Addictive Love and Teen Suicide

Generally regarded as the greatest romance in the English language, Romeo and Juliet is actually Shakespeare's case study of what results when two youths meet at vulnerable points in their lives and are then forcibly separated: addiction, withdrawal, suicide.The play, of course, ends with the lovers killing themselves.

Romeo and Juliet is covered with death imagery and violence. But, contrary to the popular image that their warring families are the source of this violence, it stems from the lovers themselves, and is directed at themselves.

The play opens with Romeo Montague disconsolate over his lost lover, Rosaline. He and his friends decide to secretly attend a party thrown by his family's enemy, Capulet, in hopes of seeing Rosaline. Romeo is not in a good mood -- in a word, he is suicidal --and expects to "expire the term of a despised life." Instead, he spies Juliet at the party, with whom he falls in love on the spot.

Note that Romeo goes instantaneously from pathological lovesickness to total infatuation or crush. Juliet and Romeo exchange a few words and then kiss passionately. Juliet doesn't yet know if Romeo is married, and if he is, "My grave is like to be my wedding bed." Not a promising relationship at all.

Later that night, Romeo sneaks back into the Capulet building and hears Juliet profess her love for him on her balcony. The two decide then and there to be together forever. Romeo immediately rushes to Friar Laurence who is amazed by Romeo's volatility, but agrees to marry the couple. The marriage follows quickly

Trouble takes place: Romeo's friend Mercutio fights and is killed by Tybalt, a psychopathic Capulet cousin who is gunning for Romeo. Romeo kills Tybalt. The Prince of Verona banishes Romeo -this before Romeo and Juliet have consummated their marriage! When told there's bad news, Juliet asks: "Hath Romeo slain himself?"

Romeo, of course, expresses similar sentiments:

"There is no world without Verona walls,

But purgatory, torture, hell itself.

Hence-banished is banish'd from the world,

And world's exile is death: then banished,

Is death mis-term'd."

But then, the good Father resorts to pharmacology: he gives Juliet a potion to make her appear dead. She is taken to the Capulet crypt where Romeo sees her unconscious, lies beside her and poisons himself. Juliet awakens and stabs herself.

Ah, those headstrong kids!

Let me know whether you agree or not! :)


REFERENCES:

Peele, S. Addiction in Society. PsychologyToday
Shakespeare, W. Romeo and Juliet