:5
“talk not to me, for ill not speak a word/Do as thou wilt , for i have done with thee” Lady capulet 3:5
juliet and nurse;
“ Go girl seek happy nights to happy days” act 1
“hie you hence to friar lawrences cell/There stays a husband to make you a wife’
romeo:
“our romeo hath not been in bed tonight”
“ God pardon sin”
“wisely and slowly,they stumble that run fast”- friar2:3

Question 2

threat to friendship

Answer 2

Shakespeare explores how romantic love is presented as a threat to homosocial friendships in the text, through Benvolio and Mercutio’s response to Romeo’s love for rosaline.
“alas that love so gentle in its view / should be so tyrannous and rough in proof”
“ this is not Romeo, he’s some other where” - Benvolio act 1
“If love be rough with you, be rough with love/ prick love for pricking”
“Why is not this better now than groaning for love. Now/Art though sociable, now art thou Romeo ;now thou art what thou art” -mercutio

Question 3

male honour and friendship

Answer 3

Shakespeare presents male friendships as governed by ideas of male honour.
“my naked weapon is out. Quarrel, i will back thee”- Sampson 1:1
“O calm dishonorable ,vile submission” - act 3 Mercutio on hearings Romeo’s lack of willingness to fight Tybalt
“i was hurt under your arm” Mercutio to Romeo in act 3 before he dies

Question 4

friendship context

Answer 4

Montaigne “on friendship” renaissance essay writer.
Montaigne posits friendship as possibly the highest human good; a spiritual endeavor. friendship is transcendent “loyalty to ones friend should cause one to defy all norms

Question 5

mercutios love for romeo

Answer 5

Some modern directors interpret the friendship between Romeo and Mercutio as in conflict with Romeo’s new love for Juliet
Mercutio’s mocking of love, pursuit of him after the ball and determination to stand and fight for him is evidence for his jealousy and possessiveness
context
james garnon 2004”mercutio may as well be in some sort of love with romeo”“what ive found really impressive is the scale and intensity of his love”