Romeo and Juliet.

            Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies. Based on the idea of unrequited love, this play shows audience cultural traditions and social attitudes that shaped the Elizabethan era of which the play was written. .
             The Elizabethan attitude towards fate and love are very strong with R's constant reference to the stars. He says that his future is " hanging in the stars- and that he is "fortune's fool-. When it comes to love, Juliet said that when she should die the heavens should " take him ® and cut him out in little stars and he will make the face of heavens so fine that all the world will be in love with night."" Imagery of heavenly bodies was considered to be a high complement because during that era, they strongly believed in the fate and the sky. The whole play revolves around the idea of love being more powerful than hatred, family and death.
             However in this time period, family traditions are said to be the number one priority especially for the dainty women from respectable families. The head of the house was the father and arranging marriages was a business transaction. The ladies or rather, girls, obeys their parents' chosen men to court them. At the beginning of the play, J respected her parents wishes to meet Paris. The parents has the last say in everything and disobedience will not be tolerated as Juliet found out in Act 3 sc. 5 when she refuses to marry Paris because of her and ®'s secret. .
             Religion was very important in those days and indeed in this play. Romeo's confidant is a man of the cloth. Juliet also would rather fake her death than commit adultery. Also age is an element in this play. Juliet is barely 14 years of age when she was bestowed to married Paris. She was also at the same age when she secretly married Romeo. This was not an alien thing to happen during the Elizabethan times. Women were married young. Even though Juliet was acting maturely towards Romeo's courting methods in act 2 sc.