Thursday, October 18, 2007
Isolation of the Tragic Hero
Romeo's tragic flaw is multi-faceted. Nonetheless, his impulsiveness, contemplative nature, and disdain for his family's feud lead to his isolation, both emotionally and physically. Do you believe his isolation is self-inflicted (that he chooses to alienate himself) or that he is left out by others who do not understand him? What feelings or actions in our own lives lead to such mental, physical, or emotional isolation?
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I believe that there is two sides to Romeo's isolation. I think that Romeo self-inflicted his isolation just as much as others who do not understand him inflicted it. I don't think one reason dominates over the other.
Romeo isolates himself in two ways. First of all, Romeo cannot get over Rosaline, and I think that makes him isolate himself because he felt rejected. Romeo morns over Rosaline until Mercutio makes him go to the Caputlet party to meet other women. Secondly, Romeo isolates himself from his family by loving Juliet. He betrays his parents and eventually kills himself for Juliet.
Romeo is also left out by others who don't understand him. Prince Escalus bans Romeo from Verona because Romeo killed Tybalt. But the Prince didn't understand why Romeo killed Tybalt, and didn't know that he was the one who was actually trying to make peace with Tybalt. This caused Romeo to be separated from his home, family, and his love Juliet.
Some actions in our own lives that can lead to mental, physical, and emotional isolation are if you have a argument with someone, you could potentially be isolating yourself from that person or a group of people. Also, if you commit a crime or do a illeal action, you could be isolating yourself from your family, friends, or even the society by going to jail or a similar hostile surrounding.
I agree with every thing that Aphrodite said. It is my personal opinion that Romeo inflicts some of his isolation, while others add to it. Romeo follows his heart, which leads him to love and feel emotions and events more strongly than other people. He tends to listen to his heart instead of his head, so when someone doesn't feel the same way about him (aka Rosaline), he tends to take it very personally. From the rejection brings sadness. Perhaps Romeo isolates himself from others because he is afraid to fall in love and face rejection. Others also iflict his isolation. In a way, it is hard for them to understand why Romeo feels so deeply about someone he has just met (Rosaline and/ or Juliet). Towards the end of the tragic love story, Romeo is isolated from his family and friends because he loves Juliet, he is isolated from the Caputlets even more so as a result of killing Tybalt, and he is isolated from Verona, Italy by the king because he killed Tybalt, even though the king didn't know the real reason as to why it had even occurred.
In today's society, you are able to isolate yourself or have others isolate you physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. Perhaps you stole a box of cookies fromk a store. You would face the charges and then would be physically isolated from the store. If a person is depressed they are able to isolate themselves from the rest of the world, so that would be an example of either a mental and/or emotional type of isolation. Maybe your friends happen to do drugs and you go and confront them and their parents. Afterwards, you aren't their buddy anymore, and they isolate you and have other people isolate you as well because of your actions. Isolation has many forms, and sadly it is a part of life.
I believe that Romeo isolation is truly Romeo's own fault as well as the fault of other around him. Romeo acts in a way that is so different than the other boys that they almost feel that he doesn't fit in with them. His emotions are so volatile that it is unnatural for most boy of his age. His affections change with the turning of the tide and he fantasizes over girls just like a girl would over a boy, and because of this i believe Romeo finds himself alienated from his friends and family to an extent. Romeo's alienation is also partially the others he associates with fault as well. I think that they separate from him a little because they find his actions to be different and they don't understand him as well as they would any other boy.
In our lives there are many thing that could cause isolation from others. Whether its a physical deformation or you happen to act differently than everyone else. There are also physical actions which can isolate you from people. Say everyone knows you do drugs and you don't wanna be associated with that type of thing. You are going to naturally alienate yourself from that person then.
I strongly agree that Romeo's isolation is caused by both self inflicting ways and by actions of others around him. Along with Diana, I belive that Romeo has a self inflicted distance from his friends because of how different his choices and emotions tend to be. He makes such strong and impulsive decitions for such a young age, his peers might find it difficult to relate to him which puts up a barier between them. Romeo betrays his parents because of his love for Juliet which is a self inflicted isolation because it was intirely his choice to go against his families rules and regulations. Romeo was accused for killing Tybalt, but no one knew that this was a result of him trying to make piece. As aphrodite states, this is an example of how he is left out by others who do not understand him which in this case is Prince Escalus.
Actions in our own lives can lead to physical or emotional isolation everyday. Isolating yourself from others who you do not wish to be associated with is an example of of metal and physical alienation. If you grew up with a group of freinds all your life, and slowly they begin to make poor choices that you do not approve of, it is your own responsiblitly to isolate yourself from those people. They can strongly affect the choices you make in ways that can be dangerous or consequencial. By not making the choice to veer away from those people, relationships with others you truely care about such as family, can be changed, broken or ruined forever.
I agree more with Diana's suggestion then with the other suggestions. No one besides the Capulet family, even then excluding Juliet, truly wishes Romeo ill. Romeo becoming isolated is entirely of his doing not anyone else’s fault.
