Romeo and Juliet: the Themes of Love, Hate and Fate

Love Hate and Fate Essay
‘Romeo and Juliet’, a Shakespearean tragedy play written in the late 16th Century, conveys the themes of love, hate and fate. Shakespeare explores the complex nature of these universal feelings and the impact of fate through the death of young Romeo and Juliet. Various types of love portrayed include romantic love and love for family pride, members and title. Hate and feuding is also present throughout the story, instigated particularly by the character Tybalt. The composer interacts the themes of love, hate and fate to show how destructive and powerful they can be to the unity and peace of a society.

Love presents itself in a myriad of ways throughout ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Calf love, a term given to mere infatuation, is depicted when Romeo declares his fleeting love for Rosaline. Shakespeare contrasts this with Romeo’s discovery of his true love for Juliet. The composer constructs the characters to fall in love at first sight and realise their true love for one another as they get to know each other’s self and personalities. This deep and powerful love overrides other values, emotions and loyalties they previously have. The use of nature symbolism, “Two of the fairest stars in heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return” allows the audience to see the depth of Romeo’s love as he compares Juliet to a goddess. He implies that her beauty is so great, that nothing universal can compare. When Romeo was exiled for slaying Tybalt, Juliet cries, “O serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?” The paradoxes highlight Juliet’s mixed feelings about whether she should feel angry at Romeo, or whether she should be happy that Tybalt was killed instead of her lover. It is the depth of the Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden love which results in their deaths. The oxymoron, “Oh happy dagger!” portrays Juliet’s grief and desperation as she realises that death would allow for her forbidden desire. This passionate love between Romeo and Juliet contrasts to the courtly, unrequited love of Paris for Juliet. Paris’ statement, “Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet,” shows that his love is reserved, but unrequited, as it is not returned by Juliet. Contrasting Paris’ quiet and remorseful actions after Juliet’s death, Romeo is overwhelmed and recklessly poisons himself in a desperate attempt to be reunited with her. His words, “will I set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh,” captures his evident grief and suffering. The true love between Romeo and Juliet ultimately contributes to the couple’s fate.

Love of family pride, the protection of members and title are also portrayed throughout the play. Juliet’s deeper dependence and connection with her family results in greater family conflict when she refuses to marry Paris. Nurse, is more empathetic with Juliet’s position. Her main role is to act as a mother to Juliet. The two share an affectionate and playful relationship as illustrated by Nurse’s light-hearted teasing, “Why, lamb! Why lady – fie you slug-a-bed! Why love I say! Madam! Sweet-heart!” In contrast, Juliet’s parents have no close affinity to their daughter due to the lack of empathy for her circumstances. Lord Capulet’s understanding of love is governed by money and social status which is displayed through his pressure on Juliet to marry Paris. This results in Juliet having to choose between her family’s expectations and her passion for Romeo. The depth of the couple’s love leads them to choose each other and abandon family loyalty and expectations. Here, the audience sees the absolute passion they share as Romeo has loyalty to family ties, demonstrated by his slaying of Tybalt in vengeance for his cousin’s death. In Juliet’s soliloquy, she says, “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.” Shakespeare portrays Juliet’s belief that though they are giving up their family loyalty, they will be compensated with each other’s company.

The feud between the Capulets and Montagues has been so extensive that the origin of the hatred has been lost in history. Despite this, the hatred is still vigorously upheld through the younger generation in the play, especially Tybalt. The older generation have learnt to place aside the history and live civilly provided a feud is not occurring. This highlights the immaturity and shallow nature of the hate. Prince Escalus warns, “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” Shakespeare uses the technique of foreshadowing to capture the deaths of Romeo and Tybalt. Further. Again, the elements of violence are foreshadowed in Friar Laurence’s line, “These violent delights have violent ends.” It hints that feuding will result in tragedy, and creates an atmosphere of mysteriousness and apprehension about the play’s ending. Romeo and Juliet’s death is the catharsis of the play. Shakespeare uses the concept of feuding and hatred to convey that antagonistic feelings ultimately lead to tragic results.

The consequence of the family feud has implications for the entire kingdom. Even bystanders such as Friar Laurence, were affected through feelings of remorse and guilt. During an earlier street brawl, Tybalt’s language; “I hate the word (peace), as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee” portrays his loathing of the rival family. He instigates a vicious brawl resulting in his’ and Mercutio’s death. This results in more hatred towards Romeo from Capulet family, and Romeo’s banishment from Verona. Romeo presages this when he states, “This day’s black fate on moe days doth depend. This but begins the woe others must end.” The imagery alluding to dark colour suggests that there will be negative repercussions of his fight across the kingdom. It also hints that in order for the feud to stop, a sacrifice will be needed, which is later found out; the lives of Romeo and Juliet.

Fate has also played a significant role in leading to the downfall of Romeo and Juliet. Their fate was written in the stars and was destined for them. The elements of fate was first presented this in the prologue, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life… the fearful passage of their death-marked love,” Shakespeare uses foreshadowing to convey the unfortunate deaths of Romeo and Juliet. It emphasises the key aspects of fate, and how their lives were controlled by the stars. Incidents further in play built up to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. After Romeo killed Tybalt in a street brawl, he immediately declared, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” Romeo believes that it was misfortune which led him to kill Tybalt, instead of his own actions. However, the audience must accept that it was simply a coincidence that Mercutio was in a bad mood when his angry rival, Tybalt walked past, which instigated the brawl. Friar accepts the concept of fate when he states, “A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.” The technique of personification is presents fate as being an unforseen force which controls their lives. Shakespeare’s effective presentation of fate convey that it has the power to ruin Romeo and Juliet’s plans, and leads to the deaths of innocent and guilty people.

In conclusion, Shakespeare successfully portrays that the interaction of love, hate and fate in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ eventually lead to the death of the two star-crossed lovers. Their tragic deaths are the catharsis of the play. Unfortunately, it is the two lovers’ deaths that ultimately unite the families and allow them to see the meaningless nature of the hate. The play depicts that true and meaning love will eventually triumph over hatred.