Romeo and Juliet

Question 2

Romeo and Juliet are very much like today's average teens. Both seem to want

independence from their parents and do what they think is right without thinking about their

parents along the way. Romeo's parents show concern for him in the first Act of the play when

they realized that he has not been acting like himself and question his friend Benvolio in order to

try to help him. Juliet's father treated his daughter as any father in the 1300s might, he tells her

that she has to follow his rules or else. This is evident when she refuses to marry Paris, and Lord

Capulet threatens to "give her to his friend". As a woman in the 1300s, Juliet's mother could not

go against anything that her father has said but it does seem that she has some concern for her

daughter. In the end, both sets of parents are upset by the situation. Romeo's mother was

distraught to the point that she commits suicide. They care enough about their children at this

point to end the century-old fight that has been going on between the families in their childrens'

honor.

During this time period, children were expected to be completely obedient to their parents

and the relationships were more distant. However, both Romeo's and Juliet's parents show that

they care very deeply for their children. We especially see Romeo's parents demonstrate how

much they care about their son in the very first scene. After Prince Escalus has successfully put

an end to the whole-city brawl that the Capulets and Montagues have started, we see Romeo's

mother ask Benvolio if he has seen Romeo that day and express how glad she is that Romeo was

not involved in the fight, as we see in the lines, "O, where is Romeo? Saw you him to-day? /

Right glad I am he was not at this fray" (I.i.112-113). We also see Lord Capulet express concern

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for his son's state of mind, informing Benvolio that Romeo has been seen many times crying at

dawn in a certain part of town, presumably the side of town where Rosaline lives. The line,

"With tears augmenting the fresh morning's dew," shows us that he is adding to the wetness of

the morning with his own tears. We further learn that Lord Capulet has tried to get Romeo to tell

him what is wrong and encourages Benvolio to try and find out. Since Lord Mercutio is so

concerned about Romeo's state of mind, it shows that, while their relationship may be formal in

accordance with the times, their relationship is genuine in that both his father and his mother

genuinely care about Romeo.

In a similar way, we also learn that Lord Capulet genuinely cares about his daughter, as

well as her feelings. In the second scene, when we see Paris ask him for his daughter's hand in

marriage, and not for the first time, one of the things Lord Capulet tells Paris is that his own

concession to the match is only half of what is required. He will only concede to the match if

Juliet agrees as well, as we see in the lines:

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;

My will to her consent is but a part.

An she agree, within her scope of choice

Lies my consent and fair according voice. (I.ii.16-19)

Hence, since we see that Capulet genuinely does care about his daughter's feelings and

wants her to be truly happy, we can say that he sincerely cares about her, even though the

relationship is customarily formal. True, we do witness Capulet explode and threaten to disown

her when she refuses to marry Paris later, but we must remember a couple of things: 1) He

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changes his mind about having her married soon because he is worried about her state of grief

and thinks it will protect her health; and 2) Complete obedience was expected of children in this

time period and she has shown him total respect up until this moment. Hence, we can say that

what we witness is a result of his being shocked by her actions and his temper. Therefore, while

their relationship is a formal one and possibly on shaky ground, he genuinely does care about his

daughter.

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Macbeth

Question 4

Blood is always a symbol for life. It is what literally keeps the human body alive. Blood

can also symbolize passion or emotionality (as opposed to mind which represents intellect and

rationality). In this play, blood represents sins, life and ambition for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth,

but it ends up representing guilt, especially for Lady Macbeth for her part in motivating the

assassination, a terrible, bloody act.

Blood is without a doubt symbolic of sin throughout the entire play. It also provokes

fearful suspense in the hearts of the characters and the readers. Macbeth and his wifes guilt were

revealed through their immoral ambitions. He was haunted by his actions even before they

occurred. I see thee still, and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so

before." In the beginning of the play blood is something of honor and bravery and symbolizes

good and victory. The blood on Macbeth's sword after the war shows him to be a brave hero

because of the enemy he killed. He is known as "Brave Macbeth" to everyone including King

Duncan. His bravery earns him the title of Thane of Cawdor. The blood at the beginning of the

play earns Macbeth respect and a title.

Eventually, after Duncan's murder though is when blood starts to really become

meaningful in the play. Macbeth kills Duncan and comes back to Lady Macbeth with the bloody

daggers and blood on his person. Lady Macbeth at this point is still cold and ruthless. She

scolds her husband for not leaving the daggers elsewhere. She goes and does it, because

Macbeth is too shaken up. Macbeth must have a lot of blood on him, because he says Will all

great Neptunes ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? Lady Macbeth returns and more

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or less tells him to suck it up and be a man. She then helps Macbeth clean up and says A little

water clears us of this deed, she tells him. How easy it is then! After this though, blood comes

to symbolize the guilt that both of them feel. It really starts to wear away at Lady Macbeth. She

is constantly imaging that she has blood on her hands or clothing and says the famous Out,

damned spot; out, I say . . . who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in

him? She's freaking out and her guilt is causing her to hallucinate and imagine real blood on

her hands.

Macbeth also succumbs to the guilt of blood, but he feels less guilty and more resigned to

what is coming. Because of his actions, he has to kill his friend Banquo. He knows that he is

going to be punished and likely killed. His line "blood will have blood" sums it up, it started

with blood and it's going to end with blood. His image of wading in a river of blood sums up the

lesson, you might just as well keep on going once you start, because that stuff is never going to

wash out.

Blood is used as a symbol but at the same time it also helps the playwright to give an

analysis of the minds of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Initially, Macbeth was not ambitious that

he would kill Duncan for the throne. It was the witches first which symbolizes evil only, to

instigate Macbeth by their tricky predictions. Macbeth could not understand them and when he

told about the predictions to his wife, she was the second to instigate and inspire Macbeth to

conspire and act against Duncan. Thus blood symbolizes "blood for blood". His mind did not

allow acting thus and yet he did it. Therefore, he suffered from mental agony. But his wife was

more ambitious and cruel to have anything she wanted. That is why she tells Macbeth to wash

his hand and not to worry. A little water will clean that. Its true a little water can help them but

not the agony in mind. Blood stands for mental agony thinking about consequences of misdeeds.