We begin with Romeo by himself already isolated, and it takes Benvolio to "pull his teeth" so to speak to get Romeo to admit why. We later get Mercutio trying to help Romeo get over his self inflicted isolation caused by want of Rosaline, and he barely manages to convince Romeo to go to a party, he most likely wouldn't have been able to had Romeo not known Rosaline would be there.
In both these cases Romeo is making a scene for himself that his friends try to help him out of. Romeo however, seems to almost not want any one to help him or extend a hand to him, he isolates himself from his friends without a second thought, only thinking of himself.
One of the only things we hear from his parents from the entire play is his parents being worried for his well being after the fight in the beginning. He neglects to go to them for help or to talk to as well, even as a second option.
The only person who he comes clean with is Friar Laurence, and he does not even listen to him despite his going there clearly for the help that is offered.
Later on in the play Romeo refuses to trust anyone besides the Friar with the knowledge of his marriage. He could have attempted to talk with his parents, and break it to them slowly, but he doesn't. He could have told his friends, which may even have saved Mercutio because Mercutio might not have gotten into the fight with Tybalt, and shown more self-restraint if he knew that he would be killing a relation of Romeos.
The entire play revolves around Romeo being so self absorbed that he doesn't trust anyone, talk to anyone about his issues feely, or take the advice of those who offer it unless he has his own ulterior motive for it. EVERYONE tried to help him, EVERYONE tried to break his isolation, but Romeo slowly threw up more and more walls until he died from his own isolation.
Romeo’s friends and family were the main cause of his isolation. He was only partially to blame for his isolation. Not only did Romeo inflict the isolation on himself, his friends and family also did nothing to help Romeo emotionally. He was in love with Rosaline, who did not love him back. Did his friends help him in his time of need? No. All that they did was ruthlessly tease him about Rosaline until he had to hid in his room all day and wander about at night. Hi family didn’t help either. They were worried about him but never took the time to track him down and talk to him. When he fell in love with Juliet, he felt that he could not trust his family to help him because they hadn’t before. He couldn’t trust his friends because when he had previously shared his deep love of Rosaline with them, all they did was laugh. The only person that Romeo still trusted was Friar Lawrence, and so he was the only person that Romeo told about his forbidden love. When Romeo was banished, only just Benevolio spoke up for him. His family did not even protest the Prince’s decision to exile Romeo to Mantua. When Romeo returned after hearing of Juliet’s death, he still had no one to trust based on his prior experience. He felt he had nowhere to turn and nobody to turn to, and his one true love was dead, so he committed the final act of isolation: suicide. And so Romeo’s family and friend’s neglect and mockery caused the death of a fine young man.
I believe that Romeo's isolation is inflicted by himself and also by the people in his life. He isolates himself by, first, mourning over Rosaline. This causes him to be mentally isolated or "out-to-lunch" as we call it now a days. Secondly, he isolates himself even more by falling in love with Juliet. This causes him to not be able to open up to those around him because it would put his life and Juliet's life on the line. Also, it is inflicted by those around him. His friends are constantly making fun of him instead of trying to make him tell them what his problems are. His friends also think his love is worthless and he should just move on, isolating him even more because they show no compassion for him or his problems. So, his isolation is double-sided.
Isolation today is caused by quite a few things. It can be physical or mental. Physical isolation would be like if you lived in the middle of Alaska, the North Pole or Antarctica. Emotional, or mental, isolation can come from an argument you have with someone, a bad day or grade making you isolate yourself by not talking to anyone or something else that is constantly on your mind that makes you not interact with people the way you would if you were acing all your classes, had just gotten a boyfriend or girlfriend, and had just gotten back a math test you thought you had failed but had really aced!!! So, I think that there are many ways to isolate oneself in today's society.
I agree with everything Aphrodite said. Romeo is hurt after being rejected by Rosaline and takes it so personally, that he isolates himself in his bedroom for days. I believe Romeo feels misunderstood by his friends, as Diana said, because his inner thoughts and feelings are obviously more mature than the rest of his peer group. When Romeo or any teenage boy feels outcasted, they will alienate themselves, which is what Romeo does. It doesn’t help either that Romeo’s friends tease him for being different than them. Perhaps it is because Romeo feels so alone that he is so desperate to be with Juliet. If he hadn’t been so separated from his friends, maybe he wouldn’t feel such a need for someone he can really talk to and relate to. Today, it is still common for young people to feel isolated or outcasted by their peers. However, it is often other issues that cause young men to feel outcasted, such as not making a sports team or having family issues. Romeo’s isolation affected him so much, mentally and emotionally, that in the end, he killed himself. Perhaps Romeo’s story of graduating boyhood and entering adulthood will teach other young men how to stay strong even through difficult times.
