When posed the questions what brings people together and what binds people together it’s hard to distinguish between the two because it’s possible to bring and bind people simultaneously. However, by definition bring and bind are different.
In class, we mentioned some examples of what brings people together. They were location, upbringing, chance, choice, religion, culture, language, hardships, and similar goals. On the other hand, when we discussed what binds people we said religion, blood ties, perception of an event, going through a tragedy, documentation, and lasting through time. My thinking process for this class began with this:
From the beginning of Romeo and Juliet the Montagues and Capulets tried to separate themselves from remotely being related to one another in any way. The two families constantly had to prove that one was better than the other as we saw with the brawls. Yet, these two families are more alike than either was ever willing to admit. The families were constantly brought together because they both lived in Verona. This led to the same culture which brought Romeo and Juliet together with the party thrown to find Juliet a husband. The Montagues and Capulets were both upper class, wealthy families. Therefore, Romeo and Juliet grew up in a similar fashion. In addition to all of this the final means that brought them together was choice. Romeo made the choice to go to the spectacle that night with his friends and that led to the beginning of the end for both he and Juliet.
Just as choice brought them together choice bound Romeo and Juliet. The contract and vow of marriage cemented these two together forever. Marriage not only bound Romeo and Juliet, but it also further bound their families. Being mortal enemies bound the families and the bloodshed between the Montagues and Capulets only furthered that bond. Tragedy became a common re-occurrence and tragedy is one of the best agents to bind people. Tragedy struck when Tybalt was killed at the hand of Romeo which led to further heartbreak of him being banished. In the final scene we see the last bond form that will cement the families forever and that is the suicides of both Romeo and Juliet as well as, the confession of their love and marriage made to their parents after their deaths. The loss of a child is insurmountable, but imagine adding to that the fact that they got married behind your back to the son/ daughter of your greatest enemy. The memories of these events would’ve haunted the families forever as Shakespeare wrote,
“For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
(Romeo and Juliet. 5.3. 309-310.)