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Romeo and Juliet: themes
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Love and hate sit side by side in this play. Fate, time and conflict between generations drive the tragedy.
Love and hate
Shakespeare shows different kinds of love: Romeo's showy love for Rosaline, the Nurse's earthy love, and the intense love of Romeo and Juliet.
Light imagery fills their love: "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
Hate fills the streets through the feud.
Light imagery fills their love: "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
Hate fills the streets through the feud.
Fate and time
The Prologue calls them "star-cross'd", so the audience knows the ending.
Romeo defies fate ("Then I defy you, stars!"), but bad luck and haste destroy the lovers.
The whole story happens in just a few days.
Romeo defies fate ("Then I defy you, stars!"), but bad luck and haste destroy the lovers.
The whole story happens in just a few days.
Violence and conflict
The play begins and ends with violence. The Friar warns: "These violent delights have violent ends."
Young men's honour leads to fights; parents' authority leads to conflict with Juliet.
Young men's honour leads to fights; parents' authority leads to conflict with Juliet.
How does Shakespeare use light imagery for love?
- Romeo says Juliet teaches "the torches to burn bright".
- In the balcony scene he calls her the sun.
- Light suggests she is radiant and beautiful, but light in darkness is also brief.
Answer: Juliet is shown as bright and life-giving, though their love, like a flash of light, is short.
Themes: love (with light imagery), hate and violence, fate ("star-cross'd"), time and haste, and conflict between young and old.
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