romeo and juliet essay themes

Romeo and Juliet Themes

Themes are the recurrent ideas underlying a creative piece. These central ideas enable readers to view a certain piece from various angles to broaden their understanding. Regarded as one of the most significant and widely read playwrights, Shakespeare has skillfully explored diverse themes such as loyalty, the dichotomy of love and hate, violence, greed, and insanity in his tragedies. “Romeo and Juliet” is perhaps Shakespeare’s most significant contribution with various themes. However, instead of portraying an idyllic romance , this timeless play presents tragic themes governing human life. A few central themes in “Romeo and Juliet” are discussed below.

Themes in “Romeo and Juliet”

The abiding quality of romantic love.

Although presented as a short-term expression of youthful passion, Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other ultimately wins over every form of social constraints. The abiding quality of their selfless love is an essential theme of the play. It serves to reinforce the claim that if authentic lovers cannot be united in this world, they can certainly be together in the life hereafter.

Individual vs. Society

The conflict between individual desires and social institutions is a recurrent theme in “Romeo and Juliet”. The young lovers’ struggle against their respective families is the most important theme. By opting for individual fulfillment as opposed to social traditions, both Romeo and Juliet refuse to follow the commands of their families. They illustrate the triumph of an individual’s will over social customs. On a metaphorical level, this courage highlights the threat that young love poses to the absurd social traditions.

The theme of violence also plays a significant role in the play. Usually, blind passion, hatred and desperation are some instances of violence given throughout “Romeo and Juliet”. Tybalt kills Mercutio though it was not intentional. In order to avenge Mercutio’s death and in a moment of desperation, Romeo kills Tybalt and Paris. Both murders are classic examples of violence. The blind love of Romeo and Juliet that motivate them to commit suicide is another example. These examples show that violence has a vital role in this tragedy .

The Overarching Power of Patriarchy

In “Romeo and Juliet”, most of the significant decisions are made by the men of the two families, the Capulets, and the Montagues. Lady Capulet and Lady Montague’s views are not important. It is clearly displayed by their silent assertion of their husbands’ ideas in the play. It is Lord Capulet who selects Paris as his daughter’s future husband. Then forces Juliet to abide by his decision. Perhaps the most blatant example of the rule of men in the play is the feud between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. Although their wives don’t harbor any ill-will toward each other, the two Lords force their families to support them in their pointless dispute and keep up their enmity against each other.

The Theme of Death

Death is a theme that lurks throughout the play. In many ways, “Romeo and Juliet” shows the journey of the two lovers from their initial, love-filled meeting up to their death. Thus, death serves as the tragic resolution of various conflicts. For instance, Romeo’s conflict with Tybalt ends with the latter’s death. Moreover, the two young lovers’ conflict with the hostile social conformity ends with their untimely deaths. These tragic losses make the entire play as if it is only a play of deaths.

The Inevitability of Fate

The inevitability of fate is another important thematic concern of “Romeo and Juliet”. The phrase , “star-crossed” refers to the fact that the two lovers were destined to die from the beginning. Hence, aside from a string of poor choices made by the two lovers and their families, the power of fate governs the end of the play. Friar John’s inability to deliver the letter to Romeo on time was inescapable fate and a deadly blow. The letter would have informed Romeo that Juliet was alive. It is the most fatalistic moment in the play that drives Romeo to commit suicide.

The institution of marriage is another important theme in the play. Contrary to popular beliefs, marriage is not shown as a good institution in the play. The play emphasizes the idea that though marriages of the Capulets and Montagues are socially approved, it lacks a soul. On the other hand, the union of Romeo and Juliet is authentic and yet condemned. Moreover, the political motive behind Friar Lawrence’s approval of Romeo and Juliet’s marriage highlights that in the Shakespearean era, marriage was seen as a means to ensure political strength.

 Ideological Divide Between the Young and the Old

The ideological divide between the younger and the older generation is also a repetitive theme underlying the play. The impulsivity and youthful exuberance of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Paris serve as a strong contrast to calculating, the political foresight of Lord Capulet, Lord Montague, and Friar Lawrence. The tragedy of the play is in the fact that both the older and younger generations are unwilling to compromise and end the disagreement for good. They are not willing to resolve their pointless dispute.

The Absurdity Underlying Family Feuds

The absurd legacy of rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets brings chaos that is shown later in the play. Although the actual reason for enmity between the two families remains undisclosed, it is shown that they are unable to reconcile with each other. It also shows that they have no credible reason for continuing the enmity between them.

In addition to violence, revenge is another destructive element that sustains the action of the play. Hence, it makes an important theme of the play. However, the tragedy carrying the cycle of revenge neither guarantees a good end nor does it lead to poetic justice . For instance, Romeo kills Tybalt in order to seek revenge for Mercutio’s murder. This rash action of Romeo is not tried in the court. Moreover, several other actions that require resolution are not brought to the law. Therefore, revenge seems to have the upper hand.

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Romeo and Juliet

William shakespeare.

Romeo and Juliet Themes

This page discusses the Romeo and Juliet themes that are evident in the play.

Whilst the play features the meeting and falling in love of the two main protagonists, to say that love is a theme of Romeo and Juliet is an oversimplification. Rather, Shakespeare structures Romeo and Juliet around several contrasting ideas, with a number of themes expressed as opposites. To say that the tension between love and hate is a major theme in Romeo and Juliet gets us closer to what the play is about.  These – and other –  opposing ideas reverberate with each other and are intertwined through the text.

7 Key Themes In Romeo and Juliet:

Historical time vs the present.

