The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Essay In this essay I will be discussing the theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet and how it has affected the characters and their lives. I will try to show how love wins over hate, and that the characters experience many different types of love, and how these types of love cannot always exist peacefully at the same time. Prologue The prologue is a few paragraphs explaining the situation of Romeo and Juliet and the environment they live in. It is read by a narrator. The first lines talk about the two families with the same amount of power, living in Verona. It tells of a violence and hatred between the two families a long time ago that is still going on, and how the people around them are being included in this hostility. This emphasises the seriousness of the situation, civil blood tells of death. We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer from forth the fatal loins of these two foes means that two couples from the conflicting households have brought two children. A pair of lovers tells of their love for each other through their families hate and death-markd love shows that their love will be a fatal love, resulting in death. It goes on to say that after they die, their parents disagreements will come to an end, and that their parents loathing was so great that only their childrens deaths could put an end to it; the continuance of their parents rage, which but their childrens end, nought could remove and says that for 2 hours the audience shall see the fearful passage of their death-markd love Finally, it says that what the introduction hasnt told you that the play shall strive to mend. In other words what hasnt been said in the introduction will be made clear throughout the play. Its Shakespeares way of intriguing you and making you want to stay to watch the whole play. The prologue informs us that although love brought tragedy, it won over hate, and that love and hate, the most familiar juxtaposition, can affect a whole community. It illustrates that love is powerful but dangerous, and brings us the message that Romeo and Juliets love was stronger than the hatred their families had for each other. In the beginning of the play, Romeo has been sitting up all night thinking about Rosalind and being doubtful of her love for him. He starts losing the will to live and feels whippd and tormented. At he moment his love isnt bringing him happiness, but he is hoping, perhaps in vain, that it will. His love for Rosalind is arguably not real love at all Before the feast at the Capulets mansion, Juliet is not really aware of love. She loves her mother and Father, and she loves her cousins, and her pets, but this is only one of the types of love, and there is more than one type of love, so she is yet to experience a love like the love she will feel for Romeo. Then her Mother and the Nurse enter the room. The Nurse is like a stand in mother who does all the hard work to bring her up well, until Juliet is at an interesting enough age for the mother to take notice, like when she falls in love with Romeo, or when the mother tries to interest Juliet in Paris, who is a nice rich boy in her mothers opinion and for Juliet all this marriage business isnt such a big thing. She is fine with doing whatever her mother wants in this region, which shows how little she thinks of it. She makes the remark Ill love to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly Basically she is saying that she will look at men freely, but unless her mother gives consent for her to look at men with a more meaningful intention, she wont. Juliets father (Lord Capulet) has a very liberal view towards Paris and is very accommodating towards him. He welcomes his proposal to Juliet with open arms and approves of him as a worthy contender and son in law. Love doesnt really come into it. He just assumes that because Paris is rich and fairly good looking, Juliet should marry him regardless of whether she loves him or not, which is, to be fair, Juliets own view on marriage, but then again she has been brought up to think this because of the society she lives in, without any experience of love for men. He is lavish in his blessings for them and seemingly caring and easy going about the whole thing, his statement She agree lies my consent is an example of his fairness towards Juliet, saying that if she wants to marry, he will approve for the marriage to go ahead. The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Part 2 Romeo goes to the Capulet party. He went to the Capulet party because, when he was shown the guest list, he saw Rosalinds name on it and decided to go. You could also argue that he went because of his friend Benvolios comment, Examine other beauties. In other words look around; there are more fish in the sea. But I think that its a bit of both. Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and is absolutely besotted with her; he talks about her to his friend Mercutio, and says, O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! In other words, shes radiant, full of light. You could also say that he thinks shes hot and that he thinks that shes really sexy, because he obviously loves her looks, at the moment, and not her personality. He thinks that shes a: Snowy dove trooping with crows ~ essentially hes saying that she is the only beautiful girl in the whole party, and therefore is saying that Rosalind, whom only hours before he was saying was the whole world, is a crow! Some people would say that he is not only using dove as a big contrast but also as a symbol of peace and love and purity. Another comment he makes is Did my heart love till now? this helps to prove that his love for Rosalind was very