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ROMEO AND JULIET THEMES

Love
Though Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most archetypal love story in the English language,
it portrays only a very specific type of love: young, irrational, passionate love. In the play,
Shakespeare ultimately suggests that the kind of love that Romeo and Juliet feel leads lovers
to enact a selfish isolation from the world around them. Romeo and Juliet eschew their
commitments to anyone else, choosing to act selflessly only towards one another. Sexuality does
pervade the play, both through bawdy jokes and in the way that Romeo and Juliet anticipate
consummating their marriage, but it does not define their love. Instead, their youthful lust is one
of many reasons why their relationship grows so intense so quickly. Throughout the play,
Shakespeare only describes Romeo and Juliet's love as a short-term burst of youthful passion. In
most of his work, Shakespeare was more interested in exploring the sparks of infatuation than
long-term commitment. Considering that no other relationships in the play are as pure as that
between Romeo and Juliet, though, it is easy to see that Shakespeare respects the power of such a
youthful, passionate love but also laments the transience of it.

Death
In Romeo and Juliet, death is everywhere. Even before the play shifts in tone
after Mercutio's death, Shakespeare makes several references to death being Juliet's
bridegroom. The threat of violence that pervades the first acts manifests itself in the
latter half of the play, when key characters die and the titular lovers approach their
terrible end. There are several ways in which the characters in Romeo and Juliet consider
death. Romeo attempts suicide in Act III as an act of cowardice, but when he seeks out
the Apothecary in Act V, it is a sign of strength and solidarity. The Chorus establishes the
story's tragic end at the beginning of the play, which colors the audience's experience
from the start - we know that this youthful, innocent love will end in tragedy. The
structure of the play as a tragedy from the beginning makes Romeo and Juliet's love
even more heartbreaking because the audience is aware of their impending deaths. The
journey of the play is the cycle from love to death - and that is what makes Romeo and
Julie so lasting and powerful.

Age
Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare establishes the ideological divide that often
separates youths from adults. The characters in the play can all be categorized as
either young, passionate characters or older, more functional characters. The youthful
characters are almost exclusively defined by their energy and impulsiveness – like
Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Tybalt. Meanwhile, the older characters all view the world
in terms of politics and expediency. The Capulet and Montague patriarchs are certainly
feisty competitors, but think in terms of victory as a concept, ignoring the potential
emotional toll of their feud. Friar Laurence, who ostensibly represents Romeo and Juliet's
interests, sees their union in terms of its political outcome, while the young lovers are
only concerned with satisfying their rapidly beating hearts. While Shakespeare does not
posit a moral to the divide between young and old, it appears throughout the play,
suggesting that the cynicism that comes with age is one of the many reasons that
humans inevitably breed strife amongst themselves. It also implicitly provides a reason
for young lovers to seek to separate themselves from an 'adult' world of political
violence and bartering.

Identity
Romeo and Juliet suggests that individuals are often hamstrung by the identities forced upon
them from outside. Most notably, this theme is manifest in Juliet's balcony soliloquy, in which
she asks, "Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" (2.1.75). The central obstacle of the
play is that the two passionate lovers are separated by a feud based on their family names. The
fact that their love has little to do with their given identities means nothing to the world around
them, and so they must choose to eschew those identities while they are together. Unfortunately,
this act of rejection also means Romeo and Juliet must ignore the world outside their comfortable
cocoon, and, as a result, the violent forces ultimately crash down upon them. A strong sense of
identity can certainly be a boon in life, but in this play, it only forces separation between the
characters. Even Mercutio, who is not actually a Montague, is killed for his association with that
family. The liveliest characters in Romeo and Juliet die not because of who they are, but
because of the labels that the outside world has foisted upon them.

