Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet Forbidden Love

Romeo and Juilet was written by William Shakespeare in the year 1664. Breifly this play is about a boy and girl from two opposing familes fall madly in love with each other gets torn apart by their own relatives hate. The main themes in this play are romance and violence. During Shakespearen times people were very superstitious and believed that fate was pre-destined. The majority of civilians was religious in the year the play was made and belived in most curses and pleas.

Throughout the play , this concept was shown as Romeo cries out that everything is linked to fate, every action, every life and death was all believed to be linked to fate. Although it was Shakespeare who was created everything in the play, speech, death, love, including Romeo’s character. Behind the scenes for Romeo was Shakespeare who was playing his game. So Willium Shakespeare was Romeo’s fate. The Prolouge was set at the beginning of the play and we were told the summary of the play.

We were told the plot of the play/storyline, “A pair of star-crossed lovers”. This implies two fated lovers against the law.

The Prolouge also mentioning ” Two households, both alike in dignity ,”. This emphasies two waring families both high in stature. ” From ancient grude to new munity”, this infers that both famillies with an ancient grudge, and know comming to a new problem. We are told this at the start of the play because by doing this the audience gains an idea of the story and also to capture the audiences attention.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified

Proficient in: Writer

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

The themes that are established in The Prolouge are love, violence and hate, all these themes are used in the play, as they are used in the small summary (The Prolouge).

Act 1 Scene 1 starts by two servents from the house of Capulets, Sampson and Gregory teasing each other, talking about fighting servents of the Montagues ” The quarrel is between our masters and us their men”. This demonstrates that their eager to fight. They were also talking about raping the Montague women, “Me they shall feel while I am able to stand tis known, I am a pretty peice of flesh. ” This shows their sense of humour and how they like to say rude jokes. Initially the atmoshere is jolly with a jokey mood, this is shown by their reference to sexual inuemos mentioned above.

But the mood quickely changes when two of the Montague servents, Balthasar and Abram, entered the play and approached closer to the Capulets. Sampson and Gregory’s good-natured rivalry is immediatly converted to hostility. In this act and scene we learn a fair amount of information about Benvolio, his personality and his character. Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin, he is a solemn, sensitive young man whose name indicates his peace making role in the play. During this act and scene, Benvolio tries to make peace with the gang fight and fails.

It also reaveals that Benvolio speaks the truth, whilst slightly backing his family(Montague) up. “I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword. ” This shows his character and person, what he is like. Not liking to stir up trouble, being his peaceful self. Tybalt enters half way through this scene. We learn a good amount of information about him, his character and especially aggresive personality and nature. As Tybalt enters the play, we learn that he is violent and certainly not peace loving as he mentions. “What, drawn, anf talk of peace?

I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. ” This implies that Tybalt has a aggressive nature, this quote also shows how much he hates the Montagues. As he speaks slowly and cleary to the Montagues, truely expressing his feelings about them. The audience may feel like their prepare to watch a fight, as Tybalt’s entry builds up great tension around the audience. This scene ends when the prince of Verona appears and splits up the murderous brawl and gives them a threatning warning. “If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.

This infers on how serious, and angry the prince is, about their continued fighting in the street and even giving a death penalty as a warning to both Capulets and Montagues. The audience may start to calm down as the tension starts to drop, because of the arrival of the prince stopping the fight. Act 3 Scene 1. This scene is important as it comes half way through the play, Romeo and Juilet have been married. This is important to what is to follow. This scene plays a large majority of the play, as the audience are firstly indroduced to the main theme of violence of the play.

A large fight is played and the characters expressions are all dramactically expressed. This scene is full of dramatic irony, as the audience knows that Romeo is married to Juilet anf that Tybalt is Romeo’s cousin through marrige. Tybalt doesn’t realise this and is very eager to fight, because of the introdtion to the party that happened before. Romeo refuses to fight because of his marrige to Juilet. He is now Tybalts cousin. He cannot tell Tybalt the truth because of the feud between Capulets and Montagues. The audience know the truth and are interested in what will happen.

At the start of the scene, the weather is hot causing people to be adjutated, Benvolio asks Mercutio to go home, because the Capulets are wandering around. “I pray thee good Mercutio, let’s retire. The day is hot, the Capulets abroad”. This emphasises Benvolio is trying to keep the peace yet again, trying to avoid the sight of the Capulets, as he knows that trouble will stir up and they won’t be able to escape once a fight starts. He is also trying to protect Mercutio from trouble, as Benvolio knows Mercutio character.

On this scene we learn that Mercutio is a very humourous character, always making jokes and he seems to be very friendly with Benvolio, teasing him. But Benvolio always tries to keep every situation as calm as possible, incase anything gets out if order. Mercutio also, tries to include Benvolio on how Italy is feeling “Thy head is a full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling. This implies Mercutio is trying to include Benvolio in the family struggles, because he wants to make Benvolio same as anyone else keeping him on his side.

At the start of the scene the atmoshere is similar to the beginning to act 1 scene 1, when Benvolio and Mercutio is joking and teasing each other, but Benvolio tries to keep the stituation calm and peaceful as possible. The audience would probaly feel sorry of Benvolio as by now they should realise that Benvolio’s peace making role is a lost cause. The atmoshere immediatly changes as soon as Tybalt and his men enter the play, it changes because the audience already knows what Tybalt is like and what the outcome will be, violence.