The first thing that strikes one is the feud , mentioned in the Prologue as ‘ancient grudge.’ Here we have a story about happy carefree young people, living in the modern world and enjoying it. The action moves very fast. All that is set against something that happened in the far distant past – an ancient grudge – and, on that level, time is moving very slowly. There is constant mention of time in the text. The nurse recalls Juliet’s early childhood, contrasting it with her young adulthood, using a crude reference to her current sexual maturity. Romeo imagines his life as a long sea voyage that ends in a shipwreck, in contrast to the pace of the life he is living in the present. So the fast-moving, optimistic life of the moment against the power of a toxic history and how it affects the present is a major theme.

Light and Dark

The interplay of images of light and darkness, often placed together, bring the text to life with illumination and shadows. Flashing and sparkling eyes, jewels fire, lightning, stars, exploding gunpowder, torches, the sun and the moon, are set against images of night, smoke, clouds, and a pitch-black tomb. The images, many of them of celestial bodies, connect with the  prologue’s assertion that these are star-crossed lovers . The struggle of bright young hopes against the inevitability of the dark tomb is an important theme. In the midst of the brightness of youth, we are constantly reminded, in the way that Shakespeare juxtaposes those images with images of darkness, of the closeness death.

Fate and Free Will

The Prologue refers to the protagonists as ‘star-crossed lovers.’ The belief that Fate determines human life reverberates through the play. Fate versus free will is the theme here. Romeo and Juliet struggle to break free of the threats that Fate represents, expressed in their dreams and premonitions, and the imagery, throughout the text. Romeo is frustrated by the intervention of Fate at every move he makes to assert his will. ‘O I am fortune’s fool,’ he cries when he realises that he has killed Tybalt . When he hears of the death of Juliet, he shouts up to the heavens, ‘Then I defy you, stars!’

Love and Hate

The intensity of the love between Romeo and Juliet is pitched against the hate-ridden society in which they live. In  the balcony scene , Juliet tells Romeo that if her kinsmen find him in the orchard they will murder him. It is that hatred that is going to destroy them. Not only them but  Mercutio , Tybalt and Paris as well. The hatred generated by the ancient feud is just as intense, as we see from the emotional behaviour of Tybalt, as the intensity of the love between Romeo and Juliet.

Death and Hate

Death is ever-present in Verona. The old folk mutter about it all the time: ‘we were born to die,’ ‘death’s the end of all,’ and young lives are abruptly cut short – so abruptly that the speed of it is a shock in itself. The word ‘death’ pervades the text. Death is even personified: we see him shutting up the doors of life, eating the living, fighting on the battlefield. Most horrifying is that he is Juliet’s bridegroom. ‘Death is my son-in-law/Death is my heir/My daughter he hath wedded,’ wails Capulet as he weeps over Juliet’s body. Against all that are the hopes of the lovers for a life together doomed by the stars.

Youth Against Age

The youthful impetuous emotion of the lovers bumps up against the cautious, mature wisdom of the older people.  Friar Lawrence cautions Romeo ‘love moderately, long love doth so.’ Tybalt’s rage at finding Romeo at the Capulet party and wanting to fight him there and then is put down by the older Capulet. This contrast is far more complex, however, when one thinks about the folly of Friar Lawrence in his support for the young lovers’ marriage, and also Capulet’s mood swings and outbursts of violence in his efforts to deal with his daughter. Such things throw doubt on the wisdom they proclaim, against the go-for-it approach of the younger generation. This is a major exploration of the relationships between the generations and feeds strongly into the time theme.

Language vs Reality

This is one of Shakespeare’s main thematic interests in all of his plays. He was intensely interested in the uneasy relationships between the words we use to describe things and what those things actually are in reality. In  Romeo and Juliet  Romeo is described as ‘Montague.’ The word creates prejudice and hatred, the impetus for revenge and violence. Tybald is blinded by malice at the very sound of Romeo’s voice. The word ‘Montague’ has nothing to do with what Romeo is in actuality: if he had been described as ‘Capulet’ the tragedy would not have happened. The text is full of sentiments that express this theme. ‘ What’s in a name? ’ Juliet says. ‘ A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. ’ That completely encapsulates this theme. This play emphasises the tension between words and action, language and life, that we find in all Shakespeare’s plays.

Shakespeare Themes by Play

Hamlet themes , Macbeth themes , Romeo and Juliet themes

Shakespeare Themes by Topic

Ambition, Appearance & Reality , Betrayal , Conflict , Corruption , Death , Deception , Good & Evil , Hatred , Order & Disorder , Revenge , Suffering , Transformation

What do you think of these Romeo and Juliet themes – any that you don’t agree with, or would add? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Cool to be dead.

THanks TYbalt.

Why do you family’s have to be fighting all the time?

Cause they assholes

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Romeo and Juliet

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Though much of Romeo and Juliet is driven by the choices its main characters make and the actions they take, there is a dark undercurrent running throughout the play: the suggestion that fate, not free will, is behind the entirety of the human experience. Repeated references to fate and fortune throughout the play underscore Shakespeare’s suggestion that humans are merely pawns in a larger cosmic scheme—invisible but inescapable fates, Shakespeare argues throughout the play, steer the course of human lives, and any and all actions that attempt to subvert those fates are futile and doomed to fail.