Gender
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare upends certain gender expectations while
simultaneously reminding his audience that these defined roles do exist. Romeo
arguably displays feminine characteristics, at least as defined by his peers. He ignores
all calls to action, and has little use for the aggression that most males around him
exhibit. His pensive nature is cause for his friends' mockery. Even after he falls in love,
Romeo is far less prone to action than Juliet, who in fact shows a tendency towards
efficient maneuvering that is otherwise exhibited by male characters in the play. She
makes quick decisions, like her idea that she and Romeo should wed, and is not easily
discouraged by bad news. In these two protagonists, Shakespeare is certainly reversing
what his Elizabethan audience would have expected, as he frequently did with his
heroines. However, the pressures on Juliet to get married – especially from Lord
Capulet, who is interested only in a good match and uninterested in love – remind the
audience that such atypical strength in a woman can be threatening to a patriarchal
society. Juliet's individualism is quickly quashed by her father's insistence on a marriage
to Paris, and though she ultimately outwits him, his demands are a reminder that the
world of Romeo and Juliet did not value reversals of gender roles as much as the
audience might have.

Revenge
Romeo and Juliet suggests that the desire for revenge is both a natural and a devastating
human quality. From the moment that the play spirals towards disaster in Act III, most of
the terrible events are initiated by revenge. Tybalt seeks out Romeo and kills Mercutio
from a half-cooked desire for revenge over Romeo's attendance at the masquerade ball,
and Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio. Romeo's desire for revenge is so
overpowering that he does not pause to think about how his attack on Tybalt will
compromise his recent marriage to Juliet. Of course, the basic set-up of the play is
contingent on a long-standing feud between the Montagues and Capulets, the cause of
which no longer matters. All that matters is that these families have continued to avenge
forgotten slights for generations. Though Shakespare rarely, if ever, moralizes, Romeo
and Juliet certainly presents revenge as a senseless action that always causes more
harm than good.

Marriage
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare does not paint an attractive picture of the institution of
marriage. The only positive portrayal of matrimony – between the titular lovers – can
only be conducted in secret, and even Friar Laurence slightly disapproves because
Romeo and Juliet have decided to wed so quickly. Shakespeare seems to be
suggesting that marriage based on pure love does not belong in a world that abuses the
sacred union. The manner in which Lord Capulet insists upon Juliet's marriage to Paris
suggests both the way he views his daughter as object and the way in which marriage
can serve as a weapon against a rebellious young woman. Even the religious figure,
Friar Laurence, sees marriage as political; he marries Romeo and Juliet to gain the
political power end the feud between their families, and not because he necessarily
approves of their love. Ultimately, the central marriage in Romeo and Juliet ends in death,
showing that this kind of passionate, irrational union cannot exist in a world fueled by
hate and revenge.
Romeo and Juliet

Analysis
Act 2 is more focused than Act 1, in that it mostly serves to establish the marriage which
will become the root of the play's dramatic conflict. However, within the the streamlined
plot, Shakespeare explores the complications of love. The theme of love is central to
Act 2 of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet fall in love instantly, and marry one day
later, sealing their future. The balcony scene is crucial to understanding their
relationship because it allows Romeo and Juliet to test their initial passion and gain the
courage to move forward with a marriage plan.
The love that Romeo and Juliet share is the opposite of the selfish love that
Shakespeare references in the opening acts of the play. Shakespeare compares Juliet
to the sun, and she is one of the most generous characters in the play. She reveals her
selflessness when she declares, "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, / My love as
deep. The more I give thee / The more I have, for both are infinite" (2.1.175-177).
Rosaline, on the other hand, prefers to keep her beauty to herself. Shakespeare
heightens this contrast when Romeo describes Rosaline as a Diana (the goddess of the
moon) and tells Juliet, "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon" (2.1.46).

In the balcony scene, Romeo and Juliet recognize this selfish brand of love and then
transcend it. The garden setting is more than just a secretive meeting place – it invokes
images of a pastoral Eden, which symbolizes both purity and virginity. Romeo and
Juliet's connection is simultaneously rooted in pure love and unbridled passion. At the
beginning of the balcony scene, Romeo invades Juliet's privacy without her invitation,
which becomes doubly apparent when he overhears her soliloquy. Here, Shakespeare
breaks the convention of the soliloquy, which is traditionally a speech where a character
shares his or her inner thoughts only with the audience. That Romeo serves as a
reminder of the cost of intimacy. cherishes Romeo's interruption
Major Characters
Romeo
The hero and one of the protagonists of Romeo and Juliet. The son of Old Montague, he is at first in
love with Lord Capulet’s niece, Rosaline. When he goes to a feast given by Capulet, he attends the
feast in a mask, meets Capulet’s daughter Juliet, falls in love with her, and becomes passionate and
impulsive.

