Relationships In Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Romeo and Juliet is a timeless tale of young love. Their names are synonymous with passion and devotion, and their story is told across the world. When analyzing and studying their relationship closer though, it is easy to come to the conclusion that their relationship is simply awful. Especially when comparing William Shakespeare's story of young lovers making the ultimate sacrifice to another to other famous literary “couples”. Take Lennie and George from John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. These two poor comrades form a very tight bond during their travels. While Romeo and Juliet were totally devoted to each other, George and Lennie have a better relationship because because of how long they have known each other, how they are always planning …show more content…
Lennie and George had a plan all laid out. They knew what they were going to do with their futures. As George said, “We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn” (Steinbeck 14). Romeo and Juliet married the morning after they met. They had no clue what they were going to do with their lives, and it is not like their situation did not require plans. Although both of them were royal and wealthy, their families hated each other. As Juliet explained “[her] only love sprung from [her] only hate!” (Shakespeare 1.5 138). A situation like that definitely requires some foresight. And even when they did plan, well, it ended in disaster. Lennie and George’s plan inspired them, it gave them hope and something to work for. Their dreams of a farm and rabbits (Steinbeck 73) was a component of the glue that held their relationship together. Their plans for the future united them and gave them reason to look out for the …show more content…
Romeo and Juliet are just two young, naive kids, not in love, but instead infatuated with each other. Lennie and George’s love is not one of fairy tales, or one told to inspire. Lennie and George’s love is rough, realistic, pure and meaningful. If society thinks that Romeo and Juliet’s “love” is more valid than Lennie and George’s, then maybe society needs to re-evaluate the definition of