...HATRED AND VIOLENCE BREED ONLY TRAGGEDY Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare. “Hatred and violence breed only tragedy”, is a major theme in this play. The Montague and Capulet are two rival families. They were involved in a family feud that goes back years before anyone can remember. However, the grudge still continues, due to the fact that both families are not ready to forgive and forget the past. The families’ ongoing quarrels and feud, lead to the deaths of several characters including the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. The characters who died first in Romeo and Juliet are Mercutio and Tybalt. They were associated in each other’s deaths. Tybalt, hot-tempered cousin of Juliet, vowed to get revenge on Romeo for sneaking in to the Capulet Ball without an invitation. The day Tybalt came seeking for Romeo, is the day he was wedded to young Juliet. Romeo wants to keep peace between him and his new relative but Tybalt keeps tantalizing him with rude insults and remarks. Romeo, not wanting to pick a fight, retrieves and soon Mercutio jumps in because he wants to defend his best friend. Tybalt and Mercutio challenge each other to a sword fight. Romeo tries to stop them because he does not want his best friend or his relative to get hurt so he intervenes. At that moment, Tybalt stabbed Mercutio “under Romeo’s arm”. In anger and guilt, Romeo retaliates and catches Tybalt, and because of his impulsiveness, Romeo kills Tybalt. Mercutio's death resulted...
Words: 740 - Pages: 3
...of the Function of Speed in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is an avalanche. As a loose pebble in the snowcapped mountain wobbles in the wind, Romeo yodels to Juliet in the cliffs just to send it tumbling, lightly, down a vertical abyss. It does not end there, of course, for this pebble held back the rocks and boulders constituting the height of the peak, and the reaction now begins as each individual stone rolls with momentum. They pick up speed and snow, growing in velocity and size until the inevitable occurs and Romeo and Juliet are engulfed in the upheaval and finished forever. William Shakespeare’s version of the play Romeo and Juliet, taken from Arthur Brooke’s play similarly titled Romeus and Juliet, is a fast paced tragedy in which a boy and girl from two feuding families meet, fall in love, bond in matrimony, and commit suicide in a matter of four days. Compared to the nine-month romance that takes place in Brooke’s play, Shakespeare’s version is a consciously hastened piece of work during which the most significant parts of a young couple’s lives begin and end in less than one week. Speed, a well-utilized literary tool in Shakespeare’s play, serves to emphasize emotion, as opposed to reason, in the characters’ decisions. Through this device, Shakespeare demonstrates his skills as a playwright by showing control of time in the play. Perhaps the most well known episode in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the balcony scene is a prime example of passionate...
Words: 2118 - Pages: 9
...of Romeo and Juliet written by Shakespeare in 1595 is about a love relationship trying to rise above anger, family feuds and other challenges. The main theme centers on romance especially of the leading characters – Romeo and his Juliet. The story takes places in the city of Verona where it was ruled by a prince. Romeo and Juliet falls in love instantly on their first meeting and live through their dream of marrying and living together. But, the city is full of anger by a long feud between their lovers’ families - the Montagues and the Capulets. This fued leads to varies fights, efforts and plots to break up the lovers. Sadly It ends by Juliet killing herself, and shortly after Romeo does the same thing out of despair. Their sad and hopeless endings does in the end bring good to the city as both families decides to end their fights and issues live in peace. Shakespeare cleverly tells this story in a emotional narration fully of drama enhanced through is effective use of poetic device and dramatic techniques. After reading this intense story and almost living through its acts and scenes, I will analyze the techniques used by Shakespeare and how they convey the themes love and fate in this powerful play. My focus will be on scene 2, Act 1. I scene 2, A .. In Scene … to the long disagreement between their families – the. The story takes place in romantic city of Verona where any families it interrupts the city of Verona and causes tragic results for Romeo and...
Words: 486 - Pages: 2
...love he feels for Juliet. Shakespeare uses literary devices such as celestial and religious imagery to portray this change. When Romeo for the first time sets his eyes on Juliet he uses light imagery to express his feelings ‘arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon’. For Romeo, Juliet is the sun who has brought brightness into his life. This beautifully romantic imagery highlights the purity of Romeo’s feelings and underscores to the reader the powerful force of love that Romeo is now entangled in. Moreover, Shakespeare uses religious imagery to underscore purity and strength of Romeo’s feelings. The protagonist refers to Juliet as a ‘bright angel’, who is ‘a winged messenger of heaven’ and as a ‘dear saint’. This religious imagery underscores the perfection of Romeo’s love to Juliet – just as angels and saints aregood and perfect, to Romeo, she is so too. Interestingly, in Act 2 Scene 2 Romeo’s syntax becomes more structured and less broken down by the constant repetition of ‘o’ – ‘the brightness of her cheek would shame those stars/As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven/Would through the airy region stream so bright’. Through change in syntax, Shakespeare signals to the reader Romeo’s changed attitude to love –he is no longer bewildered, but he is ascertained in his strong and passionate feeling to Juliet.Finally, Romeo’s blind love towards Juliet is underscored by the use of dramatic irony in Act 2 Scene 2, adding suspense and tension to the play. Romeo says, ‘henceforth...
