Shakespeare's Conflicting Customs of Love and MarriageRomeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is written in the era of Elizabethan England. At that time, marriage was common, but love was not. Many found it “insane to marry for love” (Love and Marriage 1). The majority of Elizabethan English marriages were arranged by the children's parents, primarily for "social or financial purposes" (Daily Life in the Elizabethan Era 189). Most upper-class families arranged marriages very early in their children's lives, and they had little or no say in this arrangement. However, people from the lower classes had more choices when it came time to find a partner. These marriages determined how both men would prosper, the amount of money the families would receive, the families' social rank, and "a legal right as head of the household" (189). All men and women were expected to marry, but very few were expected to love. Shakespeare accurately depicts the norm of marriage through some of his characters. Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother, believes that her daughter should marry Paris for her rich possessions, just like Paris. Similarly, Mercutio mocks Romeo for being “in love” with Rosaline and considers him an idiot. These characters follow the love and marriage standards of Elizabethan England. However, Shakespeare's main characters, Romeo and Juliet, want to marry for love from the first day after meeting. Although their families are enemies, they wish to believe in love, unlike many people at that time. In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, many characters follow the cultural norm of love and marriage in Elizabethan England, but some characters do not. In Elizabethan England, marriage was...... middle of paper...... places in reality are very rare. Shakespeare's writings support and conflict with traditional Elizabethan concepts of love and marriage. Clearly, this contradictory piece was a success, despite the challenge to cultural norms, given that it is one of his most famous works. Works Cited “Daily Life in the Elizabethan Era.” World Elizabethan Reference Library. Ed. Sonia G. Benson and Jennifer York Stock. Flight. 1: Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 181-194. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. March 17, 2014. Davis, William S. Life in the Elizabethan Age. Np: Biblo & Tannen, 1988. Print.Dodd, AH Life in Elizabethan England. New York: Putnam, 1961. Print. Ross, Maggi. “Love and marriage”. Life in Elizabethan England 10:. NP, 2008. Web. March 16, 2014. Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Elizabethan England. Westport: Greenwood, 1995. Print.