William Shakespeare is arguably one of history’s most celebrated playwrights and poets due to the contrasting themes in his works and Romeo and Juliet is no exception. Shakespeare has used his work as a conduit to explore greater ideas. Verona itself is a city of tradition, but a modern interpretation shows that the expectations on each character create an air of repression and strict conformity to order. The fire of Romeo and Juliet’s passionate love directly defies the values and expectations set by this society and it is this rebellion which propels them ever closer to the tragic conclusion of the play.
Throughout the play, Shakespeare has portrayed Verona to be a city at war with itself. The ‘ancient grudge’ between the Montagues and
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the Capulets is part of everyday life for the citizens and many are forced to take sides, especially when brawls break out in the city streets. The many men in the play are dutiful protectors of honour, quickly leaping to violence to settle disputes rather than risk being seen as cowardly or weak. A prime example of this is Abram’s immediate conclusion to draw his sword as Sampson ‘bites his thumb’ towards them, leading to a large scuffle on the streets of Verona which is only ended when the Prince furiously interrupts, furiously chastising them for disturbing the peace and proclaiming that ‘they depart on pain of death’. With such traditional values in this city, parents also have significant control over their children, in particular over Juliet. This control extends into the fact that the Capulets have consented on behalf of Juliet for her to marry Paris. Shakespeare’s interpretation of Verona as a city that strongly values masculine strength also associates femininity with weakness, forcing our main characters to live up to oppressive gender expectations whilst exploring their blossoming love. However, in exploring this blooming passion, directly rebelling against the society and moral values of their city, in the fact that Juliet is completely disregarding her parents’ wishes. Of all the characters in the play, Shakespeare has arguably developed Juliet the most. From her very first appearance to her death, Juliet quickly matures from a blindly obedient 13 year old to a young woman, capable of making her own choices. What is interesting, however, is how Shakespeare chose to first present her to the audience. Her first line, “Madam, I am here, what is your will?” paints a picture of a perfect daughter; obedient, respectful and filial. Furthermore, her choice of the word ‘madam’ gives us some small insight into her relationship with her mother. Traditionally, the address was used by servants when speaking to their masters or mistresses and thus by having Juliet use it, we are told that whilst Juliet may be obedient, there is some distance between her and her mother. Much of the pair’s interaction in Act 1, Scene 3 follows a similar tone. For example, when Lady Capulet asks Juliet about her ‘dispositions to be married’, her reply is one of cautious consideration; ‘I’ll look to like, if looking liking move; but no more deep will I endart mine eye, than your consent gives strength to make it fly.’ From this reply, we see that although Juliet does not dream of marriage, she is willing to ‘look’ at the man that her parents have chosen for her. However, all this changes very quickly when she meets Romeo by chance at the Capulet feast. Suddenly, our filial female protagonist is willing to cast aside her family for a man that she just met. In her soliloquy, she contemplates - “Deny thy father and refuse thy name” - her willingness to cast off her familial bonds can only be explained by her sudden newfound love for Romeo; the ‘only son of her only enemy’. Following this logic, we see that her burning passion and blossoming love for Romeo has matured her, sparking her transformation from the Capulet’s perfect figurehead to a strong, independent young woman, confident enough in her own desires to be willing to die for the sake of her ‘star-crossed’ love. Verona and its values are, in essence, directly opposing of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship; one undoubtedly being the irrational hatred of their families.
