Persuasive Essay: Romeo and Juliet Should Be Read by High School Students

Romeo and Juliet is a Shakespeare classic about tragedy based on two lovers that are not supposed to be together because of their feuding families. I believe that Romeo and Juliet should be read by high school students in 2020 because it introduces the Shakespearian language, it portrays the theme of love, and develops important life lessons.

Romeo and Juliet should be read by high school students because it contains a lot of Shakespearean language. Shakespearean language is the tongue used in the Elizabethan era and is still used today. This is important because it expands the reader's vocabulary and forces them to think and to try to translate the text into today's vocabulary. A common example of Shakespearean language is, “No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir”(1.1.52-3). In modern-day language, this translates to flipping someone off and being quite angry at them. This is just one example of the many common phrases used by Shakespeare in his stories. This is important because it is meaningful to know about the past and their language. All in all, this explains why Shakespearean language is important to know and understand, therefore proving that Romeo and Juliet is crucial for high school students to read.

The story of Romeo and Juliet should also be read because it portrays the theme of love. The main theme of this story is that “love conquers all”. This is shown much throughout the story. Romeo is a Montegue while Juliet is a Capulet. For years these families have been feuding and hate each other. However, Romeo and Juliet defied all odds and were able to love each other even though their families did not allow it. “Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence’s cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife (2.5.73-5). This is when Friar Laurence married Romeo and Juliet. This shows that love conquers all because as stated before their families hate each other but in the end, they were able to marry each other because they felt so much love and compassion for one another. In conclusion, this explains why Romeo and Juliet should be read by high school students because it teaches the important theme of “love conquers all”.

Lastly, Romeo and Juliet should be read by high school students because it conveys important life lessons. One lesson that stood out to me was to try not to make careless decisions. This is shown very much when Romeo kills Tybalt. Tybalt is part of the Capulet family and he kills Romeo’s good friend Mercutio. In a rage, Romeo goes on to kill Tybalt. This is a big and careless mistake because this raised the conflict between the already-fighting Montagues and Capulets and hindered the relationship of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet feels a roller coaster of emotions. She is mourning the death of her family member and feels betrayed by Romeo because she thought he was the perfect man for her. On the other hand, Romeo is in hiding at this time. Since he killed Tybalt, he was sentenced to banishment and is forced to hide with Friar Laurence. The Nurse who is part of the Capulet family goes on to find Romeo and tells him, “O, [Juliet] says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps; And now falls on her bed”(3.3.114-5); This explains how Juliet is distraught and stressed about Romeo, proving he made a careless and selfish decision. Therefore this explains why this story should be read by high school students because it exemplifies the consequences of careless and selfish actions.

In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet should be read by high school students because it contains a lot of important Shakespearean language. It demonstrates the theme of “love conquers all”, and it explains important life lessons such as not making selfish, rash decisions. Though I can see why some believe that Romeo and Juliet are pointless to read because it may be boring to some or that the lessons and language are meaningless. However, based on my experience of reading this story I most definitely benefited from reading this. I notice that my reading and comprehension skills are much stronger and I learned many lessons that I include in my life today. Overall this is why I believe every high school student should read Romeo and Juliet in 2020.