In the world of Romeo and Juliet , fate and predetermined destinies are an accepted part of life and society. From the chorus that introduces the first two acts of the play, commenting upon the events that are about to take place, to the characters’ own preoccupation with the unseen forces that control them, Shakespeare imbues the world of the play with the heavy atmosphere of a “black fate” sitting like a storm cloud just above the entirety of the action. Throughout the play, characters acknowledge—and make “misadventured” attempts to thwart—the invisible forces guiding their lives. Yet every attempt to outsmart, outwit, or dodge fate ends terribly. By having Romeo and Juliet verbally acknowledge—privately and to one another—their fears about their doomed fates, Shakespeare showcases how badly his characters want to believe that their desires and actions stand a chance in the face of fate’s wily hand. “Alack, alack, that heaven should practice stratagems / Upon so soft a subject as myself,” Juliet laments after learning that her parents have arranged for her to marry Paris , not knowing that she is already married to Romeo. Juliet has, at this late point in the play, had to deal with the death of her cousin, the cruelty of her family, and the destruction of her previously held ideals about the nature of good and evil, friend and enemy. She has, she feels, been through enough—and is beginning to believe that fate is “practic[ing]” on her, striking her with terrible news and insurmountable problems for sport. Juliet acknowledges the role fate plays in her life—she knows she is a pawn of the “heaven[s]”—and yet her actions over the course of the rest of the play show that she longs to fly in the face of heaven’s decrees.

“O, I am fortune’s fool!” Romeo screams shortly after he kills Tybalt in a duel; “I deny you, stars !” he shouts when he learns of Juliet’s “death” in the play’s final act. In these two expressions of frustration with fate and fortune, Shakespeare uses Romeo’s anger at fate’s dominion to show that while he hates realizing he is on a predetermined path, he is nonetheless cognizant of his lack of autonomy in the face of fortune’s plans for him. When Romeo calls himself “fortune’s fool” after slaying Tybalt, he laments, perhaps, having committed the act he knew he’d have to commit all along: killing the man who killed his best friend. Now that he has committed murder, however, Romeo feels he has been a “fool” to play into fortune’s hand, and to fail resisting harder the pull of fate’s demands. When Romeo learns of Juliet’s death, he cries out that he will “deny” the stars—in other words, he doesn’t want to believe Juliet is dead, or possibly believes, deep down, that there is something he can do to reverse what the stars have ordained even if she is. As he prepares to ride from Mantua to Verona to investigate the truth of his servant Balthasar ’s news, he is admitting, full-out, that he plans to try to reverse his and Juliet’s fortunes—even as, in the same breath, he tacitly admits that he knows their fates are already written in the stars.

Shakespeare’s argument about fate is a bleak one. The insinuation that forces humans can neither comprehend nor control guide their words and actions is perhaps even more sinister in a contemporary context than it would have been in Shakespeare’s own time. Though debates concerning free will versus determinism stretch back to antiquity, faith in humans’ ability to steer their own destinies did not begin to emerge more widely throughout Western culture until well after Shakespeare’s time. Whether or not Shakespeare himself believed in the total dominion of fate and fortune, he certainly used his plays as an arena to work out his frustrations with the mechanisms of individual destiny—and to suggest that to deny or defy one’s fate is a fatal, calamitous choice. 

Fate ThemeTracker

Fate Quotes in Romeo and Juliet

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. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Romeo: I dream'd a dream to-night. Mercutio: And so did I. Romeo: Well, what was yours? Mercutio: That dreamers often lie.

Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Romeo: Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mercutio: No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man.

O, I am fortune's fool!

Is there no pity sitting in the clouds That sees into the bottom of my grief? O sweet my mother, cast me not away! Delay this marriage for a month, a week, Or if you do not, make the bridal bed In that dim monument where Tybalt lies.

Then I defy you, stars!

O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. — Thus with a kiss I die.

Yea, noise, then I'll be brief; O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.

114 Romeo and Juliet Essay Titles & Examples

Looking for Romeo and Juliet essay titles? The world’s most tragic story is worth writing about!

🥀 Best Romeo and Juliet Essay Titles

🖤 romeo and juliet essay prompts.

• 🏆 Best Romeo and Juliet Essay Examples

📌 Interesting Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics

🎭 easy titles for romeo and juliet essays, 👍 exciting romeo and juliet title ideas, ❓ romeo and juliet essay questions.

Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is a story of two young lovers whose deaths reconcile their feuding families. Whether you are assigned an argumentative, persuasive, or analytical essay on this piece of literature, this article will answer all your questions. Below you’ll find Romeo and Juliet essay examples, thesis ideas, and paper topics.

• “Romeo and Juliet”: character analysis
• What role does the setting play in “Romeo and Juliet”?
• “Romeo and Juliet” and antique tradition of tragic love stories
• Theme of love in “Romeo and Juliet”
• What role does the theme of fate play in “Romeo and Juliet”?
• “Romeo and Juliet”: dramatic structure analysis
• Analyze the balcony scene in “Romeo and Juliet”
• “Romeo and Juliet”: feminist criticism
• The most famous adaptations of “Romeo and Juliet”
• “Romeo and Juliet” in the world culture

Keep reading to learn the key points you can use to write a successful paper.

• Original Italian Tale vs. Shakespeare’s Tragedy

The story described in Shakespeare’s tragedy is based on the Italian tale that was translated into English in the sixteenth century. Original version represents situations and lines from Romeo and Juliet lives.

Shakespeare added a few more main characters: Mercutio, Paris, and Tybalt. Numerous researches state that Shakespeare used three sources to write his tragedy: a novella Giulietta e Romeo by Matteo Bandello, written in 1554; a story Il Novellio, by Masuccio Salernitano; and the Historia Novellamente Ritrovata di Due Nobili Amanti, written by Luigi Da Porto.

You can learn more about these novels to find out similarities and differences between primary sources and Shakespeare’s work

• Love and Fate in Romeo and Juliet

If you’re going to write Romeo and Juliet essay on fate, read this paragraph. Fate is the fundamental concept of the plot. It makes us look at Romeo and Juliet affair as a single tragedy.

At the same time, another core element of the story is love. From the very beginning of the drama, you will clearly understand that the story will end in tragedy.

Shakespeare shows us the value of fate events.