superficial and that perhaps he is quite fickle and the same thing will happen with Juliet. He calls her a holy shrine ~ he worships her! He thinks she is Godly and she has a power over him! But, when he realises that she is a Capulet, he cries, Is she a Capulet? My life is my foes debt. He pledges his life to her. He will do anything by this point for Juliet and it doesnt matter whose daughter she is, he will still love her. Further on in the party, Juliet says, Whats he that now is going out of door? to her nurse. This shows us that she is interested in Romeo and thinks that he is handsome enough to ask whom he is. You could say that she is just wondering who he is, but I think that when she says, to her nurse, Go, ask his name. If he be married my grave is likely to be my wedding bed. I think that this signifies that she is more interested than just wondering who he is; she wants to marry him! She is dazed, she doesnt want to marry Paris, she wants Romeo! This quote also tells us that she thinks that she will die if she cant marry him and has to marry Paris. This is another indicator of how much Romeo means to her. So she is ignoring her parents wishes and has now completely broken the promises she made to her mother. Some people might also find that this is a pointer to the fact that she will die and also see the irony of her statement. Another statement she makes is My only love sprung from my only hate! Not only does this show how aware of the partition between them she is and how she must wish she was not a Capulet, but it also verifies that she doesnt love Paris at all, for she calls Romeo her only love. Later on Romeo is so smitten that he calls Juliet the sun! this suggests that he thinks she is radiant, warm, life giving and fundamental to the existence of the planet, but equally, you could argue that he is also saying that the sun is potentially dangerous; consequently Juliet could hurt him. He also comments the brightness of her cheek would shame those stars So here he is saying that she is so bright, that compared to the stars, they are dull. This further signals that he thinks she is radiant, the brightest star of them all. Next, he remarks bright angel This implies that he thinks she has been sent from heaven, and that she is astoundingly beautiful and angelic. He thinks that she is innocent, pure and good, and you could say that he chooses the word angel as another way of saying virgin, to stress her purity as well as describing her As is a winged messenger of heaven ~ as again he makes a reference to her being saintly and untainted Juliet is now on her balcony wondering whether her new love actually loves her. Then Romeo appears and she asks, Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say Ay' subsequently, she thinks that he will automatically say yes even though he might not actually mean it deeply. She continues; Thou mayst prove false. She thinks that he might just love her like he loved Rosalind, and not feel deeply about her. She thinks he might just love her looks and not her. You could say that she is worried that they might marry, then regret it, because he will possibly go off her and find someone else, and she doesnt want this to happen not only because she will be hurt, but also because she has so much to lose. For instance, she could lose her parents love and respect, and also Paris love not forgetting Romeos love. Another downside to their romance is that it is too fast. I have no joy in this contract tonight; it is too rash. Is one of Juliets remarks, because she is having further doubts about his love for her and wondering if tomorrow they will feel differently about each other, and that it is just a moments love, and again she is scared of being hurt. She has apprehensions about love, as she has never experienced the love she is feeling for Romeo right now. Later on, she says, My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep to try to portray how intense her love is for Romeo, and you could say that, like the sea, her love has layers and some parts are dark and deep. If that thy bent of love be honourable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow This means that if Romeo really loves her, and if he wants to marry her, then he should send for her tomorrow so they can be married. Mercutio is worried about Romeo. He says, Alas poor Romeo, he is already dead! Stabbed with a white wenchs black eye. This shows that he thinks that because Romeo loves Juliet so much, and is completely devoted, that this has made him lifeless and dead, because he has pledged his life to Juliet, and has nothing left to give. He is empty of all feeling but for Juliet and this has arguably annoyed Mercutio, Romeos friend, somewhat. This could explain why he calls Juliet a white wench. Or perhaps he feels that she is a siren or some kind of voluptuous, loathsome creature that has transformed Romeo into a lifeless body. This could also be the reason he feels Romeo has been stabbed by Juliet. Mercutios words are ironic because at the end of the play, Romeo hears of Juliets death and rushes to the scene, finds her dead and kills himself. So you could say this is an artful way of pointing towards Romeo s demise. Mercutio is predicting Romeos death and he thinks that one day Juliet will be the end of him. The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Part 3 When Romeo meets Tybalt, things start to go wrong. Romeos says, but love thee better than thou canst devise. Romeo is talking about familial love; the love reserved for members of his family, because Tybalt is now a relation, although not a blood relation of Romeo. Tybalt doesnt understand, and when he doesnt understand things, he gets frustrated, and he has to let out his anger by