Paris: the Forgotten Suitor in ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Let’s talk about Paris – no, not the city of lights, but the often-overlooked character in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” While Romeo and Juliet steal the spotlight with their star-crossed love, Paris lurks in the shadows, the embodiment of an ideal match gone wrong. This essay is a deep dive into Paris’s character, peeling back the layers of this tragic figure who’s more than just a side note in the famous love story.

Paris is like that guy who ticks all the right boxes on paper: he’s a nobleman, closely related to the Prince, and has the whole social standing thing down pat.

In the eyes of Juliet’s parents, he’s the perfect match – a walking, talking symbol of the ideal Elizabethan husband. But there’s a catch: while he’s the poster child for a good marriage in Verona, his connection with Juliet is as flat as a pancake. There’s no fiery passion, no soul-stirring love – it’s all very polite and proper, but let’s be honest, it’s bland.

This is where Paris becomes an interesting study in contrasts. Next to Romeo, he’s like a cold cup of tea. Romeo’s love for Juliet is all-consuming, a whirlwind of emotion and defiance. Paris, on the other hand, is the safe choice, the path of least resistance. He’s what you’d get if societal norms created a dating profile. His character throws the spotlight on one of the play’s big questions: what matters more, passionate love or social suitability?

But let’s not be too hard on Paris. The guy’s love, as lukewarm as it may seem, is genuine. He genuinely wants to marry Juliet, and his heart’s in the right place. But, like many in Verona, he’s caught in the crossfire of the Montague-Capulet feud. His death at Romeo’s hands in Juliet’s tomb isn’t just another body count; it’s a poignant moment. In his final breath, he asks to be laid next to Juliet, showing us that behind his prim and proper exterior, there’s a heart that yearns for love.

In conclusion, Paris is a character that deserves more than a cursory glance. He represents the societal ideals of marriage and the personal tragedy of unrequited love. In a play bursting with youthful passion and defiance, Paris stands as a reminder of what happens when love is more about social obligation than heartfelt desire. He’s the quiet tragedy in the loud saga of Romeo and Juliet, a figure that encapsulates the complexities of love and loss in Shakespeare’s Verona.

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