However, love remains a crucial thematic element. The roles of Nurse, Paris, and Romeo show us a physical attraction, sympathy, and romantic affection while being the embodiment of love. Analyze what type of love is represented by each character in your essay. Explain, what do you think real love is.

• Value and Duality in Romeo and Juliet

Among the central idea to consider for your Romeo and Juliet essay titles is an issue of value and duality. Shakespeare actively uses duality in his tragedy by representing the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as reasons of tragedy in Verona, which brought new order to the city.

Friar Laurence also reveals ambiguity when he helped Romeo and thus forced young lovers to suffer in the end. The decision to marry couple had a reason to end the conflict between Montague and Capulets.

Romeo and Juliet’s example discloses happiness and blame brought by key episodes and change in society. In your writing, you may analyze how the effect of adoration had influenced Romeo, Juliet, and other people lives.

• Masculinity in Romeo and Juliet

A lot of Romeo and Juliet essay examples analyze the role of gender and masculinity in the tragedy. Mercutio is shown as a classic example of a real man: active, brave citizen.

He is a person of action. On the other hand, Romeo is described as a boy who seeks for love. Romeo and Juliet love thrown into quarreling world.

You can analyze the reasons why Romeo fights and kills Paris when finding him near Juliet body.

Covering all of the points mentioned above will help you to produce an outstanding Romeo and Juliet essay. Check the samples below to get inspiration and more ideas that you can use in your own paper.

🏆 Best Romeo and Juliet Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

• Different Types of Love Portrayed in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Term Paper In regards to this communication, the issue of romantic love between Romeo and Juliet is highlighted7. The concept of true love is no where to be seen in Romeo and Juliet’s relationship.
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• William Shakespeare “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” This paper examines romantic love as the source of joy and fulfillment in “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Love is the source of pain and suffering in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
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• Breaking the Rules: Romeo and Juliet’s Quest for Independence Finally, the death of Romeo and Juliet puts an end to their love and is powerful enough to reconcile their feuding families.
• Analysis of the Play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Another interesting scene of the production that makes it real understanding of the authors work is the casting of the romantic love between Romeo and Juliet, the physical love of the nurse and the contractual […]
• Franco Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” Adaptation As the plot of the play develops and the reader gets more involved in the reading of the play, the constant need to read the stage directions has a disruptive effect on the reader’s interaction […]
• Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: Act 1 Scene 4 Review In this speech alone we see Mercutio in direct opposition to all of the characters in Romeo and Juliet while at the same time we are provided an alternate point of view to the ideals […]
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• “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare: Play’s Concept In Romeo and Juliet, the development of characters eventually led to the tragedy of the main characters. The love of Romeo and Juliet is a remarkable love as they have to undergo many obstacles to […]
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• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Romeo and Juliet Themes – GCSE English Revision Guide

Welcome to another GCSE English Literature revision guide from Tutor In. We’ve included everything you need to know about Romeo and Juliet themes. Find out how Shakespeare presents the themes and learn some key quotations. Your exam will ask you about either a theme or a character, so we need to focus on these areas to make sure our revision is efficient and effective. Make sure you’re confident in explaining how Shakespeare presents the themes in this guide and then learn about the characters. Learn some key quotations for each theme and character and practise plenty of exam style questions to complete your revision – it’s not rocket science, just focus on what rewards you with marks form the examiner.

You’ll notice that many of the quotations shown in this guide can cover multiple themes and characters. This is a good way to work efficiently. Memorise quotations that you can apply to a number of different questions to limit how many quotations you actually have to learn (which I’m sure you’ll agree is good news!)

Check out even more great free revision guides and practice questions on our resources page .

If you’re looking for some specific support with your GCSE English revision then why not book in a trial lesson with one of our expert online English tutors? Learn more about our specialist GCSE English tutors here and drop us a message to book your free consultation . We’ll help you achieve great results in GCSE English.

Now let’s get stuck into these Romeo and Juliet themes…

How the theme is presented

• It’s not a spoiler to say that love underpins most of the plot.
• Shakespeare explores the positive aspects of love, as well as the difficulties when different relationships are incompatible. 
• We see the difference in how the older and younger generations approach love. Romeo and Juliet immediately have an all-encompassing love for each other. It’s by far the most important thing in their lives and they’re willing to give up everything for it. At different points the older generation, particularly Capulet, try to control romantic love and orchestrate Juliet’s relationship with Paris.  
• The audience sees an obsessive love from Romeo. He’s initially madly in love with Rosaline, but she doesn’t feel the same. He then quickly switches affections to Juliet. An even greater obsession then begins.  
• Shakespeare shows the power of traditional romantic love to shape Romeo and Juliet’s lives and lead to tragedy. On the other hand, Shakespeare shows the healing power of love as Romeo and Juliet’s death forces an end to hostilities between Montague and Capulet. 
• Shakespeare also explores other types of love. He presents: the bond between friends with Romeo and Mercutio; family ties, particularly when Romeo declares his love even for Tybalt; and caring relationships like Romeo with the Friar and Juliet with the Nurse. 
• It’s important to understand the historical context around every theme. In Shakespearean times people tended to get married at a much younger age than today. It was normal at the time to be married by the age of 13. Parents would also usually choose the spouse for their child. They’d look to secure a match to a rich, important family. It is, therefore, very difficult for Romeo and Juliet to decide who they want to marry, especially when they’re choosing someone from an enemy family.  

Key Quotations

• Romeo: ‘Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!’ 
• Mercutio: ‘If love be rough with you, be rough with love; prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.’ 
• Romeo: ‘Is she a Capulet? O, dear account! My life is my foe’s debt’ 
• Juliet: ‘My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy.’ 
• Romeo: ‘But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun…It is my lady, O it is my love! O, that she knew she were!’ 
• Juliet: ‘O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.’ 
• Juliet: ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’ 
• Friar Laurence: ‘Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.’
• Juliet: ‘Romeo, I come! This do I drink to thee.’
• Capulet: ‘O brother Montague, give me thy hand’ 
• Prince: ‘For never was a story of more woe that this of Juliet and her Romeo.’ 

