Timeless love in Romeo and Juliet
“Love is a basic necessity in life. The feeling of belonging and being valued by someone else is immeasurable. Love has different definitions and every person will give you their own definition but one common thing in those definitions is that love is an emotional attachment. It is more of feelings, emotions and attachment rather than just physical attraction. The greatest story of love ever told is that of Romeo and Juliet where the two youngsters express their love for each other despite their family feuds. Although the story has a tragic ending, it proves that love is a feeling that cannot be tamed and it surpasses all barriers, even death.
There is similarity in love among the young people of today and the one depicted by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. For one to love someone, there has to be an attraction and mostly it is physical. Romeo was attracted by Juliet’s beauty and he fell in love with her immediately. He says, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”, and from the moment he realizes he is in love, he looks for ways to talk to her and when he does, he expresses his undying love. This is similar to the teen relationships today. It is the physical attraction that comes first followed by emotional attachment. The two situations can be described as love at first sight.
Teen relationships today do not always lead to marriage. They do not even talk about marriage as they think it is “too soon” for such talk. This means that they are in that relationship simply because they love each other and not for future purposes. But I ask you today, what is the essence of being in a relationship with someone if you do not plan for your future together? Is that not wasting time? For Romeo and Juliet, as young as they were, they planned to get married for they envisioned a future together. Juliet says, “Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bent of love be honorable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, and all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay and follow thee my lord throughout the world”. The two even planned to get married in secret because they came from disputing families. One can arguably conclude that teen relationships today are not centered on commitment compared to Romeo and Juliet’s love story.
Young people today have the freedom to choose their lovers which is in contrast to Romeo and Juliet. Modern parents are more open to the idea of love and they rarely pick partners for their children. Relationships today are not restricted by gender, skin color or even social status. For Romeo and Juliet’s case, their love was forbidden because they came from disputing families. Their parents had the authority to decide who they were to marry without considering whether they loved each other or not. Love was not a necessity in marriage and courtship but in today’s relationships, love is the foundation of all relationships.
There is similarity when it comes to lust in both instances. Many teenagers have found themselves in relationships just because of lust and infatuation. Before Romeo met his true love, he was infatuated with Rosaline and longed to be her lover. He says to Benvolio “Out of her favor, where I am in love.”, because he was convinced that he truly loved Rosaline but she did not love him back. It is not until he met Juliet that his infatuation for Rosaline faded off and he realized that he only lusted for Rosaline. He even wondered whether he really loved Rosaline at all because what he felt for Juliet was incomparable. This is in line with teens today. Many have started relationships with people they thought they loved but the feeling quickly fades away when they realize the truth. I think that is why there are so many instances of infidelity because one is not contented with the person they are in a relationship with. Young lover should learn to differentiate love and lust and this will help in nurturing faithfulness in young relationships.
In conclusion, love is an undeniable feeling that cannot be concealed. The modern world is more open to the idea of love and teenagers are at will to choose their lovers. However, teenagers should know what true love is and the responsibilities that come with loving someone. It is certainly not a walk in the park but for two people who love and understand each other, the love journey becomes interesting and exciting. Just like in Romeo and Juliet, true love never dies. Thank you.”