The Influence of Person’s Traits in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

How does a person’s traits influence what they think and do? In William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” a Romeo’s personality traits change him. Romeo is driven by his gender,age, and social class. His young age leads to irresponsible actions. His age affects the story when he starts to act more mature and focused on what he wants to do in life. Romeo’s gender and social class set expectations for Romeo to be loyal, fierce, and powerful.

Romeo’s male gender should make him  fierce and protective but when he goes against  his gender that leads to Juliet’s and his death. He is being judged when he starts to act more effeminate.”There is thy gold, worse poison to men’s souls”(5.2   85-90) . Romeo is describing the poison that the Friar gave him and he states that it is poison for men’s souls. He is not referencing himself as a man therefore he does not reveal what he is. His social class fuels the rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues. Romeo's choices to rebel against his family and identity lead to his death. A fight breaks out and Romeo refuses to fight, because of how he is feeling about Juliet.  After Tybalt kills Mercutio, Tybalt walks over and confronts Romeo and asks why he did not fight him.  Romeo just stands there and Tybalt starts to upset Romeo to the point where Romeo draws his sword and thus another fight starts. Romeo will not be denied this time as he sticks his sword through Tybalt and he falls to the ground. After that Romeo utters the words “Thy beauty  hath made me effeminate”. (3.1 . 115- 120) He says that because his love for Juliet has made him softer and less of a man like his family wants him to be. This is how gender affects the story. When he makes bad choices that go against what his family wants him to do.

Take a look back to the start of the story and notice how assertive Romeo was and now that he has fallen in love he is less assertive.“On lusty gentleman” (1.4  115-120) this is showing that Romeo is calling his friends lusty gentleman, and since he is part of their group he is also calling himself, but he thinks that he is something else. He was  soft and trying to show his love for Juliet, to show how he really is. What this has shown us is that Romeo will leave his family because he loves Juliet. 

That is how that played out but wait… How did age play a part in William  Shakespeare’s “Romeo And Juliet”? There was a time when a person needs to be a certain age to get married. Romeo he was 16 and Juliet was 14 and that in those days that age was  too young. As said in the book “  I am too bold  Tis not me she speaks.``.(2.2.  15-20). What he is saying is that he has taken it upon himself to try and find his love and most people his age would not do that.  Age played a part when he started acting more mature and not listening to his family and his family got upset due to the fact that he was doing that and now he has to leave his home or he will not be able to things he likes. they would just cry and be sad.  Romeo did not do that, he would not rest until he found Juliet and that shows how mature he is and how much he loves Juliet .

Romeo’s powerful family expects him to be strong and loyal but when Romeo rebels against their rules that leads him to his death. This  shows that Romeo was attracted to Juliet because of her beauty and the fact that she had money. And since Juliet had money he wanted to marry her so that he could get some of her money. So how does someone’s traits affect what they do? A way someone acts and thinks can move them: Romeo’s gender, age, and social class moved him and that is how he died. “Thou so bare and full and wretchedness”(   5.1. 70-75. ). He is saying he does not  know what to do since he got banished from Verona. After he gets banished from his home he is not sure what to do until he gets a letter that makes him go back to Verona. “On the daughter of rich Capulet” (2.3  60-65). This is saying that Romeo is talking to Father Lawrence and telling him that Juliet came from a rich family and that it may be hard for him to think of a way to get them together.

Eventually,  he finds his love dead and pulls out the friar's potion and accidently drinks right when his loves awakes. Romeo falls to his death. This is the result of Romeo rebelling against his family, and that results in his death and his lovers death. After Romeo dies, Juliet thought, if i can’t be with Romeo, I do not want to marry anyone else. So she kills herself. Overall, the three reasons I talked about, Romeo’s age, gender, and social class changed him. His age matured him and led him to his death with the choices he makes. Because he is male, he is relied on to be a powerful, loyal leader and when he meets Juliet he starts to act effeminate  and is judged by his choices that he makes. This also led to his death. Romeo rebelled against his social class and powerful family, that is the final reason that led to his death.