Juliet
The heroine and one of the protagonists of the play. She is the thirteen-year-old daughter of Capulet.
She is a happy, romantic, and an innocent girl who falls in love with Romeo.

Friar Lawrence
The person who is responsible for helping Romeo and Juliet. He is a good man with good intentions.

MINOR CHARACTERS
Escalus
The Prince of Verona. He is tired of the fighting in his city and threatens anyone who
disturbs the peace with death.

Paris The Montagues


One of the two major families of Verona. They are bitter enemies of the Capulets.

The Capulets
One of the two major families of Verona. They are bitter enemies of the Montagues.

A young nobleman and kinsman of the Prince. He is handsome and courteous and
favorable to the Capulets. They arrange for Juliet to marry him since they do not realize
she is married to Romeo.

Benvolio
A nephew of Montague and a friend of Romeo.

Mercutio
A relative of the Prince, who relies on satire and serves as comic relief to the
melancholy mood of Romeo. He is responsible for making the young lovers aware of
the practical aspects of love.

Tybalt
Lady Capulet’s nephew, who is quick to anger. He constantly provokes Romeo to fight.
In the end, Romeo kills him.

Friar John
A Friar in the same church as Friar Lawrence. He is sent to deliver a message to
Romeo in Mantua about Friar Lawrence’s plan for the lovers.
Lady Capulet
The young wife of Capulet, who has an ugly temper. She is humbled by the death of her
daughter Juliet.

Lady Montague
The wife of Montague who hates the violence that plagues Verona. When she learns of
the suicide of her son Romeo, she grieves herself to death and becomes another victim
of the old family conflict.

Balthazar
Servant to Romeo.

Samson and Gregory


Servants to the Capulets.

Peter
Servant to Juliet’s nurse. He helps keep the family quarrel alive.

Abraham
Servant to the Montagues. He also helps keep the family quarrel alive.

SETTING
The play is set in the thirteenth or fourteenth century in Italy in Verona and Mantua. Much of the
action takes place in Juliet’s house. Two cities of Venice are also mentioned in the play. The Capulets
and the Montagues, the main families of the play, are from noble lineage and wealth; they dress well,
live in fancy surroundings, and are served by many attendants. The play’s basic setting, therefore, is
rich and elegant.

Plot of romeo and juliet

In the streets of Verona another brawl breaks out between the servants of the feuding
noble families of Capulet and Montague. Benvolio, a Montague, tries to stop the
fighting, but is himself embroiled when the rash Capulet, Tybalt, arrives on the scene.
After citizens outraged by the constant violence beat back the warring factions, Prince
Escalus, the ruler of Verona, attempts to prevent any further conflicts between the
families by decreeing death for any individual who disturbs the peace in the future.
MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS

Light and Dark


In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the play is moved forward using elements to
engage us and keep us wanting more. The use of light and dark is meant to provide sensory
contrast rather than an explanation of good vs. evil. This imagery is most often referred to by
comparing day to night.
We see the importance of light and dark in the opening scene of the play. After a street brawl,
Montague and Lady Montague stay behind to speak with Benvolio. Lady Montague is happy that
her son did not take part in the brawl, but she questions whether Benvolio has seen him. He says,
'Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun
Peer'd forth the golden window of the east,
A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad . . . .'
Montague and Lady Montague worry that he is avoiding the sunlight because he is depressed
because Romeo has been seen walking deep in the woods.
Later, Romeo and Benvolio are at the Montague feast, and Romeo is pining over Rosaline. Benvolio
tells Romeo that he will show him ladies that will shine brighter than Romeo has ever seen. Benvolio
says:
'Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow'
Romeo replies:
'The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.'
Benvolio will not be dissuaded from his attempt to lift Romeo's spirits. He says that at the Capulet
feast he will show Romeo maids that will shine so brightly that Romeo will forget all about Rosaline.
When Romeo first spies Juliet, he is dumbfounded. He can't believe his eyes. He tells us that she
shines brighter than any light he has ever seen:
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
He offers the contrast to the light in these lines:
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
His use of light and dark in describing his fair maiden helps us see her as he does. The use of dark
in his language makes her light shine even brighter. There are many examples of the juxtaposition
between light and dark, which is fitting considering the movement between comedy and tragedy, and
the fated love of Romeo and Juliet.