Revise all of the themes in Romeo and Juliet below. You can also check out our GCSE English revision guide on characters in Romeo and Juliet to complete your revision on the text.

• Fate has a very interesting role in Romeo and Juliet. Various characters refer to fate guiding their lives. 
• The audience gets a clear sense of fate’s influence right from the start. The prologue tells us exactly what’s going to happen in the play. It’s as if fate has decided how Romeo and Juliet’s lives will play out. 
• The words “pair of star-cross’d lovers” and “death-mark’d love” emphasise this idea that Romeo and Juliet’s love is ill-fated and doomed from the start. 
• Again, thinking about context, many people in 16 th  and 17 th  centuries believed that astrology played some part in setting the course of their lives. So this idea of “star cross’d lovers” would seem realistic to a contemporary audience. 
• This prologue creates a major sense of dramatic irony throughout the play. Remember dramatic irony is where the audience knows something that hasn’t yet happened or that the characters on stage are not aware of yet. 
• When we get to the tragic end of the play Romeo refers again to the stars. The suggestion here is that he and Juliet never stood a chance in their love. Fate and the stars had pre-determined the tragic end of their love. 
• Chorus: ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives’ (Prologue)
• Juliet: ‘My grave is like to be my wedding bed.’
• Romeo: ‘O, I am fortune’s fool!’ 
• Prince: ‘Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.’ 
• Juliet: ‘O fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle’ 
• Friar Laurence: ‘Unhappy fortune!’
• Romeo: ‘Is it even so? Then I defy you, stars!’ 
• Friar Laurence: ‘Fear comes upon me: O, much I fear some ill unlucky thing,’
• Friar Laurence: ‘A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.’ 
• Conflict is central to the play, with the feuding families providing a dramatic background to the tale. 
• Shakespeare starts the play with a serious fight between the Montagues and Capulets, ending with the Prince’s dire warnings – showing this conflict has been an ongoing problem in Verona. 
• Mercutio (the audience favourite for his humour) is killed in a fight with Tybalt, Romeo goes on to kill Tybalt and Paris. With so many main characters dying in fights Shakespeare shows the potential price of conflict in defence of honour. No one wins. Both families lose people before they draw an end to the fighting. 
• As well as this obvious fighting in the streets of Verona, Shakespeare portrays more nuanced, personal elements of conflict both within the families and within individuals themselves. 
• Juliet displays her inner conflict on her balcony in Act 2 Scene 2 when she knows she loves Romeo, but knows the difficulty his being a Montague will bring. She decides that she would happily give up her name and family to be with Romeo. 
• Shakespeare shows us conflict within a family as Capulet tries to persuade Juliet – more and more forcefully – to marry Paris. 
• Ultimately it takes multiple deaths for love to (in some way) overcome conflict. The final scene sees Montague and Capulet agree to end their feud following Romeo and Juliet’s suicides. 
• Tybalt: ‘What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee’ 
• Romeo: My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.’ 
• Friar Laurence: ‘These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die’
• Mercutio: ‘A plague o’ both your houses!’
• Tybalt: ‘Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this,- thou art a villain.’
• Mercutio: ‘ask for me tomorrow, and you will find me a grave man.’ 
• Mercutio: ‘Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.’ 
• Prince: ‘See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. And I for winking at your discords too have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punished.’ 
• Shakespeare explores the complex nature of family relationships. He shows us the strong connection of family as well as the alienation caused by going against a strong family. This theme links closely with love and conflict. 
• The Montagues and Capulets are high status, wealthy families in Verona. In this position the binds to Montague and Capulet go far beyond their immediate families. Many people who worked for the families would owe allegiance to them and wear their livery (the colours associated with that family). This means that the family feud ranges across Verona and involves many people beyond the families.  
• We see some big differences between contemporary and modern families, but also some timeless similarities. 
• ‘Ancient’ family conflict between the Montagues and Capulets is the backdrop to the play and is shown to overwhelm people’s lives.  
• The conflict has been going on for years and the warring between the two sides is almost natural.
• It’s strange, therefore, how similar the two families appear. Both high status, with children around the same age and a huge retinue of servants and allies. 
• Both Romeo and Juliet are shown to be very young. Juliet is 13 and, although we don’t hear Romeo’s exact age, it is implied that he too is very young. Both characters are quite immature. Romeo roams around the streets with his mates and uses hyperbolic language to describe his love. Juliet refers to herself as an ‘impatient child’. 
• Romeo and Juliet’s youth makes their alienation from their families and their ultimate tragedy all the more horrific for the audience. 
• The two families are only reconciled after the death of their children. Shakespeare presents the strength and power of conflicts between families, as only such tragedy can overcome their feud. 
• Capulet: My child is yet a stranger in this world; She hath not seen the change of fourteen years’ 
• Friar Laurence: ‘In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households’ rancour to pure love’ 
• Nurse: ‘first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say: for the gentlewoman is young.’ 
• Romeo: ‘Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the apparenting rage to such a greeting: villain am I none; therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.’ 
• Romeo: ‘good Capulet,- which name I tender as dearly as my own,- be satisfied.’ 
• Capulet: ‘But fettle your fine joints ‘gainst Thursday next, to go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!’ 
• Capulet: Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o’Thursday, or never after look me in the face: speak not, reply not, do not answer me’  

Just two more themes to revise. Keep going!

