The play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare constitutes a love story that remains relevant in all times. When love stories are being talked about, Romeo and Juliet are always the prototypes. The play is shot through time and various cultures, the play is also pertinent to any chronological time and any form of circumstance. The story encompasses a simple boy who meets a girl and they fall in love right from the first sight. However, they realize that their love is not sanctioned and which means it is doomed to fail. With that in mind, they decide to fight against the barriers, in an attempt to salvage their romance in order to experience it to the fullest.
At the start, Romeo Montague goes into his cousin’s home. After some time, Romeo finds out that she is in love with Rosaline, a woman who does not reiterate by expressing some love in return. Benvolio, Romeo’s Cousin Advices him to do away with her and seek love somewhere else. In the meantime, Paris asks Juliet for a hand in marriage. However, though fascinated by the match between the two, Juliet’s a father decline saying that his daughter is only fourteen and therefore she should live with him for another two years. In the turn of events, a feast is prepared and Romeo and his cousin Benvolio take to heels to party as well. Once in the party, Romeo spots Juliet and he instantaneously falls in love with her. Soon, the two meet after Juliet holds back the young Capulet who is enraged by the presence of a Montague in a Capulet party. Romeo talks to Juliet and they both feel an undeniable magnetism. They eventually kiss even without establishing the name of each other. Ultimately, their love grows and reaches the peak to the extent that one cannot live without the other.
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The story of the two can be perceived as the love between a black man and a white lady, between a communist and a capitalist or between the rich and the poor or better still between Muslim and catholic. In other words, their love can be seen as emanating from two very distinct species. Everyone wants to believe in the existence of incredible love and oft-times it transpires but the culmination is quite different. That mawkish understanding that was embedded between Romeo and Juliet was what made their love story popular and even rigid compared to other fictional stories of the so called forbidden love.
First and foremost, the attractions between the two seem to be inclined on appearances. In other words, the initial thing that pulls them together is physical beauty. This is basically the extent to which the physical elements are considered artistically pretty or beautiful. In most cases, it is used to imply on sexual appeal or allure, however it can be different from either. Before even having a conversation with Juliet, Romeo says “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear—beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear” (1.5.51-54). His words clearly indicate that he is impacted by Juliet’s beauty. He compares her beauty to a “rich Jewel”. As that is not enough, he believes that her beauty is too much for the earth to bear (Shakespeare & Gill, 2008). In all his endeavors, it can be seen that the first thing that compels Romeo to Juliet is Juliet’s Physical beauty.
As time goes, infatuation between Romeo and Juliet ends and their relationship assumes reality. In other words, they become emotionally rocked and attracted to each other. Emotional attraction ensues when one person of is attracted to the other in mind and spirit. This attraction is the root and basis of a fruitful relationship. However, the relationship becomes robust when both parties are attracted to each other, both emotionally and physically. It said that emotional is a soul of kinship, lovers spend time together, they can have talks all through the night and can find themselves doing funny things together. This is no different from the circumstance of Romeo and Juliet. The best explanation that can be provided which presents that they are deeply and emotionally in love is perhaps that each would rather die than live without the presence and warmth of their counterpart.
The emotional attraction that grows between Romeo and Juliet is triggered by the idea and concept of familiarity. Research and studies have clearly presented that people are attracted and fascinated to what is familiar to them (Science, 2018). The initial physical beauty that compels Romeo and Juliet towards each other turns out to an emotional attraction after they spend time together and familiarize with each other. Since initially they were not familiar to each other, the first attraction between them was based on physical beauty, however once they started knowing and learning about each other, their feelings progressed which tells us that their love was embryonic and it is un-doubtful that their love would have continued even if they lived. Additionally, the principle of familiarity in this instance links perfectly with the idea of proximity which states that people who are near to each other tend to be categorized together. In other words, proximity is responsible for the tendency of individuals to formulate interpersonal relations with those who are close to them (Shimoda, Campbell & Barton, 2017). It stimulates interaction between two people which eventually results to a feeling of liking and compulsion.
Rome and Juliet are a good example that portrays real love and attraction. Despite the fact that their initial attraction is based on physical features, their love afterwards comes with a lot of insight and education to those who are already in love. Simply, love should not be based on selfish gains but rather for a common and shared prospect.
References
Science, L. (2018). The Rules of Attraction in the Game of Love. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/7023-rules-attraction-game-love.html
Shakespeare, W., & Gill, R. (2008). Romeo & Juliet . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Shimoda, R., Campbell, A., & Barton, R. (2017). Women’s emotional and sexual attraction to men across the menstrual cycle. Behavioral Ecology , 29 (1), 51-59. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arx124
