Romeo and Juliet Group

Question:


circa1934
Student
High School - 11th Grade

Why do Romeo and Juliet get married within 5 days?

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Posted by circa1934 on Wednesday December 17, 2008 at 12:33 PM and tagged with juliet, marriage, romeo, romeo and juliet.

Answers:

  1. mwestwood
    mwestwood Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    One of the themes of "Romeo and Juliet" is age vs. youth.  The older people want to wait before doing things, while the younger are impetuous.  In Act I, Lord Capulet turns down the initial proposal of Prince Paris by suggesting that he wait because Juliet "

    s yet a stranger in the world;/She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,/Let two more summers wither in their pride

    Friar Laurence cautions Romeo that violent (passionate) delights may have violent ends and in Act II, he scolds Romeo, "Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit/Of an old tear that is not washed off yet...for Rosaline" (II, iii,70-73).  When Romeo begs him to marry Juliet and him, Friar Laurence replies, "Wisely and slow.  They stumble that run fast" (II,iii,88).

    However, Friar Laurence does marry Romeo and Juliet quickly because he comes to the decision that Romeo and Juliet are going to be together anyway and, if he marries them, they will at least be properly joined by "Holy Church."  He also hopes to end the rancor between the two households while Romeo and Juliet are in haste to marry before their parents discover their love and forbid them to marry. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo

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    Posted by mwestwood on Wednesday December 17, 2008 at 12:58 PM

  2. henryscholar
    henryscholar Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Actually, Romeo and Juliet were married by Friar Lawrence on the second day of their whirlwind romance. It is the events of the play itself - from Romeo's first encounter with Juliet on a Sunday to her suicide on a Thursday - which take place over five days. Hope this helps.  

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    Posted by henryscholar on Wednesday December 17, 2008 at 12:59 PM

  3. mrsbinkc
    mrsbinkc Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    Romeo and Juliet get married so quickly because they are in lust and, due to their young age, do not know how to handle it.  Also, the feud between their families plays a role in that they know they will be forbidden to be together, so they figure the best way to get around it is just to get married. 

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    Posted by mrsbinkc on Monday December 22, 2008 at 12:39 PM


  4. arjun Teacher
    College - Senior

    It is quite general point that there was enmity between these two families and apart from it Romeo killed juilet`s cousin in duel.So, it seems to be impossible that there would be peaceful solution.Hence the lovers giving priorty to their love,married and had an other point burningin their minds that after marriage reconciliation would be inevitable.Such hurry was made.But fate stoodagainst and watched their sacrifice impatiently.But see,the fate might have wept over their love.They sipped elixir water and became immortal.

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    Posted by arjun on Tuesday December 23, 2008 at 7:00 PM