As soon as Tybalt is caught in sight of Mercutio and Benvolio, Benvolio says “By my head, here come the Capulets”. This demonstrates how instantly worried he is. But Mercutio replies to him “By my heel, I care not”. This emphasises on how Mercutio is cocky, arrogant and doesn’t care about the Capulets and Tybalt. Mercutio also knows that there’s a crowed around and even whilst Tybalt and his men has arrived armed, Mercutio seems to try and stir it up even more, by being a showman, causing a comedy show and jokes as though he doesn’t care. In behaviour, Mercutio is like Tybalt, someone who is easily angered and who likes to fight.

He feels that Tybalt has insulted Romeo and Romeo allowed him to. A fight is the last thing Romeo wants, as Mercutio is his friend and Tybalt is now his kinsman. When Tybalt kills Mercutio it creates tension as the audience wait to see how Romeo will act. The mood becomes tense again because Romeo enters the scene. Another dramatic irony was included in this scene, as the audience knows that Tybalt is looking for Romeo and they know that violence will occur once Tybalt sees Romeo.

As Romeo gets into a duel with Tybalt, Mercutio is concerned about Romeo’s fencing, “O calm, dishourable, vile submission ! . This implies how Mercutio can’t believe that Romeo isn’t fighting back and is also confused on why he’s not. After this Romeo is trying to keep the peace “Gentle Mercutio put thy rapier up,”. This demonstrates, that Romeo is trying to stop Mercutio’s actions from getting into trouble. Also mentioning about the penalties “Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath, Forbid this bandying in Verona streets. “. This is infers Romeo is trying to part the fight whilst also protecting Mercutio, Mercutio knows he’ll be punished and yet he still fights for Romeo.

And the result of this lead to his death, as Mercutio and Tybalt fight, Romeo got in the way allowing Tybalt to thurst his sword in Mercutio. Mercutio blames both families, as he is no Montague or Capulet. ” I am hurt; A plague on both your houses ! I am sped. ” In this scene he repeats “A plague on both your houses ! ” three times. This implies he is cursing both families, he’s wounded and about to die, the fact he’s saying it three times emphasises his, fear and anger. And during Shakesperean times, three times meant bad luck. Romeo’s reaction when Mecutio dies is important.

My very friend hath got his mortal hurt In my behalf my reputation stain’d With Tybalt’s slander”. He sees that he is responsible for his death and his love for Juilet has made him less of an man. “O sweet Juilet Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soften’d valours’s steel ! ” Tybalt returns and the audience want to know what Romeo will now do, take revenge. We also know that The Prince has threatened to punish with death anyone who fights. Shakespeare brought The Prince back to remind the audience the consequences that will occur.

Romeo is very angry, “fire-eyed fury be my conduct now” and fights with Tybalt and kills him. “This tells us how angry Romeo is, mentioning the word fire-eyed fury, fust as if he has fire in his eyes. ” The audience knows that this is disastorious for both Romeo and Juliet. He has killed Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin and also, faces The Prince’s Punishments. Shakespeare again keeps the audience interested in what will happen next. After Romeo has killed Tybalt, Shakespeare uses Benvolio to remind the audience of the danger Romeo is now in.

He tells Romeo to fly “away, be gone” and reminds us all of what the prince will do, ” the prince will doom thee death If thou art taken”. This infers that The Prince will execute him. Romeo’s language is important. His final words remind the audience of the opening Prolouge to the play that spoke of ” two star-crossed lovers”. Yet again, after Romeo causes a brash action (killing Tybalt) he blames someone else than himself. ” I am fortune’s fool”, this infers that he feels that fate is against him, because he wanted went downhill and people had a strong fate in god at Shakesperean times.

Romeo leaves and Shakespeare has now created a tension because the audience await The Prince and wonder what will become of Romeo and Juliet. When The Prince arrives, the discussion between Benvolio and The Prince is important, as it changes Romeo’s destiny. The prince seeks the fight starters “Benvolio, who began this bloody fray. ” Knowing that Benvolio will always tell the truth, even though he’ll get his family in trouble. Lady Capulet doesn’t care, ” I beg for justice, which thou, Prince must give, Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live. “. This emphasises that she only wants Romeo to die.

Also another reason why the disscussion between Benvolio and The Prince tis important , ” And for that offence Immediatly we do exile him hence . ” This implies The Prince’s punichment has changed, banishing Romeo instead of killing. The change wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Benvolio. Act 5 scene 3, so far Romeo has been informed of the catastrophe of his bride Juliet. In order to avoid Juliet getting married to Paris, Juilet fakes her death for a short period of time, which occured in ant 4 scene 4. This scene Act 5 scene 3 is important beacause it is the very last scene, and the audience will be eager to await for the finale.

It is also because this is the part of the play where both of the main characters (Romeo and Juliet) dies. In this last act and scene, we learn a very great deal about Romeo’s character. We learn that he is very irrational and could be very violent. I don’t think he manages to live up to the stereotype of the “Romantic”, because I think Romeo’s mood effects his speech, and especially the way he acts. At one speech in this scene he says “By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint and strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs. ” This demonstrates how violent Romeo’s mind could come up and heaven do.

The theme of violence is so important beacause, it alternates hte storyline of the play multiple times and also changer the behavior and roles of the characters. The violence can be most memorable, because violence is exiciting, it grabs the audiences attention and it adds “unpredictabililty” to the play. Violence stirs up peoples emotions, causes shock, distress, and it is often unexpected. The audience like to watch contrasting characters good vs bad. I think at the end of each scene the audience would be thinking what will happen next, beacause Shakespeare makes every act and scene interesting and reminding for us.