being violent and then Tybalt starts hitting Romeo. He thinks that Romeo is either mocking him, or showing homosexual tendencies. To Tybalt, both of these possible meanings are equally wicked and either way Romeo should be punished in some way. He then confrontationally says to Romeo, Romeothou art a villain Tybalt feels that Romeo has wronged him belonging to a family that hates his own and that, perhaps Romeo has actually physically hurt him in some way in a previous conflict between the two houses. Tybalt cant figure out why Romeo said that he loved him. He doesnt believe Romeo, because their families have been at war for years, ancient grudge Ancient tells us how long the long standing feud has been raging and helps explain why Tybalt is so confused. Tybalt is the fought off by Mercutio, who cant bear to see Romeo being beaten up this way, for Romeo is not defending himself, because if he fought Tybalt, it would be like he was fighting his own family: Juliet. Tybalt fights back and he kills Mercutio. Romeo is outraged. He not only feels bad about Mercutios death, but he is infuriated that he prevented Mercutio from defending himself from Tybalt, because this inadvertently caused Mercutios death. Romeo cries, My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt, and In my behalf which show his anguish and guilt at his friends sudden demise. Romeo is so tortured by the guilt of causing his friends death, that he decides to avenge Mercutios death by killing Tybalt. He goes after Tybalt following the death of Mercutio and takes Tybalts life. He is then traumatized by the reality of what he has just done and says, My reputation stained. This could show that he is concerned about his chances with Juliet, after all, hes just killed her cousin, or he could be anxious about getting caught by the law, and perhaps therefore afraid for his life. He doesnt seem to really care about Tybalt lying dead on the floor, which could possibly show that Romeo is very self centred, and puts himself before others, or that he is just completely in love with Juliet and cant see anything past her, and that she comes first. The words and language Juliet uses when she finds out what has happened to Tybalt are as if shes just woken up to another side of Romeo that she finds unbearable. She cries, O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! This means she thinks that underneath Romeos good looks is a bad heart and that deep down he is not quite what she had expected, not the man she fell in love with on the night of the party. She feels used, as if Romeo had lied to her. Another thing she says is Did ever a dragon keep so fair a cave? She is saying that she thinks Romeo is really a nasty piece of work but he tricked her into thinking that he was a kind, nice boy who was good looking and an ideal husband for her. She uses a lot of juxtapositions to describe how she is feeling, so she is obviously having very mixed feelings towards Romeo and is confused, she loves and hates him. Some of the phrases she uses are Fiend angelical! Beautiful tyrant! and, Wolvish-ravening lamb! This again shows how betrayed she feels by Romeos love and how terrible she feels because her world has just come down around her. Lord Capulet changes the way he speaks to his daughter after her refusal to marry Paris. When he first speaks about Paris, he is very pleasant about him and tends to be on his side. He backs him all the way and even says She agree lies my consent This shows a very caring attitude towards Juliet. But underneath all this, Paris is still Lord Capulets choice, not Juliets. He likes to be in control, and he perhaps just says this to make her feel well towards him. But as soon as his feeling of control goes, he starts getting angry. He cant understand why Juliet could possibly not want to marry Paris. So he gets very irritated with her and pushes her around. Is she not proud? Unworthy as she is This shows what a patriarchal society they live in, and how her father thinks that she should be marrying to money and a good reputation, not for love or happiness. He doesnt yet know about Romeo, which could mean hes angry because hes suspicious that shes met someone behind his back, for there mus t be some reason for her disobedience. This is not the best way of showing your parental love. But they live in a society that thinks that your fathers word is law, especially on the issue of marriage. Juliet has a change of attitude to her nurse when the nurse tries to persuade her to marry Paris and forget Romeo. It is because a close friend and also a motherly figure has just tried to crush her dream to be with Romeo. She feels like the nurse isnt supporting her and isnt helping her, like a friend should, with her decisions. Perhaps the more motherly side is coming out. The nurse just wants the best for everyone, and she knows that if they marry, there will be trouble. She is probably worried about Juliet getting hurt, but this is often mistaken, as in this case, for someone not caring or being unsupportive. This explains why Juliet is so agitated at her nurses apparent change of sides. Juliet feels the nurse has betrayed her by backing up her parents and going against her when really the nurse is on her side, and doesnt want any harm to come to her. Juliet is very let down by this and reacts by saying Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. She is saying that before the incident, they were together but now they are apart. They have split up over Romeo. This shows how much Juliet loves Romeo. She splits up with the nurse in a fit of rage over him, even though the nurse has loved and looked after her for many years. This illustrates how emotional and impulsive Juliet is, and could be the reason she