I would agree with Aeolus completely. Romeo’s isolation from his friends and family was his own doing. When he loved Rosaline, instead of talking about his distress over loving someone who has no intention to return his affections, he turns inward to himself. His friends, especially Benvolio, try to open him up and get him to move on from Rosaline, but he resists going to a party to find someone else. When he falls in love with Juliet, he keeps this to himself, partly because her family is the enemy to his. However, I think that he could’ve confided in Benvolio or Mercutio about his loving, or marrying Juliet. Romeo believes that no one else could understand or accept what he is doing. He could be right about some people, but he doesn’t even try to talk to anyone except Friar Lawrence. Everyone in his life is trying to help him and reach out to him. Instead of taking their advice, or even talking to them, he shrugs off their help and retreats into himself, the highest form of isolation. He forces himself into being a tragic hero, which is truly the most tragic thing of all.
Ii believe Romeo's isolation is partly due to the fact that his friends and family do not understand him, but he makes it worse by his actions and therefore furthers his isolation. He makes everything more dramatic.
Romeo is a teenaged boy. He is easily able to convince himself he is in love. His friends have trouble relating to Romeo's situation because they do not have such a dramatic love towards anyone like Romeo has.
It is still evident that Romeo isolates himself and has a lot of self pitty. His cousin Benvolio tries to help to cheer him up and tell him it is not all that bad when he finds out about how Romeo loves Roseline. but Romeo will not hear it and insists that it is horrible and Roseline is the only one for him. He will not even consider listening to his cousin who is only trying to help him. It was as if Romeo was trying to push his cousin away from him and isolate himself.
Romeo's friend Mercutio also tried to help him by getting him to go to a party and look at other girls. Mercutio is trying to help his friend forget about Roseline. Yet Romeo will not even consider his friend's request that there are other girls out there that could make him happy. He agrees to go to the party because Roseline will be there.
When Romeo falls in love with Juliet, he isolates himself. He does this because he is feeling an emotion that none of his other friends are feeling therefore they cannot relate or understand. Also, he is issolating himself by not telling many people about his love. He does not even tell his own parents until he has killed himself.
Many people today isolate themselves. Sometimes when someone may feel over stressed they do not want to be talked to and avoid social activity. This may cause the persons situation to become even worse. Also, teens today still feel the same emotions teens like Romeo and Juliet felt. They can become attached and feel in love. Having this feeling, they may also isolate themsevles because they are always thinking about things like Romeo was.
I believe that Romeo does not have any intention of alienating himself. People around him simply do not understand all the thoughts shooting through his head. I agree with the points that Aphrodite said. For example he loves Juliet. By loving her he must keep it from him family. That alone could drive someone mad. There is no way that anyone, except for Juliet, could understand what he is going through. But, even Juliet isn't in a knot as big as Romeo. By isolating his love from his family and everyone he also has some blame, for he is making the choices to take the actions he does. But, he is a teenage boy and it is normal for his heart and mind to go crazy. However the majority of the blame is to go to everyone around him.
People today everywhere have mental breakdowns. It is common from stress and hiding things. For example someone may have a lot of homework in school. If this person is overly stressed they tend to be a bit moody and confused. They may snap at people and in turn they the tolerance of their friends may shoot down. Again it is not solely anyone's fault, but the mixture of everything going on in ones life. This can have a major effect on somebodies life. Physically they would be tired. Mentally and emotionally they would be confused and stressed. These isolations can ruin friend ships and ruin reputations. People get mad...it feels like there is no where to turn and you will feel like an out cast.
I agree with much of Pyramus’ post, Romeo’s isolation is both self-inflicted and because of other’s lack in understanding him. He pushes himself away and is also pushed away. However, in general I believe that his alienation is simply because he is a teenager.
Romeo’s hormonal feelings about girls and love separate him from the rest of the characters in the play. For example, in the first scene Romeo is mentioned to be alone, alienating himself from friends and family, thinking about Roseline. He pushes himself away, but is also being pushed away by those who do not understand his teenage feelings. Also, Romeo is mocked by his friends for his emotions. Although they do not mean to hurt Romeo, and only to have some fun, their gibes only make things worse for the hormonal teenager.
As Pyramus said, in some occasions during the play, is it easy to argue that Romeo is pushing away those who are trying to help him, like Mercutio or Benvolio. However, it seems that when teenagers, even today, are experiencing separation or loneliness they end up pushing themselves further away from those who are trying to help. Without even knowing or meaning to, teenagers assume that they only way to help themselves is to further distant themselves from outside help.
In our own lives, we as teenagers can relate to Romeo detaching himself from the world. Even though it seems illogical to push away those who may be able to help, we all have experienced the feelings of wanting to be alone, and sensing that no one understands us.
I believe that Romeo is self-sufficient on choosing to alienate himself physically and emotionally. In the beginning of the play, Romeo could not get over Rosaline so he was isolating himself through means of rejection. Once Romeo saw Juliet, he gave his whole heart to her and eventually that led up to the consequencing actions of his death for her. He eventually even states through words that he will go through anything physically and mentally to be with Juliet,
"with love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;
for stony limits cannot hold love out,
and what love can do that dares love attempt;
therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me."
I believe if he is truly stating he will do anything for her, then he means it. I think he is isolating himself purposefully because he wants his only love to go to Juliet. Since he is intensely in love with Juliet nothing else matters to him at the time and he is so focused on her. This leads to the isolation of himself from others.
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