In the play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, and edited by Barbara A. Mowett and Paul Werstine, Shakespeare portrays Romeo and Juliet as persevering characters; through their young love- despite a family feud, Romeo and Juliet are both perceived by readers as tenacious and strong. That is, until their tragic and melodramatic death at the end of the play. However, within context, Juliet is seen as the stronger of the two.
Juliet perseveres even when there appears to be no way to evade a problem, while Romeo always finds the least challenging way to handle a problem. One example of this is when Juliet stands up to her parents. Juliet tells her father, “Not proud you have, but thankful that you have./ Proud can I never be of what I hate,/ but thankful even for hate that is meant love.” (3.5.151). This shows that despite Juliet’s constant protection- by her nurse and her parents- she is able to confront her father. On the other hand, Romeo grew up with much more freedom than Juliet, in an even less nurturing environment. Romeo is strong because he chooses banishment over suicide, when those are the only two options he lets himself view. However, Juliet also forces herself to make the same decision. When she is trying to evade her marriage, and sees the only option to be suicide, she chooses a sleeping potion over death. Juliet says, “Love give me strength, and strength shall help afford.” (4.1.127). This quote shows that although love is the reason that Juliet wants to die, it is also the reason that she wants to continue living.
Juliet is also stronger than Romeo because she isn’t as reckless as him. Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin in an impulsive revenge, and later regrets it. When he realizes what he has done he says, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” (3.1.142), showing that Romeo is not only reckless and regrets murdering Tybalt, but also that he is not strong enough to hold responsibility for the murder and blames it on fate. As much as this situation shows Romeo’s recklessness, Juliet’s thought out decision to still love Romeo after he killed her cousin shows focus and carefulness. She says, “My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain,/ and Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband.” (3.2.115). Juliet not only makes a well thought out decision here, but also when planning her fake death with the friar, she again plans out a careful idea.
Although Juliet proves to be slightly stronger than Romeo, Romeo kills Tybalt for what he perceives to be justice. However, Romeo lives to regret his actions, relating again to the quote, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” (3.1.142). Romeo also shows strength and determination when he shows his commitment and loyalty to Juliet by visiting her even after he has been banished. However, Romeo himself admits the problem with his plan; “I must be gone and live, or stay and die.” (3.5.11). This shows that even Romeo’s commitment and love for Juliet are tinted by his recklessness.
Overall, Romeo and Juliet, as melodramatic characters do end up taking their own lives, despite their admirable strength. Shakespeare spins many themes and ideas into his play, and strength and power can be related to all of them in some way. The themes in Romeo and Juliet are all portrayed through the characters, and both Romeo and Juliet are well developed characters, who make their story one still told.
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