Different Themes in the Book Romeo and Juliet Essay

By: Fatima Saleh Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, a play of two young lovers from opposing families is mainly based on the theme of love and hate. Love is presented right from the start. Shakespeare used the characters and imagery to portray infatuation love, shallow love, dutiful love, parental love and romantic love or young love. This is arguable one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. This play is indeed relevant to a modern audience. Many teenage couples still experience being together and may still encounter the disapproval of their parents and friends and find it hard to be together.

Shakespeare used the relationship of Romeo and Rosaline, Paris and Juliet to present infatuation and shallow love. In the beginning Romeo was terribly in love with Rosaline but the love is not returned which turns out Romeo unrequited love to Rosaline. Romeo: “Shut up his windows, lock fair daylight out and makes himself an artificial night. ” (Act 1, scene 1, 134-135). The imagery made a depressed atmosphere, Shakespeare created a difference between light and dark, also portrayed the miserable and sorrowful feeling of Romeo.

Same as Paris loved Juliet very much. “So will ye, I am sure, that you love me. ” (Act 5, scene 1, 26) but Juliet didn’t love him back. Dutiful love is a major love that Shakespeare has presented throughout the play, especially in the Capulet family. “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move, but no more deep will I end art mine eye than you consent gives strength to make it fly. ” (Act 1, scene 3, 99-101) Juliet has always been faithful and dutiful to her parents but became independent after meeting Romeo. “Not proud you have, but thankful that you have.

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Proud can I never be of what I hate, but thankful even for hate that is meant love. (Act 3, scene 5, 146-148) Shakespeare has presented dutiful love from Juliet’s words and sayings; he also contrasted the change of Juliet’s love to her parents before and after meeting Romeo. The fourth theme of love is Parental love it existed in the Montague family, When Romeo falls in love with Rosaline and starts feeling depressed, and his father Montague was so worried about him, so when he started to worry about Romeo’s behaviour he asked for Benvolio’s (his nephew) help .

Montague’s conversation about his son’s sadness: Both myself and many other friend, But he, advisor to his own affections, Keeps it all to himself – I will not say how true, But to himself, so secret and so close, So far from sounding and discovery, Just like a flower bud bit by a worm jealous of its beauty, Before her can bloom and spread his sweet leaves to the air, Or dedicate his beauty to the sun. If we could figure, out why he is so unhappy, we would try to cure him with the same zeal.

In this scene Montague is talking to his family, his using personification which is a figure of speech where a composer has given human qualities to an object or animal. (Just like a flower bud bit by a worm jealous of its beauty before her can bloom and spread his sweet leaves to the air, or dedicate his beauty to the sun. ) To figure out his son’s sadness. Parental love in the Capulet family, Capulet and Lady Capulet want their daughter to marry Paris “Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn the gallant. Young and noble gentleman”.

Paris is accepted by Capulet and glad to marry Juliet but he doesn’t know that Juliet is married to Romeo secretly by Friar Lawrence. In this scene Shakespeare shows that Juliet’s family cares about her and they want her to get married and live happy life with the perfect guy. Young love and romantic love in “Romeo and Juliet" shows the sweetness of love. They experience love at first sight after meeting at her father’s party. They did everything possible to be together. Romeo wishes he was a glove to touch her face, for that shows passionate love and the power of love that runs into them.

Example of young love, Romeo says: "See, how she learns her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand that I might touch that cheek. Shakespeare used metaphor in this quote because his saying that he wishes to be a glove to touch her cheek. Also; Juliet says: “what's in a name? (What does a name mean) That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" in this quote he used rhetorical question because Juliet is asking a question to begin a philosophical discussion about Romeo’s true nature, and her question is not supposed to be answered .

These quotes show the open love, the unconditionally love between the two lovers “Romeo and Juliet. Young love is sweet because it allows all emotions to be set free and shows how one’s life becomes the centre of the others. This was seen in the play as Romeo gives up his live as Juliet does with hers, due to them not being able to be together. Young love is so intense that “Romeo and Juliet” are prepared to die for one another. They are passionately, tragically, courageously prepared to do anything for each other. That shows the power of true love between them.

For example, when Juliet says: “"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou will not, be but sworn my love. And I’ll no longer be a Capulet “Juliet is infatuated towards Romeo, and she will even change from what she is only to be with Romeo. Romeo is to be banished for killing Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin and he has to leave her “What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon that is already sick and pale with grief”.

The moon usually symbolises light and opportunities, however, in Romeo’s wording, it seems to symbolise his internal feelings of him feeling “pale” and “grief” as he is drawn away from Juliet and cannot bear to be without her. Romeo despairs that he will never be with his true love again and feels that life is not worth living without her, which is clearly proven at the end when he takes up his life as he could not be with her. When Romeo says: “My only love sprung from my hate; Too early unknown and known too late. His only love became from his hated generation without him knowing at the beginning yet it was too late to change his feelings towards her. Young love risks danger and can end tragically. The quarrel between “Romeo and Juliet’s” families doesn’t permit the lovers to show their love publicly however their love is so strong that they are willing to risk danger to themselves and their families. They are willing to go to such extremes to be together that tragedy’s their final end. Both Romeo and Juliet die tragically because of their passionate desire to be together. “Then weep no more.

I'll send to one in Mantua, Where that same banished run agate doth live, Shall give him such an unaccustomed dram, that he shall soon keep Tybalt company:” The above quote is from Act 3 Scene 5, where Lady Capulet confesses her hate for Romeo, as she thinks he’s the reason for her daughter’s grief. Young love doesn’t always end with happiness. This was seen in the final scene of the play, when both lovers committed suicide thinking that the other ones dead. In this case love might not have ended happily but it shows the passionate desire Romeo had for Juliet as she had for him. It also reinforces the risks both lovers were willing to take nowing that they wouldn’t be able to live a life together. Shall I believe that unsubstantial death? Is amorous and keeps thee here in dark, to be his paramour? For fear of that, I still will stay with thee. ”The quote is from the final scene, and it explains Romeo’s young yet true love for Juliet. Although Romeos only true love was found dead, Romeo plans on never leaving Juliet as it’s just too much to risk and won’t be a life worth living without her. Thus proving the risks and dangers one’s willing to take in order to be with their one and only, and how one’s life becomes centred on the others to the point of self-harm.

Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman, but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man. This is clearly seen in the play written by William Shakespeare, as the two main characters that the play is named after, Romeo and Juliet, share an infatuating young love that nothing other than death can break. Also, it shows the depth both lovers are willing to go and the risks and boundaries they are prepared to face in order to truly be together and celebrate their love. “For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo”

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