takes such drastic action at the very end of the play. Lord and Lady Capulets reactions over their daughters death are quite different ones. Lady Capulet cries Alack the day! Shes dead shes dead! This gives you an idea about how heartbreaking her daughters death is to her but this possibly implies that Juliet is very much like a possession to her. She says, Shes dead like she would if her favourite toy had been broken. She is very factual about it, and doesnt give an indication of how she feels it has affected her. Lord Capulets language when he speaks of his daughters death is very passionate and loving. He gives you an insight into how he feels about his daughters recent death and shows real feeling towards her. Alack, my child is deadand with my child my joys are buried! in this statement, he shows a lot more relation to Juliet than his wife. When his wife speaks of the death she says she and could be talking about anybody. Whereas Lord Capulet at least acknowledges that this girl is his daughter and goes on to say that when her life went, so did his joy and will to live. I think that from the death of the two protagonists, we learn that even true love does not always bring happiness, and that the most important thing to both parties, the thing that drove them to their deaths was their families, and the ongoing feud between them. I think that they were both very passionate and very in love and their deaths were responsible for peace at last between the two families. Final Conclusion In this essay I have discussed the theme of love, and have tried to show the different types of love, and how the conflict between them can sometimes be fatal. I think I have showed how it has affected the characters, the many different types of love the characters experience, and that love will, in the end, win over hate. The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Paper Heres much to do with hate but more with love This quotation from Romeo can in fact describe the whole play. The word more shows the power of love to overcome hatred. However, in Romeo and Juliet there are several different types of love demonstrated. For example, characters such as Mercutio can be seen using sexual innuendos and bawdy language. In the play, there is evidence of brotherly love, shown to Romeo by Benvolio; motherly love from the Nurse towards Juliet; and fatherly love shown by Friar Lawrence towards Romeo; a suitor who offers wealth and power, is shown in the character of Paris. On one hand there is Romeo and Juliet who show a very passionate and romantic form of love. Romeo and Juliets love is different from everyone elses thoughts. For them, marriage is completely based upon true love. Others, it may be for power, wealth and recognition.Romeo is one of the protagonists in the play. He comes across as a very romantic and mature teenager who feels the in the deepest l ove for Juliet who he met at Lord Capulets party. O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. What is her mother? These are his words to Nurse and her answer reveals that his to see if only love has come from his only hate.But this is not the first time Romeo was in love.He loves Rosaline in the beginning of the play because that is what he thinks is the manly thing to do. But later he falls in love with Juliet. But once he has set his eyes on her, he completely forgets about Rosaline. Romeo presents Rosaline as having wit and being strong, as she will not be hit with Cupids arrow(Act 1 scene 1, lines 203-204), she lives unharmed(line 205) which means secure against his advances is rich in beauty.Mercutios attitude towards love is very sarcastic; it is uses bawdy humour and innuendo. Mercutio is always twisting words so that they become rude. One innuendo he uses would beAn open-arse, thou poprin pear. Mercutio is not at all a the person who would show any sign of affection, but a person who would joke about love and feelings. He mocks Romeo when he hears about Romeos love for Rosaline. Sampson, Gregory and the Nurse all use bawdy humour, but Mercutio is the wittiest. this is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, making them women of good carriage. This is she- He is constantly punning, this shows how he generally behaves. Mercutio does not provide much help to the love of Romeo and Juliet mainly because he doesnt know about their secret love, but even if he did know he is the kind of character who would mock. He thinks that Romeo is wasting his time with Rosaline, and mocks him.At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 3, Friar Lawrence thinks that Romeo. He treats Romeo like a son, as Friar has known him since he was born.Young son, it argues a distemperd head which means that Romeo, a young man should be getting sleep and shouldnt be disturbedBut where unbruised youth with unstuffd brain meaning Romeo shoudnt have a ny worries when going to sleep unlike an older man like Friar Lawrence that stay awake with worries.Friar Lawrence is happy when Romeo says I have forgot that name when he is asked about Rosaline. Young Romeo then tells Frair Lawrence that he is certain he loves Juliet. Friar Lawrence then goes to mock Romeo by sayingNot truly in their hearts, but in their eyes Friar Lawrence does not believe Romeo is really in love, but only cares about their appearance i.e. their looks. Friar Lawrence shows love in this scene towards Romeo by taking great interests in what he is doing, but also by doing the type of things a father would do. The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness The Friar says this to Romeo suggesting that anticipation is more than what it turns out to be.Friar Lawrence marries the couple and tries to help them whenever possible. He wants the best for them