Romeo And Juilet Essay, Research Paper

Romeo and Juliet Essay

Love vs. Hatred

Romeo and Juliet was written containing a great deal of love and hatred. The two combined created tragedy. This William Shakespeare play centres on two disputing families in Verona Italy and two young lovers belonging to the families. The two lovers are Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. This play proves that love can rise even when families come from a background of hatred although this one results in tragedy. The two families feel that their hatred would not allow its members to love a person belonging to the opposite family. Romeo and Juliet felt the opposite way. They think that the hatred isn’t going to come between them and they are determined to be able to love one another.

The dispute between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s was not just a fight between the head of the families, just the adults or even just the immediate families. It involved everyone that had to do with either family. An example of this is given when one of the Capulet servants realizes this. Gregory who works for the Capulet’s is speaking to Sampson another Capulet servant: “The quarrel is between our masters and us their men” (li 18-19). He is acknowledging the fact that everyone that is involved with the Capulet family is involved in this argument and there really isn’t anything they can do about it. The hatred is a main part of the play. It is rarely discussed, but often shown in physical violence.

Romeo and Juliet fell in love not knowing they were members of feuding families. When they realized this they continued to meet secretly. They felt they loved each other so much that they would do anything to be together. “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name. / Or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love. / And I will no longer be a Capulet” (ll ii 33-36). Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to be a Montague, she wants to be allowed to be with him. Romeo also felt the same way, he loved Juliet very much and he would have done anything for her: “I take thee at thy word, / Call me but love and I’ll be new baptis’d, / Henceforth I never will be Romeo” (ll ii 49-51). Romeo is explaining to Juliet the way he feels toward her and their love for each other.

Due to the hatred the Montague’s and the Capulet’s have for each other tragedies occurred. Romeo was banished because he killed a member of the Capulet family. When Romeo was banished a wedding was set up, between Juliet and a man named Paris. Since Juliet obviously did not want to marry Paris she drank poison the night before the wedding. Romeo didn’t realize Juliet was not actually dead, he then killed himself because he could not be with her. Juliet woke up to see her love dead, she then killed herself as well. All of this happened because Romeo and Juliet couldn’t be together. Many tragedies occurred after the marriage of Juliet and Paris was arranged. A message was sent to Romeo explaining Juliet’s fake death, but was not received. If it had been, the two lovers would not have killed themselves. The families decided that their foolish hatred was the cause of their own children’s deaths. They decided to be acquaintances: “O brother Montague, give me thy hand. / This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more. / Can I demand” (V iii 295-298). This was Capulet talking to Montague deciding they have made mistakes that they are better off being friends and that their dispute was a mistake.

Love and hatred both play a large role in Romeo and Juliet. Love overpowers hatred but it results in tragedy. The play proves that love can rise through families that have come from a background of hatred.