Romeo and Juliet: Themes

22ndnd Year English Year English

Theme One: LoveTheme One: Love Romeo and Juliet has Romeo and Juliet has

become forever become forever associated with love. associated with love.

The play has become an The play has become an iconic story of love and iconic story of love and passion, and the name passion, and the name “Romeo” is still used to “Romeo” is still used to describe young lovers. describe young lovers.

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s treatment of love in the treatment of love in the play is complex. play is complex.

He uses love in its He uses love in its many guises to thread many guises to thread together the key together the key relationships in the relationships in the play. play.

Fickle LoveFickle Love

Some characters fall in Some characters fall in and out of love very and out of love very quickly in quickly in Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet. .

For example, Romeo is in For example, Romeo is in love with Rosaline at the love with Rosaline at the start of the play, which is start of the play, which is presented as an immature presented as an immature infatuation. infatuation.

Today, we might use the Today, we might use the term “puppy love” to term “puppy love” to describe this. Romeo’s describe this. Romeo’s love for Rosaline is love for Rosaline is shallow and nobody really shallow and nobody really believes that it will last, believes that it will last, including Friar Laurence: including Friar Laurence:

Fickle LoveFickle Love

Romeo.Romeo. Thou Thou chid'st me oft for chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline. loving Rosaline. Friar Laurence.Friar Laurence. For doting, not for For doting, not for loving, pupil mine. loving, pupil mine.

Paris and JulietParis and Juliet Similarly, Paris’ love for Similarly, Paris’ love for

Juliet is borne out of Juliet is borne out of tradition, not passion. He tradition, not passion. He has identified her as a good has identified her as a good candidate for a wife and candidate for a wife and approaches her father to approaches her father to arrange the marriage.arrange the marriage.

Although this was the Although this was the tradition at the time, it also tradition at the time, it also says something about Paris’ says something about Paris’ staid attitude towards love. staid attitude towards love.

He even admits to Friar He even admits to Friar Laurence that in his haste Laurence that in his haste to rush the wedding to rush the wedding through he hasn’t discussed through he hasn’t discussed it with his bride-to-be: it with his bride-to-be:

Friar Laurence. Friar Laurence. On On Thursday, sir? the time is Thursday, sir? the time is very short. very short. Paris. Paris. My father Capulet My father Capulet will have it so; will have it so; And I am nothing slow to And I am nothing slow to slack his haste. slack his haste. Friar Laurence. Friar Laurence. You say You say you do not know the lady's you do not know the lady's mind: mind: Uneven is the course, I Uneven is the course, I like it not. like it not. Paris. Paris. Immoderately she Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death, weeps for Tybalt's death, And therefore have I little And therefore have I little talked of love; talked of love;

Romantic LoveRomantic Love

Our classic idea of Our classic idea of romantic love is romantic love is embodied in embodied in Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet. Shakespeare . Shakespeare presents this as a force presents this as a force of nature, so strong that of nature, so strong that it transcends societal it transcends societal conventions. conventions.

This idea is established This idea is established in the play’s prologue in the play’s prologue with the line “a pair of with the line “a pair of star-cross'd lovers take star-cross'd lovers take their life.” their life.”

Romantic LoveRomantic Love Perhaps Romeo and Perhaps Romeo and

Juliet's love is Juliet's love is fatefate - there - there love is given cosmic love is given cosmic significance which can significance which can therefore overturn the therefore overturn the social boundaries of “fair social boundaries of “fair Verona.” Verona.”

Their love is disallowed Their love is disallowed by the Capulet and by the Capulet and Montague households, Montague households, and Juliet is to marry and Juliet is to marry Paris – Yet, they Paris – Yet, they inevitably find inevitably find themselves drawn themselves drawn together. together.

Other Types of LoveOther Types of Love

Many of the friendships Many of the friendships in the play are as sincere in the play are as sincere as Romeo and Juliet’s as Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another. love for one another.

The close relationships The close relationships between Juliet and her between Juliet and her Nurse, and between Nurse, and between Romeo, Mercutio and Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio are meaningful Benvolio are meaningful and heartfelt. and heartfelt.

They care deeply for They care deeply for another and protect each another and protect each others honor – this others honor – this ultimately costs Mercutio ultimately costs Mercutio his life.his life.

