The individual versus society

Society

• Romeo and Juliet are individuals who do not naturally conform to society and what society expects of them. One of the social expectations in the world presented by the play is a heavily gender-based.

• Juliet is not typical for a young woman; she resists her expectations: she is headstrong, independent, and rebellious, even boldly defying her father – challenging social gender norms (expected behaviour for a girl).

• Romeo does not embody typical masculine qualities compared with the other male characters; he is emotional, sensitive, fixated on finding love.

• He does, however, by the end, become pulled into the feud and acts upon strong, aggressive instinct which could be typically labelled ‘male’ in the way the other male characters act.

• Older generations in this society set rules and expectations. The younger generation (in Romeo and Juliet’s characters) rebel against these rules, and attempt, unsuccessfully to challenge them.