The characters’ likings change in the play is troubling, where Lysander is intensely in love with Hermia at first and with Helena at another point. “Transparent Helena! Nature shows art that through thy bosom makes me see thy heart” (Shakespeare and Foakes Act II). The aim of the play is not to observe the nature of true love but reasonably to mock misunderstandings that love brings. Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena are destined not to be romantic classics, but somewhat sympathetic figures thrown into perplexing situations of romantic farce.
Destiny is the hidden power believed to determine what will happen in the future. It is evident from the beginning of the play that destiny is involved. The prologue states that Romeo and Juliet are ‘star cross’d lovers’ (Prologue 6), which is referring to the inevitability of fate. It is not only felt by the audience, but the characters are conscious of it too. Romeo and Juliet frequently notice signs, such as when Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, he cried, ‘then I defy you, stars,’ (Act V, Scene I, Line 24) confirming the idea that Romeo and Juliet’s love, was not a part of their fate.
In Romeo and Juliet, love and hate share the same feature in that they are both senseless and mysterious. While at some points love may be the passion used to drive Romeo head over heels for Juliet, at other times hate may be the same passion used to drive Tybalt into murderous fury. Both love and hate can be at times blinding and become as compelling as an influence that everything else is of low significance. Consequences may be ignored and lives may be lost in the process. The never-ending brawl between the Montagues and Capulets in due course envelops the lovers into conflict.
The play has become a symbol of love; the term “Romeo” is used to label passionate young lovers. Shakespeare’s multifaceted treatment of love, by exploring love in its many forms, threaded the key relationships in the play. At the start of the play, Romeo is described as being in love with Rosaline, which is presented as an impulsive, unrequited infatuation. No one thinks his feelings for her will last, even Friar Lawrence: when Romeo queries why the Friar scolds him for loving Rosaline, the Friar replied “For doting not for loving, pupil mine.”(ii. iii.
It could in some ways be considered the driving force of the play itself. The sickly jealousy which comes to consume Othello would have meant very little at all if he had not loved Desdemona with the passion and vigour that he did. There are a number of contrasts utilised by Shakespeare to convey two very different forms of love, each nearly completely antithetical to the other. The relationship between Othello and Desdemona, proved in the end to be something pure and good, is set beside the sickly, superficial relationship between Iago and Emilia. Interestingly, this makes the theme of love in Othello yet another aspect of the idea of opposites, two-facedness, the ultimate duality of black and white, good and evil, inherent in the play.
Shakespeare quite obviously plays with the conventions of Petrarchan characters and their views of desire throughout the play but most significantly towards the beginning. Romeo is introduced as a character that seems to be blinded by love, his desire for Rosaline is over powering, shallow and foolish – “He that is strucken blind cannot forget / The precious treasure of his eyesight lost” (1.1.225-226). Shakespeare has created Romeo to resemble the typical ‘Petrarchan lover’ speakers that are found in Petrarch’s sonnets, we hear Romeo obsessing over Rosaline whom like ‘Laura’ from Petrarch’s sonnets is unattainable to Romeo, as she is choosing to remain celibate - "She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow / Do I live dead that live to tell it now” (1.1.216-217) Shakespeare has purposefully created Romeo and Rosaline with these similarities to Petrarchan conventions in mind as he is able to successfully critique the discourse of desire through the growth of Romeo in the play and the introduction of Juliet. Shakespeare also relies on the fact that his audience are aware of ‘what’s in store’ for Romeo, allowing him to create a clichéd and conventional character - “The theatre audience knows that
How love is presented in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and a selection of poetry by Philip Larkin Many people consider Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ a stereotypical romantic love story. In some ways, it does meet these expectations. The archetypal lovers are brought up in ‘fair Verona’ by grand families ‘alike in dignity’. Because of the families' on-going conflict, the two 'star-crossed lovers' find themselves hurtling towards an ill-fated end. 'Violent passions lead to violent ends', therefore the romance becomes a tragedy.
‘Romeo and Juliet’ is an example of Elizabethan theatre which emphasizes language. Throughout the play we see the high points and the low points of Romeo’s emotions. This could be described as going from one extreme to another. As we first meet Romeo, he comes across as a very love stricken character. The language used gives a clear indication in to the disturbed state of mind of Romeo.
This contrasts to where Romeo is with Juliet and time passes very quickly. Romero understands how deceptive, gripping and unforgiving love is. He explains that “love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs… a madness most discreet.” When Romeo explains the smoke, he is expressing how love is a mystery and you can always understand it all. He says they are “fumes of sighs.” The part of this phrase which stands out to me is Romeo using the word sigh. People sigh when they are upset or angry.
Spiritual and Political Leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi once said, “Love is the strangest force the world possesses…”. This observation signifies how love is so common yet is always underestimated for its strength. In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the emotion of love is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that takes precedence over all other values and thoughts of characters in the play. Initially, Romeo’s actions are caused by the love inside of him. Friar Laurence, Mercutio and Juliet are all embroiled in his love.