Romeo&Juliet Themes
Love
Fate vs Freewill
Families Fueds
Youth vs Age
"Thou counterfeits a bark...the winds, thy sighs...will overset thy tempest tossed."
"A greater power...hath thwarted our intents
"O Fortune, Fortune all men call thee fickle."
After the couple consummate their marriage, Julie portrays Fortune (Dame Fortuna, goddess of Fortune) as fickle, unpredictable and unrealiable
Capulet compares Juliet to a shipwrecking storm. Juliet's emotions cause the storm as she is in control of her feelings leading to her own death. Alternatively, the potent verb "tossed" illustrates how Juliet's emotions are tempestuous and out of her control suggesting a greater force causing the storm leading to the cataclysmic storm as the tide is out of her hands.
When Juliet wakes up to find Romeo dead the friar blames a "greater power" implying God or Fate has ruined the plan. The friar fails to own up for his major parts in the death as he facilitated the marriage, with corrupt intentions, and came up with the deadly plan.
"My grave is like to be my wedding bed"
"O brawling love, O brawling hate."
"Thou counterfeits a bark...the winds, thy sighs...will overset thy tempest tossed."
Passionate love. Capulet compares Juliet to a shipwrecking storm. Juliet's emotions cause the storm as she is in control of her feelings leading to her own death. Alternatively, the potent verb "tossed" illustrates how Juliet's emotions are tempestuous and out of her control causing the storm leading to the cataclysmic storm as the tide is out of her hands.
"The gentle sin in this my lips two blushing pilgrims."
Pure love. Religious imagery highlights the spiritual link between R+J compared to lust and physicality demonstrated through his temporary love for Rosaline.
"As phaeton would whip you to the west."
Love is dangerous.Juliet expresses her passion to want the night to go quickly so she can reunite with Romeo. This shows the recklessness and rapidness of Romeo and Juliet love. The idea of Phoebus killing Phaeton because he lost control of the chariot, links to R+J as it foreshadows how their quick love is out of control and could leave to their death.
"Ancient grudge"
"Deny thy father and refuse thy name"
"Love moderately, long love doth so."
"I think its best you married with the County O he's a lovely gentleman."
Traditional, subservient values of women is expected during the Elizabethan era. Modern audience would sympathise for Juliet and support the idea of 'love' rather than arranged marriages used to demonstrate social class and wealth
"Hang thee young baggage disobedient wretch."
"He shall be endured"
Subservience was an expectation, R+J are presented to be reckless,immature and disobedient
Capulet takes on a passive approach, at the feast, compared to Tybalt who is prepared to confront and fight Romeo.
The younger generation are presented to be more impetuous, rash and impulsive, compared to the more moderate and sagacious older generation
She tries to separate Romeo from his identity as a Montague, and contemplates deserting her family for him. She does not imagine that their love and their families' opposition can be reconciled
Antithesis demonstrates the internal conflict Romeo is dealing reflecting the turmoil and confusion love brings.
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs."
Temporary/Infatuation "fume" and "smoke" show the temporary feeling love has and the danger as smoke has the ability to choke you. It highlights the potency of love.
"With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers."
Idea of moderation and balance
This line foreshadows the fact that being in love with Romeo will be Juliet’s doom. The line is spoken when Juliet first sees Romeo at the Capulet ball.
"I stand on sudden haste."
"A pair of star crossed lover take their life."
Romeo says "Shake the yoke of inauspicious stars."
Metaphor- enforces that the idea that fate has preordained his fortune. "yoke" a device fitted to an ox to plough and he is metaphorically yoked to the unlucky fate
"This by his voice should be a Montague."
"It is the east and Juliet is the sun, arise fair sun and kill the envious moon."
"Sun" element of worship, brightness, dependence. The sun and the moon cannot co- exist similar to R+J
Violence/Conflict
"Fetch me my rapier boy."
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"I have bought the mansion of love but not possessed it yet."
Shows ideas about possessive love