Words: 387 - Pages: 2
...Romeo and Juliet: The Movie I believe that this play/movie is based off of a conflict theory. The reason I say this is because both families here are trying to gain power and also trying to be the dominant family. As I go into detail on this movie it will explain the conflict theory. William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is fully summarized in Shakespeare's prologue: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny where civil blood make civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers who take their life" (Universal, 1996). This movie is a masterful culmination of the director's phenomenal ability to create a powerful introduction, to select a realistic, but surreal setting, to choose realistic actors, and to enact specialized dramatic effects. Sitting in the theater, watching this movie for the first time, I heard static break in to interrupt the beginning credits. A newscaster, sounding serious, came on the screen in a special report. I sat up to pay attention. She was reporting a tragedy that had recently happened in some place called Verona. I was pulled in thinking it to be a true special report. Ah-hah!! It was a trick. A trick to get people to do just what I did. Trained are we to listen to newscasts, our life-line in present day society, where we receive a lot of our information. A trick, and...
Words: 2074 - Pages: 9
...William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest writers of all times. One of his most famous tragic plays is Romeo and Juliet. Within this play Shakespeare takes characters, events and themes to model human behaviours. Within Act III, Scene I it displays both characters and events that demonstrate human behaviour. When Tybalt and Romeo quarrel and Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, it all ends tragically with Tybalt slaying Mercutio. Within Act III, Scene I this is revealed by the way the characters are portrayed within the scene with the different personality types for each of the characters. Human behaviour is also modelled with the events that occur and who the characters react to the situations that occur within the scene. The themes of death and haste also occur within the Act III, Scene I and these themes which relate back to human behaviour in through the events and the way the characters react. Looking at characters, events and themes in depth the audience can see how within this tragic scene human behaviours are explored within the text. The characters within Romeo and Juliet all have completely different personality types. Mercutio is a believable character as he represents a care free character that is not afraid to do or say what he likes, in a way he just does not care what people think of him. In Act III, Scene I Benvolio warns that the Capulet’s are coming and that they should move off the street. Mercutio replies with “By my heel, I care not”, which means...
Words: 908 - Pages: 4
...------------------------------------------------- Romeo and Juliet Mini Essay 3.4 The idea of love for young men, especially Romeo is more attraction than relationship. Both Romeo and Juliet are fairly young, so the qualification for their love is either 'fake' or 'real'. Both Romeo and Juliet saw each other as deep, true lovers but realistically the love both of the character developed was infatuation. Romeo sees Juliet as the beautiful woman in the world or the most beautiful girl he saw far. Simultaneously Juliet sees Romeo as the most handsome guy she has ever seen. Both of the lovers based their love on appearance of the other. Romeo's love is only the desire of lust. According to the character list Romeo is described as someone who likes the idea of love. Being in love is appealing to him. Towards the beginning of the play Romeo decides to be in love with Rosaline. After being supposedly rejected by Rosaline, sulking Romeo goes to the Capulet banquet to see Rosaline but instead he "falls" in love Juliet. Friar Laurence correctly describes Romeo's case of love regarding the fact of his fairly fast movement from heart break to new love. "Holy saint Francis, what a change is there! Is Rosaline whom thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men's love then lies, not truly in their hearts but in their eyes." (I. ii 61-4). Romeo's respond to friar's comment by justifying his cause, "I pray thee chide me not, her I love now, doth grace for...