Opposing Points of View


In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio is a voice that provides the audience with an alternate point of view
on a variety of subjects. When Romeo is blind with love, he feels as though Romeo is unable to see
the reality of the situation. When we are witness to Tybalt's sense of honor, it is Mercutio who
reminds us that such single-minded devotion renders a person both blind and stupid.
Mercutio is equally critical of the servants. He is vocal about his disdain when the musicians care
about their lost wages. We are shown the gulf between the nobility who thrive on duels and drama
and the servants who worry about realities such as poverty and disease.

Poison
The poison plays a larger role than just that of a tool used to bring about death. It is the embodiment
of Romeo's love for Juliet. When Romeo awakens to find Juliet apparently dead, he realizes he will
not, cannot live without her. He says as he prepares to drink the poison and join his beloved Juliet:

MOOD AND TONE


Here's much to do with hate, but more with love," Romeo says at the play's beginning,
and the dynamics of extreme emotion define the tone of the play (1.1.180). Romeo and
Juliet deals in extremes that overlap or transform into each other. The Friar's lone voice
of moderation is drowned out by storms of passion and violence; the insults tossed back
and forth between the Montagues and Capulets alternate with Romeo and Juliet's loving
exchanges of vows.
Even the play's highly sexualized language is often discussed in violent terms: "If he be
marrièd, / my grave is like to be my wedding bed," Juliet says before she learns
Romeo's identity (1.5.148-149), and then, "I should kill thee with much cherishing"
(2.2.198). All this strong emotion demands resolution—and it doesn't seem to much
matter whether we get that resolution through kiss or through a sword.

Connection to the society


Here's much to do with hate, but more with love," Romeo says at the play's beginning,
and the dynamics of extreme emotion define the tone of the play (1.1.180). Romeo and
Juliet deals in extremes that overlap or transform into each other. The Friar's lone voice
of moderation is drowned out by storms of passion and violence; the insults tossed back
and forth between the Montagues and Capulets alternate with Romeo and Juliet's loving
exchanges of vows.
Even the play's highly sexualized language is often discussed in violent terms: "If he be
marrièd, / my grave is like to be my wedding bed," Juliet says before she learns
Romeo's identity (1.5.148-149), and then, "I should kill thee with much cherishing"
(2.2.198). All this strong emotion demands resolution—and it doesn't seem to much
matter whether we get that resolution through kiss or through a sword.

Conclusion
Encompassing The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet are various literary elements, which
begins with the chorus telling of the ill-fated lovers’ demise. “From forth the fatal loins of
these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, whose misadventured
piteous overthrows, Doth wit-h their death bury their parents’ strife” (prologue.5-8).
During the course of the tragedy, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and comic relief all
play a pertinent role in developing profundity, and emotional attachments.

And, here is my 're-stated thesis': Playing a pertinent role in developing profundity, and
emotional attachments is dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and comic relief.
PERFORMANCE
TASK
IN ENGLISH
SUBMITTED TO:

MA AM MYLENE DE VERA

SUBMITTED BY:

ALEXIS MARION BAGOLBAGOL

ST FRANCIS
"Don't Know What To Do, Don't Know What To Say"

I have loved you only in my mind


But I know that there will come a time
You'll feel this feeling I have inside

You're a 'hopeless romantic' is what they say


Falling in and out of love just like a play
Memorizing each line I still don't know what to say
What to say...

[Refrain:]
Don't know what to do whenever you are near
Don't know what to say my heart is floating in tears
When you pass by I could fly
Every minute every second of the day
I dream of you in the most special way
You're beside me all the time

I have loved you and I'll always will


Call it crazy but I know someday you'll feel
This feeling I have for you inside

I'm a hopeless romantic I know I am


Memorized all the lines but here I am
Struggling for words I still don't know what to say

Don't know what to do whenever you are near


Don't know what to say my heart is floating in tears
When you pass by I could fly
Every minute every second of the day
I dream of you in the most special way
You're beside me all the time

Every minute every second of the day


I dream of you in the most special way
You're beside me all the time

All the time...


All the time...
All the time...

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