Love In Romen And Juliet By Shakespeare

Essay, Research Paper

Love has existed in many forms throughout time. There is no better example than in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In this tale, when love is most apparent, the most crucial events occur to develop this “tragedy.” The evident forms of love are love for friends, “love” for enemies, and love between lovers.

First, love for friends was, and is, a necessity for the characters. Romeo had been in love with a girl who didn’t feel love the same way that he did. Consequently, Romeo was distraught. He thought no woman could be as fare as Rosaline. Romeo’s friend, Benvolio, thought differently. Benvolio encouraged Romeo to go to the Capulet’s feast and accurately predicted that Romeo would find other girls more attractive than Rosaline. This was highlighted when Benvolio said “Compare her face with one that I show, / And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.” ( I. ii. 86-87). Later, when violence was prevalent, Benvolio watched out for his friends and relatives, encouraging peace. He spoke against fighting when he said “I pray thee, good Mercutio, lets retire. / The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, / And, if we meet, we shall not ’scape a brawl,”(III. I. 1-3).

The Nurse is Juliet’s best friend, but calling her “mom” would be more appropriate. Unlike Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother, the nurse cares for Juliet, knows exactly when she was born, and has fond memories of her childhood. The Nurse acted like a messenger, meeting with Romeo to discuss wedding plans for him and Juliet. The love of friends was necessary for any future love to blossom.

The next form of love was for enemies. The hatred between the houses of Capulet and Montague was known throughout the town of Verona. Hatred had reached the lowest servants from each of the families. Due to the hate, the relationship of Romeo and Juliet would never have been public. The feuding families would have condemned the relationship, something the two lovers could not accept.

In Act 1, scene 2, the fact that Romeo and his friends were uninvited, but still attended the Capulet’s party, added to Tybalt’s anger. Tybalt was the personification of hatred between the Capulet and Montague families. Tybalt and Mercutio were always ready for a fight. The prince was sick of the fighting and said death would come to anyone from either house if they were caught fighting in public. However, both families still thought that they had to show superiority, and future fights because destined. The constant violence led to the accidental killing of Mercutio by Tybalt. In his last minutes, Mercutio realized the immaturity of the families’ feuds, when he said “A plague o’ both your houses!” (III.i.90). In a period of impulse and rage, Romeo took it upon himself to get revenge by killing Tybalt. This murder caused Romeo to be banished from Verona and separated from his love Juliet.

lastly, the most importantly type of love is love between lovers. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet were victims of Cupid’s arrows. They were truly “star-crossed.” Juliet needed Romeo to get away from her overprotective parents who were planning her future. If Juliet was going to disobey her parents, they would have disowned her. Ironically, at the party that Lord Capulet held so that Juliet could meet her projected husband, Paris, she met her future husband, Romeo. They met by chance, looking into each others eyes and instantly being attracted. There first conversation was sealed with a kiss. The meeting was regretted, however. Romeo and Juliet knew a relationship wouldn’t be accepted with them being from feuding families. It was too late for them to turn back though, they had fallen in love. When Juliet found out she had started to love Romeo, she didn’t change her feeling, she just said “My only love sprung form only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and know too late! / Prodigious birth of love it is to me / That I must love a loathed enemy.” (I.v.138-141) In an act of impulse, the two were secretly married by Friar Lawrence. Romeo was soon ordered to be banished. In his last night in Verona, Romeo made love to Juliet. Juliet wished Romeo wouldn’t go even though it would be risking his life to be seen in the daylight . Her feeling were expressed when she said “Yond light is not day-light, I know it, I; / It is some meteor that the sun exhales.” (III.v.13-14) Romeo was exiled. The couple was so depressed after being separated, suicide was often contemplated. Juliet’s father was being hasty and forced Juliet to marry Paris. Juliet saw her only option was to fake her death and wait for Romeo to return to her. On the eve of her wedding, Juliet drank a poison that made her appear to be dead. Romeo had not found out about the Friar’s plan, so when he returned to Verona he thought his wife was dead and saw her lying in her tomb. He drank a poison that killed him. Juliet woke up soon after to find her husband dead. She stabbed herself. Suicide was the only the way Romeo and Juliet could be together.

Love will attach couples, families, and friends forever. It may also put people in precarious positions witch will lead them to hurt others. However, everyone is expected to take those chances in life much like the characters in Romeo and Juliet. The love for friends, “love” for enemies and love between lovers may have led to tragedy, but it was all for a greater good. The Capult family and the Montague family have found the error in there ways and the stupidity in there fighting. It just took two teenagers to show them the light, much like teenagers can change adult’s ways of thinking today.

Bibliography

Romen & Juliet, By Shakespeare