Timeless Issues In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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The exploration of timeless issues which is demonstrated in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the many reasons as to why the play has developed into an internationally recognised classic. The rights of women in the play is an issue which is explored thoroughly through the portrayal of Lady Capulet and her daughter, Juliet. This issue is still relevant in today’s society as gender inequality can be seen through the unequal payment rates of men and women. In addition, the familial relations of the Capulet family is an issue which people can relate to in current times through adoptive circumstances. Ultimately, William Shakespeare’s exploration of timeless issues in Romeo and Juliet has allowed the play to become a renowned classic…show more content…
In Romeo and Juliet, and throughout the Elizabethan Era, women had a very limited number of rights and were believed to be secondary in ranking to men. This meant that women were always very obedient to their male counterparts. In Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet is very obedient toward her husband, Capulet. This can be seen throughout the play as she calls him ‘sir,’ which is commonly used as a reference to an individual who is believed to be superior. An example of this is when Lady Capulet says “Ay, sir” after her husband speaks to her. This shows that Lady Capulet addresses her partner as he is someone of a high authority and demonstrates her level of obedience toward him. In addition, women in the Elizabethan Era were often forced into arranged marriages at very young ages by their parents. Following their marriage, these young women were expected to bear children. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores this issue as Juliet is being pressured by her parents into agreeing to a marriage that she does not wish to have. This can be seen when Lady Capulet states “Younger than you, here in Verona, ladies of esteem are already made
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