However, in a world where children are expected to do their parent’s bidding, love seems to have little place – if any at all. By painting Verona as a society which values order and obedience over everything else, Shakespeare is suggesting that Romeo and Juliet’s amorous entanglement is rebellious in itself. Both of them are changed by their love, and in its own way, these changes are directly against the qualities that Verona values. For example, Mercutio and Benvolio accuse Romeo of becoming ‘womanish’ and ‘cowardly’; society is formed by honour and pride and Romeo’s all-encompassing infatuation with Juliet has made him weak in the eyes of his friends. Regardless of how he tries to isolate the two parts he must play in the eyes of society, it inevitably leads to his downfall. When Tybalt confronts Romeo at the beginning of Act 3, there is no way that he could know that Romeo has just married his cousin. As such, Romeo’s words that ‘I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise’ do little to quell the rising situation. Rather, Mercutio and all onlookers are angered by Romeo’s seeming submission to Tybalt’s threats. Similarly, Juliet directly disobeys her family by refusing to marry the man that they have chosen for her and instead lies with the enemy. In their own way, they were both changed by their love and in doing so, driving them towards their tragic
ends. Rebellion and romance in Romeo and Juliet are inexplicably linked; one would not exist without the other. The bond between the two lovers is the catalyst for rebellion, against their families and against the values held so true by Verona itself. Without one you cannot have the other; they are married, as inseparable as Romeo and Juliet’s bond
“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a play about two lovers from different families that have an internal feud between them. It ends in both lovers, Romeo and Juliet, committing suicide as they could not openly live with each other. An important idea in this play is that of the impetuosity of youth and the rash decisions that young people may make. This idea is continuously brought up throughout the play and is explored through the concepts of overreacting and being blinded by anger, desperation in forbidden love and taking your life for love.
Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare's first authentic tragedy. It is about two lovers who commit suicide when their feuding families prevent them from being together. The play has many characters, each with its own role in keeping the plot line. Some characters have very little to do with the plot; but some have the plot revolving around them. While the character of Friar Lawrence spends only a little time on stage, he is crucial to the development of the conclusion of the play. It is Friar Laurence’s good intentions, his willingness to take risks and his shortsightedness that lead to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century, there is consistent theme of conflict featured in terms of both mental, physical and emotional means. The way this dispute is embodied throughout the duration of the play alternates subject to subject to the character in question- but can be represented through many means.
“Don’t waste your love on someone who doesn’t value it.” In the play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare exposes the life of two young lovers in the Renaissance period fighting for something they cannot live without; each other. Although fate takes its toll, the everlasting feud between two families, conditional love by parents, and the irresponsibility’s of father and mother like figure are the main causes in the death of Romeo and Juliet. The idea of love is something that is valued in this play from many different aspects of characters, lines, and scenes. Shakespeare leaves the minds of readers soaring over not why it happened, but who was at fault.
Imagine yourself, dear reader, transported to Shakespearian Verona, a bustling, peaceful city (aside from the occasional death or two), with its obligatory social classes going about agreeably (aside from the occasional brawl or two), and all people happy and successful (aside from the occasional poor wretch or two). The Verona in which Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet takes place in is made sinister by the deadly consequences than ensue from its strict, unbending society. Romeo and Juliet paints a tale about two young lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, whose attempts to be together are cruelly thwarted by society. Society’s fixation on honor and disgrace, poverty-creating laws, and austere social roles all have crucial functions in causing the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of an ancient feud where the children of two families at war fall deeply in love with each other. Set in the 16th century William Shakespeare’s play has many different themes running throughout it, which include love, hate, death and conflict. The play opens with a fight but ends with suicide that creates peace between both families who unite from their losses. The conflict, violence and aggression in the play happen from revenge and an ancient family grudge. An audience from the 16th century would have enjoyed Romeo and Juliet because of the real life drama and tragedy the play goes through. The patriarchal society gave women absolutely no rights and they had to obey their man’s ordering a patriarchal system. The theme of conflict is revealed as the characters argue over Juliet’s disobedience.
Reckless actions lead to untimely deaths. In Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, both protagonists fight for their hopeless love. Bloodshed and chaos appear inevitable in fair Verona; Romeo and Juliet come from enemy households, the Montegues and the Capulets, who have sworn to defeat one another. The young and handsome Romeo weeps over his unrequited love for Rosaline, until he lays his eyes on Juliet. Strong and independent, Juliet seeks to escape her family’s will to marry her off to Paris, a kinsman of the Prince. Fate ties these adolescents’ lives together binding them to witness the ill-fortunes of Romeo and Juliet’s love. Romeo and Juliet prove themselves woefully impulsive through their words and actions, which ultimately lead them along a series of unfortunate mishaps.
