Romeo And Juliet Theme Essay

The most predominant theme in Shakespeare's, Romeo and Juliet, is the power of love. It drives the action of the play and almost every decision made by the characters is based on love. The feud itself is fueled by not only hate, but love. The families are proud and the strong bond of each family results in the feud because they want to protect their own. Romeo speaks of love in the first scene after a brawl in the middle of the town square. "Here's much to do with hate, but more with love."

The most obvious example of love in the play is, of course, Romeo and Juliet. Even though Shakespeare makes it initially seem like infatuation since they just met, it is obvious from the balcony scene that they are desperately in love. How much of the risk and danger involved that adds to their desperation can be debated, but one thing is for sure; the power of love affects every decision the characters make. As Juliet says, "The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, and the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here." Romeo responds,

The desperate decisions made after the death of Mercutio make it clear that Romeo cared for his friend and anger prompts his revenge. After he is banned from the city, Juliet is driven to take a potion to appear dead in the tomb as proof of her love for Romeo. Only fate intervenes and interrupts the transport of the note that Romeo should have received to explain the plan to have them run away together; the power of love again motivating their drastic behavior. Finally, the tragic scene in the tomb is where the two seal their fate when they realize they cannot live without each other. This is one of the most tragic scenes in the history of