Individual vs Society

• Romeo and Juliet are presented as strong individuals. No matter their feelings, it takes strength for each to go against their whole family in the way they do. 
• They also live a very oppressive society that demands allegiance to the law, religion, family and a very structured social order. Romeo and Juliet have to face down all of these constructs. 
• Beyond their families they also go against a lot of the institutions and norms in their society. The society Shakespeare portrays relied heavily on loyalty to family and to social superiors. It was also a very patriarchal society where the head of the household (almost always a man) would have huge influence over his family and their lives. It was unthinkable for most people to go against this loyalty, even for such intense love. We do see bot Romeo and Juliet struggling with these conflicting ideas through the play. 
• Given this patriarchal society, Juliet, in particular, shows her strong individual character in standing up to her father’s wish for her to marry Paris. 
• Romeo and Juliet’s suicide is their final act of individual defiance against a society that won’t let them be together. Suicide was considered a tremendous sin in their very religious society and a dishonour. Romeo and Juliet even go against religion and society in their tragic deaths. 
• Romeo: ‘my reputation stain’d with Tybalt’s slander,- Tybalt that an hour hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper soften’d valour’s steel!’ 
• Juliet: ‘That “banished”, that one word “banished” hath slain ten thousand Tybalts.’ 
• Romeo: ‘ Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say “death”, for exile hath more terror in his look’
• In response to Romeo on banishment – Friar Laurence: ‘O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness!’ 
• Death overshadows the whole play and links to all of the other themes discussed in this guide. 
• From the opening prologue the audience knows that Romeo and Juliet have to die to end the feud between their families. We know their love is doomed and this shadow of death overhangs the play. 
• We see death throughout the play. From Act III the death toll rises quickly – Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo and Juliet. Many of the main young characters die because of the family feud and the complexity of Romeo and Juliet’s love. 
• The number of deaths by the end of the play follows the classic ideas of the Tragedy. Tragic plays show the audience the downfall of the main character and usually end with many of the characters dying. Those left usually promise to improve things and learn the error of their ways following the deaths of their friends and family. We see this here with Montague and Capulet promising to end their feud. 
• Romeo and Juliet refer to the threat of death in their lives. Both would face retribution if the other family found them with each other. Shakespeare shows us that both characters are acutely aware of the risks they are taking. 
• There’s some quite morbid context for this theme, but we should note that death was far more common in everyday life and even ‘normal’ at the time when Shakespeare was writing, particularly death from conflict and at a young age. For a Shakespearean audience death was present in their lives in a way that’s (thankfully) very different from the lives of a modern audience. 
• Capulet: ‘Death is my son-in-law, Death is my heir; My daughter he hath wedded’ 
• Romeo: ‘O true apothecary, they drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.’
• Juliet: ‘O happy dagger! This is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die.’ 
• Prince: ‘For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’ 

There’s quite a lot to learn here, but it’s all important for your exam. The information in this guide should provide the basis for your revision of Romeo and Juliet themes. Use this guide to help ensure you feel confident explaining these themes. After that, have a go at some past exam papers and practise assessing the presentation of each theme while integrating and analysing the quotations.

You can find more help with Romeo and Juliet on the Royal Shakespeare Company website . They have some very useful plot summaries, quotation lists and revision resources. You can also leave me a comment below or message me directly with any specific questions.

2 thoughts on “Romeo and Juliet Themes – GCSE English Revision Guide”

These articles about specific topics are so informative, thanks for putting the time and effort, Liam!

I am in year 10 and have my mock that I used this website to help revise and it was so helpful for quote memorising

Comments are closed.

Romeo and Juliet

By william shakespeare, romeo and juliet essay questions.

In what way do Romeo and Juliet break gender conventions? How do these roles fluctuate throughout the play?

At the beginning of the play, the young lovers' behavior reverses common gender conventions – Romeo acts in a way that his friends call feminine, while Juliet exhibits masculine qualities. Romeo is by no means an archetypal Elizabethan man; he is disinterested in asserting his physical power like the other male characters in the play. Instead, Romeo chooses to stew in his pensive melancholy. On several instances, Romeo's companions suggest that his introspective behavior is effeminate. On the other hand, Juliet exhibits a more pronounced sense of agency than most female characters in Shakespeare's time. While the women around her, like her mother, blindly act in accordance with Lord Capulet's wishes, Juliet proudly expresses her opinion. Even when she has lost a battle (like when Lord Capulet insists she consider marrying Paris), she demonstrates a shrewd ability to deflect attention without committing to anything. In her relationship with Romeo, Juliet clearly takes the lead by insisting on marriage and proposing the plan to unite them. As the play progresses, Romeo starts to break out of his pensive inaction to the point that Mercutio notices this change. Romeo also makes a great shift from his cowardly attempt at suicide in Act III to his willful decision in Act V. Overall, Romeo and Juliet are arguably a good match because they are so distinct. Juliet is headstrong, while Romeo is passive until passion strikes and inspires him to action.

Contrast Romeo's attempted suicide in Act 3 with his actual suicide in Act 5. How do these two events reveal changes in his character and an evolving view of death?

Romeo considers suicide in both Act 3 and Act 5. In Act 3, Romeo's desire to take his own life is a cowardly response to his grief over killing Tybalt. He is afraid of the consequences of his actions and would rather escape the world entirely than face losing Juliet. Both Friar Laurence and the Nurse criticize Romeo for his weakness and lack of responsibility - taking the knife from his hands. In contrast, Romeo actually does commit suicide in Act V because he sees no other option. He plans for it, seeking out the Apothecary before leaving Mantua, and kills himself out of solidarity with Juliet, not because he is afraid. While suicide is hardly a defensible action, Romeo's dual attempts to take his life reveal his growing maturity and his strengthened moral resolve.

Several characters criticize Romeo for falling in love too quickly. Do you believe this is true? Does his tendency towards infatuation give the audience occasion to question Romeo's affection for Juliet?

