Themes
Love - Love is distinct throughout the play as various types of love are shown throughout the play which include romantic love, infatuation, familial love and friendship. However, it is Romeo’s and Juliet’s powerful love that ironically ends the hatred from the deaths of the star crossed lovers like stated in the prologue, ‘A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.’
Love is first introduced when Romeo experiences unrequited love with Rosaline. Romeo is a lover not a fighter and is love with the idea of love. While moping about Rosaline, Romeo instantly changes his mind and falls in love with Juliet when he sees her. Juliet is an obedient and naive child but blossoms to a more mature and self voiced person. Although Romeo and Juliet come from families who are sworn enemies, it does not stop their romantic love. Romeo now has his eyes set on Juliet, stating 'Rosaline doesn't seem beautiful now' in Act 2 Scene 5. The pair secretly married and consummate. When Juliet hears that Romeo killed Tybalt, she is furious at first but changes her mindset as Romeo is her new husband and is more important. Their love was so powerful, they took each other's life for each other. Their love which is heartfelt and meaningful had also seemed to change and mature them. Shakespeare expressed their love through many techniques throughout the play like the light and dark motif which contrast each other's beauty. For instance, in the balcony scene in Act 2 Scene 2, Romeo surpasses Juliet's beauty in the darkness.
The love of friendship is also displayed throughout Romeo and Juliet. This is shown with the love Juliet shares with her nurse. The nurse is a loving figure in Juliet's life and they have a very fun yet close relationship. This love is important because Juliet's parents aren't in the position where Juliet can tell them how she feels so she resorts to telling her nurse. The nurse is also in on the secret marriage so she is vital. However, she betrays Juliet and agrees with Lady Capulet that it is the best option to marry Paris. This type of love is similar to Friar Laurence and Romeo. Friar Laurence is a trusted and respected man. He plays an advisor to both Romeo and Juliet, however, he may also be described as a fatherly figure to Romeo giving him guidance. Both the nurse and Friar Laurence criticise one another's choices but they deeply respect and care for each other.
Hatred - Hatred is introduced instantly at the beginning of the play as Shakespeare talks about violence and hatred before love in the prologue. For example, ‘a feud caused by an ancient grudge between two families’ is mentioned before ‘star crossed lovers’ which may mean that Shakespeare wanted to introduce violence and hatred and make it a key point. In the first scene, the servants of both families are in a public fight which continues to add emphasis to the hatred. Shakespeare expresses this by the language used which provoked one another to continue the rivalry like shown in the conversation which revolves around the biting of their thumb at each other in Act 1 Scene 1 as it is a continuous argument. The hatred continues to the higher statuses of the families
This shows that the hatred starts from the lowest to the highest statuses of the families. When Romeo falls in love with Juliet, Tybalt’s hatred towards him is as passionate and as powerful as the love between Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt also hates Benvolio and Mercutio. In a requested duel from Tybalt to Romeo, Mercutio steps in, to which he is killed by. Angered at Tybalt’s reckless and coward actions, Romeo seeks revenge and it is the hatred which causes him to kill Tybalt. The hatred and tension from Romeo and Benvolio to Tybalt is expressed by the quote ‘’As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee’’ which Tybalt ranks Benvolio and all Montagues at the same level as hell (Act 1 Scene 1).
Revenge - The play shows that the desire for revenge is both a natural and a devastating human quality. Most of the terrible events are initiated by revenge. Tybalt seeks out Romeo and kills Mercutio from desire for revenge over Romeo's attendance at the ball. Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio's death. Additionally, Romeo's desire for revenge is so powerful that he does not pause to think about the consequences that will occur. Also, there is a sense of revenge and rivalry between both families of Verona.
Love is first introduced when Romeo experiences unrequited love with Rosaline. Romeo is a lover not a fighter and is love with the idea of love. While moping about Rosaline, Romeo instantly changes his mind and falls in love with Juliet when he sees her. Juliet is an obedient and naive child but blossoms to a more mature and self voiced person. Although Romeo and Juliet come from families who are sworn enemies, it does not stop their romantic love. Romeo now has his eyes set on Juliet, stating 'Rosaline doesn't seem beautiful now' in Act 2 Scene 5. The pair secretly married and consummate. When Juliet hears that Romeo killed Tybalt, she is furious at first but changes her mindset as Romeo is her new husband and is more important. Their love was so powerful, they took each other's life for each other. Their love which is heartfelt and meaningful had also seemed to change and mature them. Shakespeare expressed their love through many techniques throughout the play like the light and dark motif which contrast each other's beauty. For instance, in the balcony scene in Act 2 Scene 2, Romeo surpasses Juliet's beauty in the darkness.
The love of friendship is also displayed throughout Romeo and Juliet. This is shown with the love Juliet shares with her nurse. The nurse is a loving figure in Juliet's life and they have a very fun yet close relationship. This love is important because Juliet's parents aren't in the position where Juliet can tell them how she feels so she resorts to telling her nurse. The nurse is also in on the secret marriage so she is vital. However, she betrays Juliet and agrees with Lady Capulet that it is the best option to marry Paris. This type of love is similar to Friar Laurence and Romeo. Friar Laurence is a trusted and respected man. He plays an advisor to both Romeo and Juliet, however, he may also be described as a fatherly figure to Romeo giving him guidance. Both the nurse and Friar Laurence criticise one another's choices but they deeply respect and care for each other.
Hatred - Hatred is introduced instantly at the beginning of the play as Shakespeare talks about violence and hatred before love in the prologue. For example, ‘a feud caused by an ancient grudge between two families’ is mentioned before ‘star crossed lovers’ which may mean that Shakespeare wanted to introduce violence and hatred and make it a key point. In the first scene, the servants of both families are in a public fight which continues to add emphasis to the hatred. Shakespeare expresses this by the language used which provoked one another to continue the rivalry like shown in the conversation which revolves around the biting of their thumb at each other in Act 1 Scene 1 as it is a continuous argument. The hatred continues to the higher statuses of the families
This shows that the hatred starts from the lowest to the highest statuses of the families. When Romeo falls in love with Juliet, Tybalt’s hatred towards him is as passionate and as powerful as the love between Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt also hates Benvolio and Mercutio. In a requested duel from Tybalt to Romeo, Mercutio steps in, to which he is killed by. Angered at Tybalt’s reckless and coward actions, Romeo seeks revenge and it is the hatred which causes him to kill Tybalt. The hatred and tension from Romeo and Benvolio to Tybalt is expressed by the quote ‘’As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee’’ which Tybalt ranks Benvolio and all Montagues at the same level as hell (Act 1 Scene 1).
Revenge - The play shows that the desire for revenge is both a natural and a devastating human quality. Most of the terrible events are initiated by revenge. Tybalt seeks out Romeo and kills Mercutio from desire for revenge over Romeo's attendance at the ball. Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio's death. Additionally, Romeo's desire for revenge is so powerful that he does not pause to think about the consequences that will occur. Also, there is a sense of revenge and rivalry between both families of Verona.
SOURCES
http://www.gradesaver.com/romeo-and-juliet/study-guide/themes
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/themes.html
Text from my own draft for an English Exam about hatred and love
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/themes.html
Text from my own draft for an English Exam about hatred and love