The Role Of Love In Romeo And Juliet Essay, Research Paper

The modern literature community recognizes Shakespeare as one of the most brilliant minds in the history of dramatic theatre. His unmatched ability to represent human behavior and emotion makes the love in Romeo and Juliet the driving force behind the play’s success. Shakespeare incorporated many different types of love in order to capture the hearts of the Elizabeth Era.Juliet’s nurse shows amazing concern for the young girl’s well being. She, in some ways, takes the place of her natural mother (”Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet”). Lady Capulet treated Juliet as a na?ve young girl with no knowledge and feelings of her own. Nurse recognized the maturity of Juliet and helped to make her truly content. During the entire traumatic experience of arranging a marriage between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, the nurse aided the two young lovers in their quest to be together. She acts as a messenger from Romeo, Juliet, and the friar (”Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet”). Despite the nurse’s efforts the plans go array because of the arranged marriage between Juliet and Paris. At this time, the nurse shows her love for Juliet once again. She goes to Juliet’s defense and stands up to Lord Capulet by saying: “God in heaven bless her!/ You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so.”(Act III, Scene 5, Line169-170). One is easily able to see the motherly care the nurse shows for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.The counterpart to the love nurse displays for Juliet as a “mother” is the fatherly love the Friar gives to Romeo. The prince exiles Romeo because of his murder of Tybalt. This leaves the young man alone and scared of his future. The only person available to aid Romeo in his sufferings is the Friar. He tells the fugitive “Arise, one knocks/ Good Romeo, hide thyself” (Act III, Scene 3, Line 71). This shows that Friar puts himself at risk in order to make certain no harm comes to Romeo He provides insight to the situation at hand and helps Romeo to see the next course of action. Another example of fatherly love was shown through Lord Capulet to Juliet. He saw that his daughter was in great grief over the death of Tybalt and the exile of her love Romeo. He lovingly tries to ease her remorse by finding a husband for Juliet. He presents the arrangement in an attempt to lighten the spirits of his daughter:”Soft! Take me with you, take me with you, wife/ How? Will She none? Doth she not give me thanks?/ Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest/ Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought/ So worthy a gentlemen to her bride?” (Act III, Scene 5, Line 142-146). However, his plan backfires and worsens the situation. Juliet rejects his proposal, which send Lord Capulet on a rampage. I believe that he cared deeply for his daughter. The reason for his anger and fit was a mere case of frustration. He had tried his best to help his daughter, and the attempt had failed. Capulet felt helpless as his daughter slipped further and further into depression. He thought that if she would give the marriage a chance, Juliet would find true happiness. Obviously he did not know the true motive behind Juliet’s rejection, or he might have halted his efforts.The love of a mother and father figure is necessary for a character to mature. However, the character cannot be fully sound without input from a peer position. Benvolio provides this insight for Romeo. He tries to reason with the love-sicken Romeo after losing Rosaline. He is the one to convince Romeo to go to the Capulet ball in order to meet a lady more beautiful than Rosaline (”Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet”). Benvolio allows Romeo to progress with his life instead of wallowing in his self-pity. He strengthened Romeo’s character and gave him a more experienced outlook on love. Romeo also displayed friendly love throughout the play. The first instance of this is when he tries to prevent a fight between Mercutio and Tybalt (pg. 652, Line 83). Romeo tries to reason with Mercutio, telling him “Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up” (Act III, Scene 1, Line 83), however, does not heed to the warnings and thus arrives upon and early death. The love Romeo showed for his friend does not end at his death. The young, brave man rushes off to avenge the death of Mercutio. He starts a battle with Tybalt in order to take vengeance on his Mercutio’s life:”Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain?/ Away to heaven respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!/ Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again that late though gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul I but a little way above our heads/ Staying for thine to keep him company/ Either thou or I, or both, must go with him” (Act III, Scene 1, Line 121-129)Without the ever-present love among the peers of the characters in Romeo and Juliet, the plot would have never developed into such an enticing storyline.Perhaps all these examples of love have let up to one inevitable type of love. The love that changes a person’s soul and captures the hearts of all who hear the tale (”Theme 1- Love”). Obviously the love described is the true love that is the driving force behind this great Shakespearean tragedy. Romeo and Juliet show their undying love time and time again throughout the play. Their love was recognized, first, on the infamous balcony scene. Romeo sneaks to Juliet’s window, and they profess their love for one another (Act II, Scene 2). This scene initially gives the reader a concept of how the two feel towards each other. This dialogue would not be enough to represent the amazing love the couple felt. The words must be accompanied by actions. The first act was Juliet drinking the sleeping potion, “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, I drink to thee” (Act IV, Scene 4, Line 58). This took a great deal of motivation in order to drive Juliet to such extremes to be with her lover. Her aching heart provided this motivation. Romeo finds his love lying motionless in the tomb. Now it is time for him to prove his love for Juliet, as she has done for him. Romeo finds a deadly poison and proceeds to take his life with this drink. As he dies, he says “thus with a kiss I die” (Act V, Scene 3, Line 120). Juliet quickly awakens to find her love that she risked her life for to be dead. Her soul perhaps overwhelms her common sense. She draws a sword and takes her own life beside her fallen husband.Love is the most important aspect of Romeo and Juliet (”Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet”). Shakespeare’s understanding of this emotion allowed him to set the tone for many romantic and tragic playwrights to follow. His impact on our world can never be measured, but the play Romeo and Juliet was, no doubt, a revolutionary play in the history of literature.SOURCES”Theme 1- Love.” Romeo and Juliet. Thinkquest. Accessed: 4/00. http://library.thinkquest.org/19539/randj.htm#taeBaird, Robert. “William Shakespeare.” Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1993-1996.”Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet.” Planet Papers. Accessed: 5/00. http://www.planetpapers.com/count.cgi?ID=1118.

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