Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

In this play it seems that love is fated from the start by the

citizens full of hate in Verona. The whole play could have been based

on loving hate, as love will always overcome hate. From the start of

the play love is fated, in the prologue it says that Romeo and Juliet

are doomed to die. "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life"(Prologue, lines 5-6)

There's always an interruption in the love scenes because hate is the

background. The lover's whole state is full of danger. This is

illustrated both in the Balcony scene (Act 2 scene 2) and after the

lovers have consummated the marriage (Act 3 scene 5). Throughout the

balcony scene there is always the fear that Romeo may get caught by

one of Capulet's guards and possibly will be killed: "The orchard

walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who

thou art, If any kinsmen find thee here."(Act 2 scene 2 lines 63-65)

The dispute in the play has ruined many people especially Sampson, as

his idea of lovemaking is simply destructive. His hate for the house

of Montague is so extreme that he even wants to rape their women. "

Tis true, and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust

to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and

thrust his maids to the wall." (Act 1 scene 1 lines 14-16) In this

speech there's a sexist comment from Sampson saying that women are a

lower standard to men. In my opinion love is equal so here we see

Sampson talking of sex in a crude way and women as being less

important. The result of these words shows us that the f...

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..., was also defending Romeo's good name in

the dual against Tybalt. Therefore when Mercutio is slain Romeo

returns that regard for his friend, for a moment forgetting his bride,

and attacks her cousin in vengeance for the death of his friend.

"Alive in triumph! And Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective

lenity, And fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now!" (Act 3 scene 1 lines

122-124)

With the language and characters Shakespeare uses he manages to make

the reader feel sympathetic for the two lovers. Using these unusual

characters the play is motivated by using love to overcome hate. We

find in Romeo and Juliet love will always win and at the end of Act

one, scene five the chorus tells us this: "But passion lends them

power, time means, to meet, Temp'ring extremities with extreme sweet."

(Act 1 scene 5 lines 156-157)