This question obviously asks for a student opinion, but there is evidence to support both sides of the argument. In Act 2, Friar Laurence states his opinion that Romeo does indeed fall in love too quickly. Romeo is arguably in love with being in love more than he is in love with any particular woman. The speed with which his affections shift from Rosaline to Juliet – all before he ever exchanges a word with the latter – suggests that Romeo's feelings of 'love' are closer to lust than commitment. This interpretation is supported by the numerous sexual references in the play, which are even interwoven with religious imagery in Romeo and Juliet's first conversation. However, it also possible to argue that Romeo's lust does not invalidate the purity of his love. Romeo and Juliet celebrates young, passionate love, which includes physical lust. Furthermore, whereas Romeo was content to pine for Rosaline from afar, his love for Juliet forces him to spring into action. He is melancholy over Rosaline, but he is willing to die for Juliet. Therefore, a possible reading is that Romeo and Juliet's relationship might have been sparked by physical attraction, but it grew into a deep, spiritual connection.

Examine the contrast between order and disorder in Romeo and Juliet . How does Shakespeare express this dichotomy through symbols, and how do those motifs help to underline the other major themes in the play?

The contrast between order and disorder appears from the Prologue, where the Chorus tells a tragic story using the ordered sonnet form. From that point onwards, the separation between order and disorder is a common theme. Ironically, violence and disorder occurs in bright daylight, while the serenity of love emerges at night. The relationship between Romeo and Juliet is uncomplicated without the disorderly feud between their families, which has taken over the streets of Verona. The contrast between order and disorder underscores the way that Shakespeare presents love - a safe cocoon in which the lovers can separate themselves from the unpredictable world around them. At the end of the play, it becomes clear that a relationship based on pure love cannot co-exist with human weaknesses like greed and jealousy.

Many critics note a tonal inconsistency in Romeo and Juliet . Do you find the shift in tone that occurs after Mercutio's death to be problematic? Does this shift correspond to an established structural tradition or is it simply one of Shakespeare's whims?

After the Prologue until the point where Mercutio dies in Act III, Romeo and Juliet is mostly a comic romance. After Mercutio dies, the nature of the play suddenly shifts into tragedy. It is possible that this extreme shift is merely the product of Shakespeare's whims, especially because the play has many other asides that are uncharacteristic of either comedy or tragedy. For example, Mercutio's Queen Mab speech is dreamy and poetic, while the Nurse's colorful personality gives her more dimension than functional characters generally require. However, it is also possible to see the parallels between this tonal shift and the play's thematic contrast between order and disorder. Shakespeare frequently explored the human potential for both comedy and tragedy in his plays, and it is possible that in Romeo and Juliet , he wanted to explore the transition from youthful whimsy into the complications of adulthood. From this perspective, the play's unusual structure could represent a journey to maturity. Romeo grows from a petulant teenager who believes he can ignore the world around him to a man who accepts the fact that his actions have consequences.

Eminent literary critic Harold Bloom considers Mercutio to be one of Shakespeare's greatest inventions in Romeo and Juliet . Why do you agree or disagree with him? What sets Mercutio apart?

One of Shakespeare's great dramatic talents is his ability to portray functional characters as multi-faceted individuals. Mercutio, for example, could have served a simple dramatic function, helping the audience get to know Romeo in the early acts. Then, his death in Act 3 is a crucial plot point in the play, heightening the stakes and forcing Romeo to make a life-changing decision. Mercutio barely appears in Arthur Brooke's Romeus and Juliet , which Romeo and Juliet is based on. Therefore, Shakespeare made a point of fleshing out the character. In Mercutio's Queen Mab speech, Shakespeare has the opportunity to truly delve into the bizarre and often dangerous sexual nature of love. Further, Mercutio's insight as he dies truly expresses the horrors of revenge, as he declares a plague on both the Montague and Capulet families. He is the first casualty of their feud - and because he transcends functionality, the audience mourns his untimely death and can relate to Romeo's capricious revenge.

How does Shakespeare use symbols of gold and silver throughout the play? What does each element represent?

Shakespeare uses gold and silver as symbols to criticize human folly. He often invokes the image of silver to symbolize pure love and innocent beauty. On the other hand, he uses gold as a sign of greed or desire. For example, Shakespeare describes Rosaline as immune to showers of gold, an image that symbolizes the selfishness of bribery. Later, when Romeo is banished, he comments that banishment is a "golden axe," meaning that banishment is merely a shiny euphemism for death. Finally, the erection of the golden statues at the end of the play is a sign of the fact that neither Lord Capulet nor Lord Montague has really learned anything from the loss of their children. They are still competing to claim the higher level of grief. Romeo, however, recognizes the power of gold and rejects it - through him, Shakespeare suggests a distinction between a world governed by wealth and the cocoon of true love.

Do a character analysis of Friar Laurence. What motivates him? In what ways does this motivation complicate his character?

Friar Laurence is yet another character who transcends his functional purpose. When Romeo first approaches the Friar to plan his marriage to Juliet, the older man questions the young man's sincerity, since Romeo openly pined for Rosaline only a few days before. However, the Friar shows a willingness to compromise by agreeing to marry the young lovers nevertheless. What ultimately motivates Friar Laurence is his desire to end the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, and he sees Romeo and Juliet's marriage as a means to that end. While his peaceful intentions are admirable, his devious actions to achieve them – conducting a marriage that he explicitly questions – suggests he is more driven by politics than by an internal moral compass. The fact that a religious figure would compromise one of the Church's sacraments (marriage) further suggests that the Friar wants his power to extend beyond the confines of his Chapel. He also displays his hubris by helping Juliet to fake her death, rather than simply helping her get to Mantua to be with Romeo. While Friar Laurence is not an explicit villain, his internal contradictions speak to Shakespeare's ability to create multi-faceted characters.

