Violence Theme In "Romeo And Juliet"

Romeo And Juliet is quite possibly the most famous love story of all time. It has many concurrent themes running throughout the course of the entire story and one that is very prevalent is that of death and violence, the violence being both verbal and physical. Shakespeare merged the themes of death and violence with those of passion, love, and affection, which contrast beautifully with the more macabre themes to create a distinctive mood and atmosphere. In this essay I will be showing exactly how Shakespeare portrayed the said issues of death and violence in Romeo And Juliet.

Violence often plays a part in media, being shown more and more on film and television. Nowadays we have trailers or commercials to tell the prospective viewer of the details of what will happen in what they are watching. In Shakespeare’s time they had prologues at the beginning of the plays. Prologues were an outline of the story of the play and the prologue of Romeo and Juliet was no different.

It instantly shows how death and violence was going to be a major aspect of the play.

The lines ”From ancient grudge break to new mutiny / civil blood makes civil hands unclean”, show instantaneously how there has been a grievance between some people who are quite obviously of the nobility and how the grievance has turned violent and blood is being shed. The fact that they are of the nobility has more of an impact as a petty feud like the one the families have would normally be between families of a lower order or social standing.

Get quality help now

RhizMan

Verified

Proficient in: Plays

4.9 (247)

“ Rhizman is absolutely amazing at what he does . I highly recommend him if you need an assignment done ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Progressing to the opening scene, we get yet more hints that these two families are so hostile towards each other as two members of the Capulet faction, Gregory and Samson, enter talking about the sorts of things they would like to do to any Montague and their maids “will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall”. When they come across two Montagues and the aggression spills over into confrontation as the Capulets begin to bite their thumbs at the Montagues. This is a sign of disrespect (“I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it”) so the Montagues take offence and go and confront the Capulets. After some verbal aggression (“Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow”), a fight breaks out and the non-violent Montague Benvolio attempts to break it up.

More and more members of each family arrive (Tybalt and Lords Capulet and Montague) and as it escalates to the brink of a riot it is haltered by the Prince. He issues this grave warning, “Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace…once more, on pain of death, all men depart”. This basically means that any more public displays of un-chivalrous behavior from either family will result in execution. This is the first time post prologue that the issue of death is hinted at.

After the Prince’s decree, the mood calms and changes from unbridled fury to one of concern from Lord Montague over the whereabouts of his son. When Romeo first enters we get a hint of how Shakespeare breaks the tension created before hand with something more lighthearted. In this case Romeos unrequited lust after Rosaline.

Scene two further sets a differing mood when we see Lord Capulet portrayed as a loving father in his reluctance to force Juliet into marriage with Paris.

Scene three begins to incline into more sinister things with Romeos dream prediction of foreboding (“I fear too early; for my mind misgives/Some consequences yet hanging in the stars/Shall bitterly begin his fearful date/With…untimely death”). This is the initial part of the dramatic irony that runs so constantly in the play. It is ironic as his prediction of “untimely death” is so true and as it was stated in the prologue the audience would be more intrigued, constantly waiting for the moment when the “untimely death” happens.

Scene five once again shatters the tension made with people dancing and singing and generally enjoying the party. This fun is however short lived as Tybalt overhears Romeo and lowers the tone by ordering for his sword (“Fetch me my rapier, boy”). This shows the tension between families, as Tybalt is willing to ruin his uncle’s party just to fight one Montague. An odd thing happens next as Lord Capulet tells Tybalt to calm down and let him enjoy the party. He even pays Romeo a compliment saying he is a “portly gentleman”. This portrays Tybalt’s actions as childish and rash and lures the audience into a sense of false impression by making them think there is not as much bad blood as was initially thought although this could not be further from the truth. More dramatic irony is shown after Romeo and Juliet first meet in Juliet’s over the top albeit chillingly accurate comment of “my grave is to be my wedding bed”.

Act two, Scene two is where we next get a sense of violence and foreboding when Romeo states that his “life were better ended by their hate/Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love”. His immature comment about his ‘true love’ for Juliet is riddled with hints of just how much anger there is between the families and how he would be killed if people knew how he felt for one of the ‘enemy’.

In scene four, Tybalt sends a letter addressed to Romeo requesting a conflict. Upon news of this Romeo and Mercutio embark on a playful war of wit and words with Romeo emerging victor against the razor sharp Mercutio because of his high spirits over his love for Juliet. However this glee doesn’t last and his good frame of mind is dampened by Tybalt once again bringing the feud back into the frame.

