Reason In Romeo And Juliet

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Pages: 7

Emotional Harmony: The Balance Between Passion and Reason A common thought nowadays is that to “think before you do” is the right way to go about your life. Although many of us are seemingly biased towards this more reasonable way of decision-making, we would truly all love to open that bottle of passion that sits deep within us. Romeo and Juliet provides a guide through story on the results and consequences of having too much passion or too much reason. Does a safer Juliet create problems for the couple? Is Romeo’s ongoing impulsiveness a reason for their demise? To satisfy both passion and reason, devil and angel, id and superego, a balance must be found. But is it possible to find this balance? The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen …show more content…
A boring life is safe. While safety is enticing, excitement is as well. A safe life is controlled by reason and good decision-making. The riskiness of an exciting life is driven by passion, combined with hope that the risks turn out well. Certain decisions involving passion and reason are defining moments in a life. Romeo’s decision to sneak into the Capulet garden is one of these moments. Although he had just met Juliet, just hours later he couldn’t stand to be apart with her. A reasonable Juliet points out the riskiness in Romeo’s action, saying, “How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? / The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, / And the place death, considering who thou art, / If any of my kinsmen find thee here” (II.ii.67-70). Juliet lets Romeo know that he could be killed in an instant if discovered by her family, and Romeo doesn’t care. His powerful, passionate love for Juliet couldn’t be contained, and Romeo basically disregards the fact that he could be killed. His passion completely eliminates the chance of a reason driven decision, and even though he isn’t harmed, he easily could've been. This continues to show the risk of an imbalance between passion and reason. The impulsiveness displayed here can also be seen in Katniss. As the District 12 draw for the Hunger Games happens, her sister Prim is chosen. The scene goes, ”’Prim!’ The strangled cry comes out of my throat, and my muscles begin to move again. …show more content…
While a story definitely needs to have something that captivates the reader’s brain, a great story needs to have something that captures the reader’s heart. Passion clearly fills this role in Romeo and Juliet, whether through the constant impulsiveness of characters, or the truly powerful love shared by Romeo and Juliet. And while this passion is what makes a great story, it isn’t necessarily what makes a “happily ever after“ story. Romeo and Juliet both suffer from passion because they are so deep in love with each other that they will do anything and everything just to see each other again. A great example of this is when Romeo says, “Here's to my love! (Drinks) / O true apothecary! / Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. (Dies)” (V.iii.119-120). Romeo says this when he thinks Juliet is dead, so he drinks the poison to kill himself so that he could be with her in the afterlife. When Juliet wakes up she sees Romeo, and she kills herself, sacrificing her life to be with Romeo. The passionate love between the young couple cause them to suffer and die, ultimately proving that reason may be the safer, smarter route in some situations. The importance of having a balance between passion and reason prevails here. In The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are caught in a dilemma. They are the last two survivors in the Games, and normally one of them must die. In protest to the Games, they,