Romeo and Juliet Themes: Love

The story of Romeo and Juliet, a Shakespearean tragic drama, is a huge part of our culture today. The story of two star-crossed lovers, separated by an age-old family feud, which is eventually ended by the death of both Romeo and Juliet, is deeply embedded in our cultural psyche. It is an allegory, a story of true love and sacrifice, that continues to resonate throughout modern time. There is a great deal of social stigma attached to the story. People are very critical of Romeo and Juliet’s decisions. Also, people are inspired, interested, and influenced by the melodramatic romance story. Every person knows the story, and we all can compare our lives to theirs. The lives of the 15th century characters are understandable because the characters feel and experience the same emotions and plot twists humans do today. This is because the themes in Romeo and Juliet were just as pertinent then as they are now. A theme is a universal experience or lesson. Universal means everyone understands and relates to the experiences. That is why people today can connect to characters in Shakespeare’s work. People of today have similar feelings and experiences to the lives of the characters in the 1400’s. Love is one of those great, universal themes. Love is the most significant theme in Romeo and Juliet, society, and my life.

Love is hard to define. Everyone has his/her own definition, or perception, of what love is. When asked most people would say that love is strong romantic feelings between two people or perhaps they would say it is undefinable. Albert Einstein said, “Where there is love, there is no imposition.” This would imply that love is not forced, but the innate, natural feelings that come up between people. One could ...

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.... I fancy the John Green quote, “I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, then all at once.” I consider this quote to be one of the best ways to explain love. In conclusion, no matter what shape or form, love will always have an affect on my life.

All in all, the story of Romeo and Juliet will continue to be an important part of culture and literature forevermore. The themes help define and understand feelings and what it means to be human. Love in Romeo and Juliet makes the reader think about the worth of love, all the styles of love there are, and the idea of true love. Romeo and Juliet will always be applicable and can help humans to interpret emotions in order to live their lives to the fullest.

Works Cited

The Fault in our Stars by John Green, Albert Einstein, Merriam-Webster dictionary, shakespearesolved.blogspot.com, Land of Oz at StageNorth