Mr. Bakker
English 9
7 May 2013
Fighting: Not Always the Answer We all love to have fights, but sometimes it isn’t the answer especially when there are lives at stake. Romeo and Juliet shows a lot of examples of fighting that don’t end in very good terms. The fighting between the two families had a big effect because of course they lost several lives that could have been avoided. There are also many examples of this kind of conflict now a days with gangs all around the globe. The two families are basically a gang in a fantasy world so they could relate to the unnecessary fighting. Romeo and Juliet is relevant today because it shows fighting isn’t always the answer. In the story, all of the fighting between the two families was obviously a feud that happened in the past. The two families were probably once good friends, but something happened and they somehow couldn't let the past go. The fighting between the Capulets and Montagues lost 5 lives. Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Montagues Wife, and Paris were all victims in this pointless fighting. a religious man Friar Laurence even said, “But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love.(2.3.9),” which basically means that even he thinks that the fighting is not the answer and they should be united. If they never had a feud in the first place, Romeo and Juliet didn't have to hide their love for eachother. Fighting in the story was in fact solved by the deaths, but the deaths are still more extraordinary than the feud. The Prince even told the two families about their actions and how the life of their relatives are more important. The Prince said, “Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague!See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.And I for winking at your discords too Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punished.” (5.3.291). The families even got punished for their actions which is very much like todays system with gangs and other types of family clans. Gangs now a days are more than likely to get punished for whatever they do that is troublesome. Like in Romeo and Juliet you could argue that the families are the cause of death of Romeo, Juliet. Paris, Montagues Wife, and Benvolio. When you get thrown in jail for fighting, is the