Scene five contains very little in the way of death or violence but it has the intriguing quote from Juliet “but old folks, many feign as they were dead”. This is once again dramatic irony rearing its head as the ‘feigning of death’ is what causes the confusion which leads to the ‘two star crossed’ lovers deaths.

The same can be said along the lines of quantity of death and violence for scene six however Friar Laurence’s warning of “violent delights have violent ends” is plagued with foreboding of how their love for each other is just asking for trouble.

Act three, Scene ones main basis is conflict, rage and violence. With Romeos decline of Tybalt’s invitation to fight, Mercutio leaps at the chance to defend his friend Romeo and after a barrage of verbal insults from either side swords are drawn and Mercutio ends up mortally wounded. With his dying breath he says “a plague o both your houses”. This shows how the stupidity of the family quarrel is only made obvious upon death. With word of Mercutio’s death reaching Romeo, he seeks revenge and upon hunting down Tybalt his aggression spills over and Tybalt is slain. Romeo flees before the Prince arrives with fear of execution in his mind. When the Prince finally turns up on the scene a definite sense of status is shown with the Prince being respected by all. Declaration is given of Romeo being exiled from Verona.

Whilst this is happening, Juliet is nervously waiting for news of Romeo from the Nurse and when the news of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s exile reaches her she is faced with a predicament. Does she side with her love or her family? She begins to see things in a new light after denouncing, and then restating her love for Romeo.

Scene three shows Romeo as hysterical and suicidal and once again death is prevalent. “hadst thou no poison mix’d, no sharp-ground knife” shows his desperateness but he is soon calmed by Friar Laurence’s age and wisdom and Romeo regains some composure.

Scene 4 shows Lord Capulets callousness during this time of mourning as he changes his initial thoughts and arranges a marriage for Juliet. The irony of this being, that at that moment both Juliet and Romeo were together consummating their illicit marriage after they eloped. When news of the arrangement is broken to Juliet and she is naturally opposed, Capulet believes this as a personal insult to him and he gives her an ultimatum: marry Paris, or leave. The way he delivers this is particularly aggressive, with him personally insulting his only child “you tallow face! /Hang thee baggage! /Disobedient wretch!”. As the nurse tries to console the distraught Juliet she is quite frank about what she says. “for it excels your first; or if did not/Your first is dead-or ’twere as good as he were/And leaving here and you no use of him”. Juliet finds this horrifying that her closest friend is insinuating that she leave Romeo, her true love, as he is never coming back to Verona. Distressed, she leaves to see Friar Laurence where a plan is hatched.

In act 4, Romeo is in Mantua awaiting news from the Friar whilst Juliet is with Laurence discussing the marriage conundrum. He says she can take a potion that will give her the symptoms for death for “two and forty hours”. This references back to act two, scene four and although the plan appears watertight to the two of them, it has a sense of foreboding looming over it.

Scene three shows Juliet in a state of distress before the potion is taken and her line “farewell! God knows when we shall meet again” is very meaningful as it has more truth than she believes as in they would never again both lay eyes on each other until they actually died.

The play progresses further to the point where Romeo receives word that Juliet has died and been moved to her family crypt. Because Romeo doesn’t know Juliet’s plan he is distraught. This is an example of how the death and violence goes further than it being in its physical form and show how it has affected Romeo emotionally.

The plays climax is wrought with tension because of the air of Juliet’s “death” hanging over everyone. Romeo travels to the Capulet crypt to see Juliet one last time, purchasing a vile of poison along the way. This confirms with the audience that that wasn’t the last of the death.

Upon entering the tomb he confronts Paris, who he quickly disposes of. The audience can tell just how relevant them being in a crypt together is when Romeo drinks the poison gazing on the “dead” Juliet. Just after that happens Juliet awakens from her slumber to see a dead Romeo by her side and, knowing that she cant live without him plunges his dagger into her chest. The relevance being that two people in a crypt are almost destined to stay there together, forever. Although extreme this was exactly what both Romeo and Juliet wanted. Shakespeare is brilliant in that for every light hearted scene, he used tension or death and violence to lower the tone slightly and keep people interested.

Death and violence was portrayed excellently throughout Romeo and Juliet but I feel the last scene was the strongest.