Themes of Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare explores love in a variety of ways: Romeo and Juliet's first meeting, Romeos friendship with Mercutio and Romeo and Juliet's deaths 

Romeo and Juliet's first meeting

When Romeo and Juliet first meet, they instantly fall in love. Shakespeare presents their initial meeting as passionate, flirtatious and true. "To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Romeo suggests that he is 'rough' and not worthy of Juliet's touch. The fact Romeo describes the kiss as 'tender' illustrates Romeo's gentle and true emotions and feelings for Juliet. This shows that their first meeting was charged with love and desire for one another.

Romeo's friendship with Mercutio

Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt so Mercutio takes his place. When Tybalt kills Mercutio unjustly, Romeo swears to avenge his best friend's death, thus killing Tybalt.   "Either thou or I, or both, must go with him."

This shows Romeo's determination for avenging Mercutio's death, as he is willing to die to see Mercutio's murder avenged. He tells Tybalt that either he or Tybalt 'must go with him'. This directly shows how passionate he feels about Mercutio, as someone will be joining Mercutio's soul in the journey to heaven.

Romeo and Juliet's deaths

Romeo goes to find Juliet in the Capulet tomb, believing her to be dead. He takes some poison and dies. Juliet awakens, finds her love poisoned and kills herself with Romeo's dagger so they can be together in the afterlife. "O happy dagger!"

This shows that Juliet is happy to die, as she describes the dagger, the instrument of her death, as 'happy'. The use of the exclamation mark illustrates her emotion - she is both elated and distraught - she cannot cope with life without Romeo so decides to join him in death.

Social and historical context

It would be common practice to get married at 13 years of age. Normally, parents chose their child's partner and this would be based on wealth, potential titles and family ties.

Romeo and Juliet both decide who they are going to marry - this would have been highly disrespectful to their families, particularly as they both decided to marry their family's sworn enemy.

The two warring families

Shakespeare opens the play with a prologue and it is here that he first depicts the conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets. "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."

Shakespeare opens his play with the first line, illustrating the "ancient" grudge that has been happening in Verona. Shakespeare does this to show that the conflict has been ongoing and isn't likely to stop. He describes it as "ancient"' to illustrate how ingrained the conflict is with the families - it is a part of their daily lives.

Juliet's inner conflict

When Juliet discovers the true identity of her true love, she is shocked and cannot believe she loves someone who she is supposed to hate. "That I must love a loathed enemy."

Juliet uses 'must' which indicates that she has no other choice - she loves Romeo and cannot change the fact. This presents a conflict for Juliet, as she cannot change what she feels - despite knowing that she should.

Conflict between Tybalt and Romeo

Tybalt believes Romeo to have greatly dishonoured his family when he gate-crashes the Capulet party. He decides that Romeo must pay and offers to duel with Romeo. "Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw."

This shows that Tybalt believes he has been injured with Romeo's actions. He commands Romeo to 'turn and draw', taking part in a fight.

How it's presented

Conflict is a central theme in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare presents the theme of conflict through two warring families: the Montagues and the Capulets. The two families have been taught to hate each other, and this hatred impacts on the family members and the citizens of Verona. The citizens of Verona are unwillingly a part of the conflict as they witness the ongoing battles between the two families - battles which often result in death.

Similar

Shakespeare presents the similarities between the two families in the prologue, as he highlights to the audience how they are similar  "Two households, both alike in dignity."

This shows that the two families are similar. The use of the word "dignity" highlights how the families have similar principles and status in the city of Verona.

Apologetic and repenting

When the families discover Romeo and Juliet have committed suicide, they apologise for their behaviour and vow to uphold their memory in their hearts. "O brother Montague, give me thy hand."

This shows that Capulet wishes Montague to forgive him for their previous arguments. Capulet's address of Montague as "brother" illustrates how he wants their relationship to move forward; they are like brothers due to their deceased children's marriage.