Words: 883 - Pages: 4
...What would you do for love? Would you sacrifice your life for the people you love? “Romeo and Juliet” is a thrilling play that demonstrates both love and hate. Love and hate both come at a cost, whether you lose something you love or something happens that you hate. As Mohandas Gandhi said “Hatred always kills, love never dies.” The play Romeo and Juliet demonstrates and expresses 3 main points relating to this quote. Those main points are love, hate, and marriage. Romeo and Juliet is portrayed as a “love” story but Shakespeare sets it up as a pain and death story. Romeo is in love with a woman named Rosaline at the beginning of the play. Juliet has never thought about getting married before her mother brings up the idea of marrying Paris. Shakespeare has to set their tale as ill-fated at the beginning (as “two star-crossed lovers” ) not only because their families hate each other, but because they do not know anything about what true love really is or even what life is like in the real adult world. When Romeo first lays his eyes upon Juliet, he is overwhelmed by how beautiful she is. He immediately forgets about Rosaline and wants to meet Juliet. Romeo saw Juliet at a ball he never intended on going to. For a few days he kept to himself and was thinking about how much he loves Rosaline. Eventually, Romeos cousin Benvolio convinces him to go. Romeo thinks that there is no point to go but Benvolio tells him “At this same ancient feast of the Capulet's sups the fair Rosaline...
Words: 1321 - Pages: 6
...question on everyone’s mind is whether Romeo and Juliet were driven by true lust or love? Some may argue that they lust over each other, and do not truly love each other. Sexual desire is not the case for Romeo and Juliet; it is merely inexperience and immaturity. Firstly, Romeo is just another confused teenager, he does not know love, but he wants love. Romeo is not in love with Juliet or Rosaline, but rather, in love with the idea of love. He goes off of impressions and does not know who Juliet really is, due to the brief amount of time they have been together. In the early parts of the play, Romeo is shown with internal conflict, desperately in love with Rosaline, but the minute he sees Juliet, he changes his mind. Juliet is also inexperienced with love, so she has strong feelings over Romeo's impression. Secondly, it is impossible for one to fall in love at first sight, despite popular belief. Love is something that takes time to develop slowly. However, a week is not enough time for love to develop. It is true that Romeo and Juliet were devoted to each other until their very deaths, but it was not true love that they had. Love and infatuation differ so slightly that this remains a common misconception even today. Lastly, Juliet had men hand-picked by her parents, whom she did not approve of. Juliet was a teenager and felt trapped underneath her parents' constant reminder than she had no freedom - and so she rebelled. Juliet never was able to have her say in the...
Words: 708 - Pages: 3
...Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Edexcel Certificate KET0/01 Edexcel International GCSE 4ET0/01 English Literature Paper 1: Drama and Prose Section A: Drama The purpose of this pack is to provide centres with the question paper, mark scheme and a set of exemplars with commentaries. Included in this pack: • Question from Summer 2012 paper • Marked scripts with the mark and band • Examiner commentary and mark scheme Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare 5 EITHER (a) How far do you agree that the character of Tybalt is presented as the villain of this play? OR (b) In what ways is the theme of death explored in this play? (Total for Question 5 = 30 marks) Candidate A response to part (a) 22 marks Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Examiner summary: The answer is focused very strongly on the question, choosing an argument that is fully relevant and well balanced. Points are well sustained and thorough development is evident, for example the idea that Tybalt’s love of confrontation is ‘more than just a family feud’. Understanding is thorough and there is sustained appreciation of the writer’s craft in the presentation of this character. The answer meets Level 4 criteria securely. Level this response achieves in the mark scheme: Level Level 4 Mark 1924 A01/A02/AO4 • Thorough knowledge and understanding of the text...
Words: 613 - Pages: 3
...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO AND JULIET By ARTHEA J.S. REED, PH.D. S E R I E S W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., E D I T O R S : UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an excellent introduction to Shakespearean drama; teenagers can relate to its plot, characters, and themes. The play’s action is easily understood, the character’s motives are clear, and many of the themes are as current today as they were in Shakespeare’s time. Therefore, it can be read on a variety of levels, allowing all students to enjoy it. Less able readers can experience the swash-buckling action and investigate the themes of parent-child conflict, sexuality, friendship, and suicide. Because of the play’s accessibility to teenagers, able readers can view the play from a more literary perspective, examining the themes of hostility ad its effect on the innocent, the use of deception and its consequences, and the effects of faulty decision making. They can study how the characters function within the drama and how Shakespeare uses language to develop plot, characters, and themes. The most able students can develop skills involved in literary criticism by delving into the play’s comic and tragic elements and its classically...