In the tremendous play of ‘Romeo & Juliet’, Shakespeare’s ways engages the audience straight away. The astounding methods he uses hooks the audience into the play and allows them to read on, wondering what will happen. The tragic love story of Romeo & Juliet, as mentioned in the prologue, sets a variety of themes throughout Act 1 Scene 5. Many of the recognisable themes are: youth and age, revenge, forbidden love, fate, action and hate. The main idea of the play is a feud that had been going on between two families, The ‘Montagues and Capulets’, the son of the Montagues and the daughter of the Capulets fall in love and the story tells us how tragic, death, happiness and revenge find them throughout the play.
Being one of the most debated texts in history, Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, has the power and ability to divide audiences. Throughout the play, it is seen that Shakespeare has left the audience to contemplate the underlying cause of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy. Shakespeare begins by showing the reckless actions and choices of the lovers, illustrating one of the main contributing factors to their deaths. Friar Lawrence plays a large role in the deaths of the lovers as he is the main instigator, greatly contributing to the deaths. Also, demonstrated through the play is that the lover’s destiny is written in the stars. Without
The classic play Romeo and Juliet by the famous playwright William Shakespeare is one of the most beautiful love stories of all time and has captured and inspired readers everywhere. Regardless of the fact that it was written in the 1500’s, it is still being performed and extolled today. There is a multitude of reasons for such continuance of the play. First of all, its everlasting themes of love and hate enable people to deeply relate to the story. Secondly, its memorable characters deeply imprint on the minds of readers. And lastly, above all, is its magnificent language which many writers today regard in awe. These three elements make the acclaimed play, Romeo and Juliet, one of the most timeless stories of our lives.
Countless people all around the world are familiar with the idea of the famously tragic tale of two star-crossed lovers in William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. Their heart wrenching love story has been an inspiration for many literature pieces throughout various genres and later cinematic works of art. The young couple was not only memorable for their passionate, devoted love, but also the tragic events that ultimately lead to their death. One aspect of the play that has a strong impact on the audience is Shakespeare’s use of charismatic and compelling language seen throughout the play. The unique personality traits used to describe Romeo and Juliet allows many to relate to the young lovers. Shakespeare’s use of descriptive language, allows the audience to understand the societal expectations, beliefs, and values set out for the men and women of Verona, Italy. Romeo’s character, however, can be been seen defying these expectations and also
Romeo and Juliet is a romantic love story about a young lad named Romeo who has fallen in love with Lady Juliet, but is unable to marry her because of a long-lasting family feud. The play ends in the death of both these characters and the reunion of the friendship between the families. Romeo is in love with Juliet, and this is a true, passionate love (unlike the love Paris has for her or the love Romeo had for Rosaline) that nothing can overcome, not even the hatred between their two families that is the reason for the death of their two children. Throughout the play, Shakespeare thoroughly explores the themes of both true love and false love and hatred. Without either of these themes, the play would loose its romantic touch and probably would not be as famous as it is today.
3 Dec. 2013. Kerschen, Lios. A. A “Critical Essay on ‘Romeo and Juliet’. ” Drama for Students. Ed.
William Shakespeare has provided some of the most brilliant plays to ever be performed on the stage. He is also the author of numerous sonnets and poems, but he is best known for his plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. In this essay I would like to discuss the play and movie, "Romeo and Juliet", and also the movie, Shakespeare in Love. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is set in the fictional city of Verona. Within the city lives two families, the Capulets and the Montegues, who have been feuding for generations.
The value Romeo most cherishes is privacy between him and Juliet. The value of privacy is expressed through the metaphor of night. Through night, darkness is a veil that removes any obligations to social institutions and implications, rules and regulations. In short, night is the individual’s escape from the public world. In a way, the lover’s eventual suicides may be viewed as an eternal night. Romeo rejects the values of his surrounding public and social institutions. The placement of familial power on the head masculine figure of the household creates a profound obstacle between Romeo and Juliet. Both lovers must rebel against their lineage especially Juliet. Because of the patriarchal power structure, Juliet’s love is not hers to give away. There is a strong hostility between their two families that conflict with the renaissance value of honor.