Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

Introduction

'Romeo and Juliet' is the great legendary tragedy of Shakespeare that has gained esteem recognition in its time and even still it is decipherable with the same vitality. In Romeo and Juliet, love is portrayed as a magnificent obsession that binds their eternal affection for each other. This play of Shakespeare is the most popular love romance in the account of English literature. The key significant theme of the play is love which focuses over the romantic passion that develops at first glance betwixt Romeo and Juliet. On the hand, death is the other consequence that later on became the fate of this loving couple. Shakespeare does not only portray death but he also demonstrates suicide which is an erotic act that both executes the passion of lover and reunifies them in death. The strength of love could be found in a way as it is depicted in the promises of Romeo and Juliet to each other.

Thesis Statement

The paper is designed to highlight the theme of Love and Death as the chorus speaks of their "death-marked love. The play is designed about love that eventually leads to the central theme of death.

Discussion Analysis

This play holds love as an intervening force that replaces all other values, emotions and loyalties. In the action of the play, Romeo and Juliet are driven to refuse their entire social circle that includes families and friends. It has been argued by Freud that human love is inclined by two pitting forces: eros, the desire for love, and thanatos, the desire for death. Romeo and Juliet fall on the same ground as their relationship started from love and ended by deadly death. Perhaps, the joy or passion of love brings death to lie on the same platform (Bradbook, 1980). The families of a couple did not allow continuing their relationship which leaded them to suffer constant danger. This fear of death puts excitement in their private meetings and also excites the reader to go through from those events. Most of the times, love is defined in a way of religion, as we can understand from the 14 lines when the couple meet on the first time. On some way, it is also depicted a kind of magic “Alike bewitched by the charm of looks” (Act II, Prologue 6). On the other hand, Juliet perfectly draws her pure love for Romeo by defying to describe it, which is depicted in the line “But my true love is grown to such excess / I cannot sum up some of half my wealth” (3.1.33-34). By this mean, love resists in a single allegory as it is too influential to be so simply understood or restricted. It has been observed from the text that the play does not draw a particular moral statement regarding the associations between society, love, family and religion; rather it drafts the passion and chaos of love by linking violence, love, death, family and religion in an imprecise rush ...