Words: 7462 - Pages: 30
...Romeo and Juliet were born into the feud their families had been fighting for generations. It is much like the countries that have hated each other for as long as anyone can remember. The minor characters even started a brawl at the beginning of the play over a simple little insult. In fact all through the story violence was impacting major events. The best example of this of course is the ending. Violence not only affected the ending to Romeo and Juliet it was the reason for most events leading and including the ending. For some people escaping a life style can be impossible no madder how hard you try. Growing up in the violent families Romeo and Juliet did they gain the means of having lethal weapons like poison and swords. If Romeo wasn’t part of the feud or carry a sword he couldn’t have killed tybalt. Of course then he wouldn’t have gotten in trouble and banished. Also he couldn’t have gotten the poison from Friar Laurence to kill himself. Although carrying a sword would be normal back in the 17th century poison was a touchy subject. As Friar Lawrence put it “every plant, herb, and stone has its own special properties”, The theme of the story was violence. Romeo and Juliet were always connected to passion, whether the passion was love or hate. The connection between hate and violence is obvious but the connection between love and violence isn’t. Love much like hate can make people do things they never would do under normal circumstances. When Romeo and Juliet first...
Words: 343 - Pages: 2
...Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare between the years 1591-1595, it is and it was one of the most well-known and well-quoted piece of English literature. Audience during Shakespeare times would watch his plays for fun and entertainment because they don’t have anything to do or to play with. The prologue creates tension because it starts to build up the following scene. The main themes of the play are when Romeo and Juliet fall in love and die together, this shows that two enemies fall in love and die together. Their families’ hate each other which makes them fought their lives for each other. ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers takes their life.’ It is a romantic quote which shows they both love each other so badly. It is also a romantic play with a lot of action. Shakespeare wanted to mix these two themes together because he wanted the audience to see how good his plays were. We know that Romeo is a teenager who is trying to find a girl. He wants a girl called Rosaline but she wants to be a nun. He keeps going after her but she is hard to get and to love. Romeo is a keen person and he wants to know what is happening around him. He is quite young to get married. Romeo is only 16 years old. Romeo uses religious words to describe Juliet when he sees her. Juliet is only 14 years old. Romeo is invited to the Capulet’s party and sees Juliet and then he forgets about Rosaline and falls in love with Juliet. Shakespeare starts Act 1 Scene 1 with servants in the kitchen, because he...
Words: 1303 - Pages: 6
...The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is about two star-crossed lovers that come from rival families, yet fate brings them together and despite the grudge that each family holds for each other. In life, people change, in good drama just like the characters in Romeo and Juliet. It can be explored through the characters: Lord Capulet, Friar Lawrence and Romeo Montague. Lord Capulet started off being very moderate but towards the end he becomes immoderate, with the rushing of the wedding of Juliet and Paris. Friar Lawrence changes from trying to help everyone else into being selfish and helping himself. Lastly, Romeo Montague changes from being a silly, lustful young boy into a mature man. At the beginning of the play, Lord Capulet is a moderate and genial man . A significant quote about Lord Capulet from the opening section of the play is: “ What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!”This quote suggests that Lord Capulet was eager to fight despite his age and authority. A major turning point for Lord Capulet is when he forces Juliet into marrying Paris and threatens her that if she does not marry Paris, then she had better not look upon him ever again. and calls her a “disobedient wretch” By the end of the play, Lord Capulet displays the following qualities: Impatient, tyrant and nastiness. An important quote supporting this is: “An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend......” This illustrates that Lord Capulet has made a decision that Paris should be Juliet’s...
Words: 753 - Pages: 4
...elements are in place. The hatred of the Montagues and Capulets. That Romeo is lovesick and in love with the idea of love. The fate of what will befall the next person to disturb the peace. And now Romeo and Juliet in love. The curtain closes on a note of high drama and feeling. The storyteller has brought the audience to this height of feeling by potently and directly putting into play the elements of the story. Very little is withheld for some far off plot effect or revelation. What's important to setting up and advancing this story has been presented in a clear, dramatic way with poetic grace and wit. In a script written by a struggling storyteller, one could imagine the brawl that opens Romeo and Juliet being the climax of act one. Because Shakespeare had a clear sense of his story and how to escalate its drama, he doesn't delay setting out the conflict that fuels it. In this story, if Shakespeare writes that one character doesn't like another, one can surmise they will meet in either that scene or the next. Because of this arrangement of the story's elements, the play's audience develops a sense of trust the author won't introduce characters for no clear dramatic purpose, introduce information but delay its import. When Romeo is introduced, he is already lovesick, and very poetic and direct about it. What he's feeling isn't withheld to create a revelation at the end of act one. Because it defines Romeo, it comes out in his opening scene. Further, the dramatic purpose of...
Words: 473 - Pages: 2
