Societal Standards Flashcards
Code of honour/ Male Aggressive behaviour/ Code of male pride
Mercutio makes fun of Romeo for being in love trying to conjure him by saying “appear thou in the likeness of a sigh”
Men were expected to be tough and Romeo’s love made him weak in the eyes of Mercutio- Romeo’s way of loving so deeply was against societal norms
Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt back when he challenges him over his presence at the Capulet feast and insults him?
Romeo is wiling to honour his newly born familial love for Tybalt over his duty to fight Tybalt for the Montague name
Tybalt refuses to back down though Romeo tells him he does not wish to fight?
Tybalt is a typical Elizabethan man and his refusal to back down is a matter of maintaining his honour- His violent nature would have been entertaining for the men, especially, in an Elizabethan audience. However, by making his somewhat petty violence concerning Romeo attending the Capulet ball a moment that hinders Romeo and Juliet’s love, Shakespeare builds up hate for his violent nature.
“O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!”
Mercutio’s comment on Romeo’s unwillingness to fight Tybalt. To him, Romeo is being weak and acting unlike a man should
Romeo and Juliet meet at night, have sex at night and tragically die at night
SOCIETY is forcing them to have to keep their love separate and in the dark. SHakespeare is presenting a DIDACTIC message through them on how societal expectations and limits hinder human relations and feelings like love which are not made to be restrained
“O calm…
…, dishonourable, vile submission!”
“Thy tears are womanish”
Friar Lawrence’s rebuke towards Romeo as he cries over his lost love- Shows how even Romeo’s father figure believes his love makes him contrary to what he ought to be as a man in Elizabethan England
Their love puts them at odds with societal conventions
How does Romeo struggle against maintaining bonds with his friends according to Elizabethan Standards and maintaining his love with Juliet?
His friendship/ homosocial upbringing leads Romeo to retaliate against Tybalt and although this is also a reflection of gender rules and the code of honour, it also shows how Romeo struggles between his former close bonds and his bond with Juliet
“Thy…
…tears are womanish”
“Thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper(character), softened valour’s steel”
Romeo claims that his love for Juliet caused him to become soft which is why he refuses to fight Tybalt ultimately leading to Mercutio’s death- PORTRAYAL of how the love between Romeo and Juliet is attempting to rise up and against society, male expectations and the feud between their families. It is in CONFLICT with everything around it even the beliefs and attitudes in Romeo’s “temper” from young.