Theme Two: HateTheme Two: Hate The Capulet’s hate the The Capulet’s hate the

Montagues and vice versa.Montagues and vice versa. We don’t know why though the We don’t know why though the

Prince says their grudge was the Prince says their grudge was the result of an “airy word” (an result of an “airy word” (an insult)insult)

The Younger The Younger generation of both generation of both families continue this families continue this feud. feud. It is this hatred It is this hatred that leads to tension that leads to tension and conflict in the and conflict in the playplay

Tybalt’s HateTybalt’s Hate Tybalt is unreasonably Tybalt is unreasonably

hateful.hateful. The mere sight of Romeo at The mere sight of Romeo at

the Capulet party angers the Capulet party angers him to the point of murderhim to the point of murder

It is Ironic that the party It is Ironic that the party which brings the two lovers which brings the two lovers together sows the seeds that together sows the seeds that destroy their lives.destroy their lives.

Perhaps Shakespeare is Perhaps Shakespeare is showing the paradoxical showing the paradoxical relationship between the two relationship between the two emotions.emotions.

Just as Romeo chooses Juliet Just as Romeo chooses Juliet as the object of his romantic as the object of his romantic desire, Tybalt chooses desire, Tybalt chooses Romeo as the object of his Romeo as the object of his murderous desire.murderous desire.

Does Love or Hate Does Love or Hate triumph?triumph?

Does love or hate conquer in the Does love or hate conquer in the play?play?

Romeo’s love for Juliet and Romeo’s love for Juliet and hopes for happiness are hopes for happiness are destroyed by Tybalt’s hatred of destroyed by Tybalt’s hatred of Romeo, Mercutio’s hatred of Romeo, Mercutio’s hatred of Tybalt and Romeo’s failure to Tybalt and Romeo’s failure to make amends through love (Act make amends through love (Act 3 Scene 1)3 Scene 1)

The families hatred forces the The families hatred forces the two to end their lives.two to end their lives.

The love that prompted their The love that prompted their rash actions however brings an rash actions however brings an end to the families hatred.end to the families hatred.

Once again Shakespeare shows Once again Shakespeare shows us that Love and Hate are us that Love and Hate are intertwined.intertwined.

Theme Three: FateTheme Three: Fate In In Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores , Shakespeare explores

the theme of fate by allowing the audience the theme of fate by allowing the audience to be party to his characters’ destiny. to be party to his characters’ destiny.

In the opening lines of the play the In the opening lines of the play the audience is told what is going to happen to audience is told what is going to happen to the lovers: “a pair of star-cross'd lovers the lovers: “a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.” take their life.”

Throughout the story, the audience is put Throughout the story, the audience is put in an omnipotent, god-like position from in an omnipotent, god-like position from the start encouraging them to think about the start encouraging them to think about fate and to what extent our actions are fate and to what extent our actions are free. free.

Because we know Romeo and Juliet’s fate Because we know Romeo and Juliet’s fate from the outset we are constantly hoping from the outset we are constantly hoping that they will take a different course – that they will take a different course – perhaps that Romeo will arrive just after perhaps that Romeo will arrive just after Juliet has woken. Juliet has woken.

However, their fate is sealed and we are However, their fate is sealed and we are forced to question our own destiny and forced to question our own destiny and ability to make free choices. ability to make free choices.

Theme Three: FateTheme Three: Fate When Mercutio shouts “a plague on both When Mercutio shouts “a plague on both

your houses” in Act 3, Scene 1, we are your houses” in Act 3, Scene 1, we are reminded of the protagonists’ fate. reminded of the protagonists’ fate.

This bloody scene in which characters are This bloody scene in which characters are killed gives us a glimpse of what fate has killed gives us a glimpse of what fate has in store, marking the beginning of Romeo in store, marking the beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall. and Juliet’s tragic downfall.

Is it fate that Friar Lawrence’s plan to Is it fate that Friar Lawrence’s plan to inform Romeo of Juliet’s faked death is not inform Romeo of Juliet’s faked death is not realized due to unforeseen circumstances? realized due to unforeseen circumstances?

Is it fate that Romeo kills himself when he Is it fate that Romeo kills himself when he does? does?

Romeo and Juliet see omens throughout Romeo and Juliet see omens throughout the play, continually reminding the the play, continually reminding the audience of their fate. audience of their fate.

Their death is a catalyst for change in Their death is a catalyst for change in Verona: the dueling families are united in Verona: the dueling families are united in their grief creating a political shift in the their grief creating a political shift in the city. city.

Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were fated to Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were fated to love and die for the greater good of love and die for the greater good of Verona. Verona.