The Themes of Love and Hate in Act One Scene Five of Romeo and Juliet

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The Themes of Love and Hate in Act One Scene Five of Romeo and Juliet

In the 16th century the well-established playwright William

Shakespeare wrote the immensely popular play, ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

However, the idea of two star-crossed lovers and fated love originated

from a narrative poem by Arthur Brook, ‘The Tragicall History of

Romeus and Juliet,’ and not in fact Shakespeare. Shakespeare had

evidently read and enjoyed the poem as he decided to rework it into a

play with his own style and edge. He made various changes as he wrote

from the poem, such as; the altering of Juliet’s age. In

Shakespeare’s play we see Juliet to be thirteen to fourteen, but

originally in Brook’s poem Juliet’s character was a lot older.

Another change made was the length of time the two lovers had together

before being separated. In the poem their time together was spread

over three months whereas in the play Shakespeare only wrote Romeo and

Juliet to have one night of passion together before their parting. As

well as technical changes we also see Shakespeare’s language and style

of writing in the play to display far more sympathy towards the two

lovers dilemma, by writing plenty of sorrow and hysteria and emotion

into the speech, in turn causing the audience to feel the sympathy

when watching the performance. Brook, however, seemed far more

judgemental and unsympathetic with Romeo (or Romeus, as he originally

wrote) and Juliet, than Shakespeare. Although Shakespeare did in many

ways copy Brook’s ideas, he developed them and gave them his own style

of writing and edge. But this idea of copying and using other’s

ideas, no matter how substantial or subtl...

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with the theme of death and love, ‘now old desire doth in his

death-bed lie.’

William Shakespeare’s immense success with Romeo and Juliet is due to

the fact that the two themes love and hate compliment each other and

collide giving the play, drama, excitement, tragedy and suspense.

This has been recognised in years since and the idea of star-crossed

lovers and fated love has been used time and time again in films,

musicals e.g. West Side Story, and even soaps. Its an idea that is

popular with both young and old which is why Romeo and Juliet managed

to remain fresh in people’s minds two centuries later, with modern

adaptations and performances taking place still even today. Its one

of Shakespeare’s best loved and admired pieces, widely enjoyed by all

with elements that can appeal to everyone, young and old.

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