Romeo And Juliets Loyalty example essay topic

'Romeo and Juliet' is a play of opposites! Discuss. 'Romeo and Juliet' is a love story, set in Verona in the 16th century. It tells of the tragic tale of two star crossed lovers. In this play Shakespeare demonstrates the significance that opposite feelings and emotions play in life. The love story is played out against a background of hatred, violence and aggression.

Shakespeare illustrates various forms of love for example the type of love Romeo and Juliet have for each other which is as true deep and passionate balancing out all aspects of true love including, emotionally, physically and spiritually vs. The love of Lord and Lady Capulet which really isn't love at all its just convenient marriage, they are unhappy together and are disinterested with each other. Romeo and Rosaline which is unreturned love, Romeo wasn't necessarily in love with Rosaline rather with the thought of being in love vs. Mercutio's idea of love purely Sexual lust, temporary and rapidly changing. Hatred is a large part of this play, the feud between the Montague and Capulet families is the basis of this. Nobody knows how it started and it's not really relevant anymore it just a hatred that's been passed on through generations that the children have just learnt and carried on, the towns people have been dragged into it also. Tybalt is the most aggressive and vicious person in the play he is always looking for trouble like when he offers a challenge to Romeo which leads too Mercutios death. His Quote " Peace I hate the word as I hate hell and all Montague's" show how set in hate he is.

Youth vs. Age. In the play youth is portrayed by Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio and Benvolio. For them life is rich, exciting and passionate. They are fun loving and spontaneous the future looks bright for them.

On the other side there is the older generation including the Nurse, the Capulets and Friar Laurence, They are slow moving cynical and sarcastic for them the excitement has gone from life, they are bound by responsibility and the future looks grim. The Prince is a main figure of Authority he is at the top of the hierarchy and he must keep the peace in Verona at all costs, I think he is fair yet tough. Lord Capulet is the Authority figure over his family mainly Juliet this is shown when he orders Juliet to marry Paris or be left out on the streets to die in the gutters. This Authority is challenged by the Rebellion of Romeo and Juliet deifying there families to be together even if that meant dieing for it, Mercutio and Tybalt fighting although it is against the law this also ends in death, this would suggest that authority needs to be keep in order to maintain Peace.

Expressed in the play is that calm, rational, thoughtful behaviour is much better than hot headed rash impetuous behaviour. The rash behaviour that ended in tragedy was; Tybalts challenge and Mercutios answering it lead to both of there deaths. Romeo stepping in to the sward fight which killed Mercutio. Romeo And Juliets Marriage they had only known each other a short time. Juliet taking the potion then latter using the dagger. Romeo killing Paris then taking the poison, if he hadn't Juliet and he might have had a chance of living and being together.

Capulets discussion that Juliet will marry Paris was unreasonable. Romeo's attempted suicide at the news of his banishment. All of this shows that success and happiness can only be achieved by moderate, considered behaviour. Shakespeare explores the essence of loyalty it would seem that whilst loyalty is vital it must also be moderate, when taken to extremes it has dire consequences. Romeo and Juliets loyalty to each other leads to their deaths, Juliet wouldn't marry Paris because she would be betraying Romeo, she went to the extreme of taking the potion, when Rome heard of Juliets death he knew he couldn't live without her so he took the poison. Romeo and Mercutio were trying to protect each other.

Mercutio took up Tybalts challenge to Romeo for him and Romeo stepped in front of Mercutio when Tybalts sword was out which unfortunately lead to Mercutio's death. Friar Laurence had loyalty to Romeo when he married him to Juliet and had the plan of there reuniting. The Nurse had loyalty to Juliet when she was sent to tell Romeo thing and about there marriage, It seems that she betrayed her when she told her to marry Paris but she had Juliets best interests at heart. vs. the Capulets betrayal of Juliet when the threats were made to sent her on the streets to fend for herself. The Aggressive people in this play were; Tybalt he was always trying to make trouble. Mercutio with his fight against Tybalt for no good reason.

Lord and Lady Capulet's aggression towards each other they had different opinions, one cause of this was there age difference. The people who always tried to keep the peace were, Romeo he didn't want to fight at all he's a dreamer and spent most of his time in love and in the fields. The Prince his job was to keep the peace and he was distraught when people disobeyed the law and fought. 'Romeo and Juliet' is a memorable play, it is as relevant today as it was four hundred years ago. Shakespeare dealt with life the essence of life love and death, and the combination of all the positive and negative aspects of human nature.