Gang Violence in Romeo and Juliet, a Play by William Shakespeare

Gangs are socially destructive and detrimental to society for a number of reasons. Extremely frequently they will seek to control their group and the surrounding neighborhood via fear and violent crime. Rivalries and territory wars with other gangs bring violence to neighborhoods and endanger the lives of law-abiding citizens. As the situations escalate, violence increases from 1-on-a single attacks to more intense assaults like drive by shootings, which far more frequently than not also kill the innocent men and women around the intended victim. In retaliation the associates of the victim will go out and kill the people accountable for the attack. This can go back and forth for as extended as the respective gangs have members, since neither side will place a quit to it. The police can do tiny to stop them since it’s quite effortless to hide from a shorthanded police force. Even on the occasions when gang members are arrested, they’re seldom in prison lengthy adequate due to overcrowding and other difficulties frequent to the criminal justice program.

William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet is rife with examples of gang violence and its horrible consequences. Even back when the play was written gangs roamed the streets and families feuded more than lengthy forgotten slights. Given that gangs and feuding persons are hardly ever forgetful, forgiving, or tolerant of every other, it is not uncommon for them to provoke the other side when they encounter each and every other on neutral territory. This is illustrated really effectively by Shakespeare when Sampson, who is of the residence of Capulet, attempts to provoke Abram of the property of Montague, by making a rude hand gesture, i.e. biting his thumb.

Despite the fact that Sampson later denies biting his thumb straight at the Montague males, the believed is to aggravate them into violence. The predicament of course escalates later when the hot-headed Tybalt enters and rebukes Benvolio’s attempt at peace keeping. The fighting only stops when the prince of Verona, Escalus, orders them to cease fighting and declares that any individual caught feuding, fighting on the streets, or otherwise disturbing the peace of the city would be instantly place to death.

His harsh resolution does small to stop the Capulet and the Montague families from continuing the feud. Tybalt later kills Mercutio and Romeo responds by promptly avenging his friend’s death and slays Tybalt. This certainly angers the Capulets and they seek to have an assassin poison Romeo right after his banishment from Verona. This demonstrates how the vicious circle of revenge can preserve a feud or war going for generations. Gangs in contemporary and olden times share several other similarities with every other. Each appreciate killing and reeking havoc on their counterparts and they are frequently driven by hatred and greed. They are practically by no means prepared to find frequent ground and let bygones be bygones. They let their damaging feelings toward each other and undesirable circumstances fuel pointless bloody battles in which there are no victors. Uncompromising and ruthless they do whatever it takes to bring about a result that pleases them, such as exterminating enemies and rivals. Other parallels include their common disregard for the simple laws and guidelines of society. They each go about playing out their vendettas, not caring who else they hurt, whether be an innocent bystander, or even police. Tradition also plays a massive roll in the motivation of ancient and contemporary gangs. The Montagues and Capulets both hate the other loved ones long after neither side could remember why they have been feuding in the first place. This is also accurate of modern gangs, who make certain that newer members know who all of their enemies are, regardless of who started it or how lengthy it had been because they final clashed.

Regardless of the many negative elements of gang life, there are a number of good items about it. After joining a gang you will discover valuable cash handling expertise when making drug buys or committing robberies. You can lose that ugly, flabby gut and strengthen your leg muscle tissues and lungs even though outrunning law enforcement officers. And why have an costly house with a big mortgage when you could have your own, completely free, abandoned creating? You and your fellow gang members can experience total freedom from the smothering restraints of society felt by other folks. Yes, with none of that pesky “right and wrong” stuff to hinder your enjoyable, feel totally free to beat up that guy who gave you a dirty look, no a single will stop you. What a lot more could you want from life? Funds, drugs, and no one particular to stop you but rival gang members. Even if somebody kills you, you will most likely turn out to be the catalyst for a new phase of the war, so you will be renowned amongst your peers. There’s a vibrant side to any predicament, is not there?

Despite these arguments to the contrary, gangs are for the most portion adverse influences on society. With crime dominating the bulk of their lives, they rarely consider living like regular people. They continue to put fuel on the proverbial fire and permit their bad situations to escalate into bloody private wars. Considering themselves exempt from society’s laws, they bring violence and bloodshed to the streets and fear to the lives of the general public. They flood the streets with drugs and crime and the police are practically helpless to stop them. Our society can't function significantly longer if the excellent, responsible folks of the planet don’t take a stand against this constant threat and put an end to it, once and for all.