Should Romeo and Juliet be considered a classical tragedy (in which fate destroys individuals)? Or is it more a tragedy of circumstance and personality? Moreover, could the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet have been avoided?

In classical tragedy, an individual is defeated by Fate, despite his or her best efforts to change a pre-determined course of events. A classical tragedy both celebrates an individual's willpower while lamenting the fact that the universe cannot be bested by mankind. The tragic elements in Romeo and Juliet are undeniable - two young lovers want nothing more than to be together and fall victim to an ancient feud and rigid societal conventions. However, while Romeo and Juliet's deaths result from human folly, the immovable power of fate also has a hand in sealing their destinies. For instance, Romeo and Juliet had many opportunities to simply run away together instead of being separated after Romeo is banished from Verona. Furthermore, many of the tragic occurrences are contingent on antagonistic characters running into one another, and then choosing to pursue vengeance rather than simply walk away. Based on this evidence, it is possible to read Shakespeare's intent as suggesting that behavioral adjustment can often prevent tragic events.

How is Romeo and Juliet a criticism of organized religion? Examine the play's secularism to develop your answer.

While Romeo and Juliet does not present explicit attacks against religion, Shakespeare reveals his skepticism of Christianity in subtle ways. In many ways, Romeo and Juliet must reject the tenets of Christianity in order to be together. In their first meeting, they banter, using religious imagery to share their sexual feelings. In this exchange, the lovers acknowledge the omnipresence of Christianity, but cheekily use religious images in an unexpected context. Further, Christian tradition would have required Juliet to submit to her father's desire, but instead, she manipulates his expectations to distract him from her real agenda. Even Friar Laurence, an explicitly religious figure, uses Christianity as a tool towards his own ends. In this way, the play implicitly suggests that the rigid rules of religion often work in opposition to the desires of the heart - and to pursue true happiness, one must throw off the shackles of organized faith.

Romeo and Juliet Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Romeo and Juliet is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Can you find verbal irony in the play? Where?

One example of verbal irony would be Romeo's reference to the poison he has purchased as a "sweet medicine". A cordial is a sweet liquor or medicine.

Come, cordial and not poison, go with me To Juliet's grave; for there must I use thee.

What do we learn about Mercutio in queen man speech?

The whole speech is based on pagan Celtic mythology. Mercutio’s speech is laced with sexual innuendo. The words “queen” and “mab” refer to whores in Elizabethan England. As his speech goes on we notice the subtext get increasingly sexual...

What does Romeo fear as he approaches Capulet house? What literary device would this be an example of?

Romeo feels something bad is going to happen.

I fear too early, for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars

Looks like foreshadowing to me!

Study Guide for Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Romeo and Juliet
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Essays for Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies
• Fate in Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo and Juliet: Under the Guise of Love
• The Apothecary's Greater Significance in Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo and Juliet: Two Worlds

Lesson Plan for Romeo and Juliet

• About the Author
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• Relationship to Other Books
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E-Text of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet e-text contains the full text of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

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Wikipedia Entries for Romeo and Juliet

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Romeo and Juliet Themes Sheet - Essay Ideas

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

9 April 2024

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This resource provides top-grade essay ideas for exam questions about Shakepeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Revising ‘Romeo and Juliet’ themes is made simple, with three points on each theme (11 themes total) that are designed to make three high-level paragraphs for your Romeo and Juliet essays.

This resource suits anyone who:

• would like to feel prepared for any theme question that could come up in their exams (all exam boards considered)
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• wants to feel confident discussing all characters
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Romeo and Juliet — Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet

Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet

• Categories: Romeo and Juliet Tragedy William Shakespeare

About this sample

Words: 1071 |

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1071 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

This essay discusses the theme of love in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Love is a central theme in the play, explored in various forms, including romantic love between the titular characters, familial love, and the love between Juliet and her Nurse.

The essay highlights how Romeo and Juliet experience a deep and passionate love for each other, even to the extent of risking their lives. They meet at a Capulet party and fall in love at first sight, leading to a secret marriage. Their love is intense and unwavering, ultimately culminating in a tragic double suicide when they believe they cannot be together.

The essay also delves into the relationships between Juliet and her parents. While her parents, particularly her father, love her dearly, they have different ideas about her future, intending to marry her off to County Paris. Juliet, however, is too consumed by her love for Romeo to consider this arrangement. This contrast in their desires contributes to the tragic outcome of the story.

The role of the Nurse, who has been like a mother to Juliet, is discussed as well. The Nurse's love for Juliet is evident, but she also plays a role in Juliet's secret romance with Romeo, at times offering both support and humor.

Works Cited

• Andrews, J. (1989). Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: The Relationship between Text and Film. Literature/Film Quarterly, 17(2), 80–88. https://doi.org/10.2307/43797710
• Atchity, K. (2004). Shakespearean Tragedy: The Basics. Blackwell Publishing.
• Dobson, M. (Ed.). (2010). The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. Oxford University Press.
• Greenblatt, S. (2004). Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Kirschbaum, L. (2011). Shakespeare and the Idea of Love. Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare.
• Leggatt, A. (1989). Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Violation and Identity. Cambridge University Press.
• Lerner, L. (2005). The Triumph of Love: Same-Sex Marriage and the Politics of Romance in Shakespeare’s Comedy. University of Chicago Press.
• Shakespeare, W. (2016). Romeo and Juliet (Revised Edition). Edited by Jill L. Levenson. Penguin Classics.
• Smith, D. (2013). Love in the Western World. Princeton University Press.
• Vickers, B. (1998). Shakespeare, Co-Author: A Historical Study of Five Collaborative Plays. Oxford University Press.

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