and thinks that if they marry then possibly the feuding will end; In one respect Ill thy assistant be: for t his may so happy prove, to turn your households rancour to pure loveThe Nurse in Romeo and Juliet is a character who is treats Juliet as her own child. She has always been looking after Juliet since she was a baby. Even though Juliets real mother is Lady Capulet, she does not seem to be so interested in her. People only hired people like the Nurse if they were very wealthy and powerful. Juliet and the Nurse are closer to each other than Juliet and lady Capulet have ever been. The nurse has a blunt attitude towards love and sex, but s affectionate and loving woman who wants Juliet to be happy. In the beginning, the nurse aids Juliets love for Romeo but in the end she tries to persuade Juliet to marry Paris.Old Capulet has a certain type of love towards his daughter Juliet; he has never really bonded with her a lot. Capulet was saying just before how his daughter is really young to be married and soon marrd are those so early made but Paris is arguing and saying that there are girls y ounger than Juliet that have got married. This means that Capulet, as a concerned father thinks those who get married too young could end up being hurt, and if Juliet does not choose Paris as the one she loves, he should love her anyway. I think he shows a caring side here because he is worried about the age of Juliet. He also says if Juliet picks Paris out as someone she loves then Capulet will agree. When the audience hear Lord Capulet in act 4, scene 5 and act 5 scene 4 they would be shocked because due to his sudden reaction when he hears that Juliet refuses to marry Paris. He is so angry that he cant keep his feelings in.Benvolio is Romeos cousin, and is also one of his closest relatives. He definitely shows a very caring character treating Romeo with respect, as if he was his brother. He is always advising Romeo what to do. Be ruld by me, forget to think of her, by giving liberty into mine eyes, examine other beautiesTybalt is part of the Capulet family and is very protective over what his family represent. He is willing to fight for his life, as we can see with an incident occurring with Romeo. When Tybalt realises that his most hated enemies are attending their party, he goes straight to the head of the house (Capulet) and complains he wants them to leave at once. Tis he, that villain Romeo. Capulet considers the ideas of Tybalt but realises that there will be an uproar and the party will most likely be spoilt. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone, A bears him like a portly gentlemanParis is the man whom Capulet wants Juliet to marry. Paris explains his feelings for Juliet to Capulet. It seems that Paris does love Juliet because when Romeo kills him he asks to be put in her tomb, If thou be merciful, Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet.In conclusion, the play of Romeo and Juliet, shows many different types of love. Romantic and true love compared with courtly unrequited love and the sexual love of Mercutio. It also compares the fatherly love of the Fr iar with that of Capulet and the motherly love of the nurse with that of Lady Capulet. Benvolio and Tybalt meanwhile illustrate brotherly love and the extreme love of the family name. In the play, it is less to do with love and more about wealth and family status. In act 5, scene 3, Romeo resolves to kill himself that night in Capulets monument. I think this is a brave decision, because it shows the depth of his love for Juliet. It is extremely romantic act this love feel I, that feel no love in this. The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet Essay William Shakespeare presents love in different forms. He presents loving family loyalty whenever rivals brawl to protect family honour. Baz Luhrmann sets the civil brawl in a petrol station – unlike Shakespeare’s setting – symbolising the situation’s volatility; Tybalt ignites petrol by dropping his cigarette, thus representing the spark that ignites the brawl. Shakespeare later shows Tybalts strong family loyalty: â€Å"Now by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin. † Tybalt must passionately love Capulets, to risk his life and kill someone, for family honour. Shakespeare portrays love between rivals when Lady Montague commands Montague: â€Å"Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe † thus protecting Capulets. Capulet protects Romeo from Tybalt: â€Å"I would not for the wealth of all this town Here in my house do him disparagement;† Shakespeare’s Romeo was uninvited, so Capulet protecting him suggests stronger love between rivals than depicted in Luhrmann’s film. Shakespeare and Luhrmann present paternal love when Romeo’s parents fret about him and when Capulet protects Juliet from an arranged marriage. Unrequited love features between Romeo and Rosaline then Paris and Juliet. â€Å"Out of her favour where I am in love†, shows Rosaline does not reciprocate Romeo’s love. Romeo’s unnatural, oxymoronic imagery: â€Å"loving hate heavy lightness cold fire † presents unrequited love as confusing and unnatural. Paris’ unrequited love for Juliet emphasises the strength of her love for Romeo, because Juliet loses everyone who loves her, rather than losing him. She loses Capulet: â€Å"you shall not house with me† Lady Capulet: â€Å"I have done with thee and nurse: †Romeo’s a dishclout to him†. In Shakespeare’s play, Paris dies: â€Å"I am slain † and Friar Lawrence abandons Juliet: â€Å"I dare no longer stay †, making Romeo and Juliet’s love seem stronger than in Luhrmann’s film. A shared sonnet of lovers’ prose at the party makes their romantic love and connection appear strong. Luh rmann uses white to symbolise strong love: whenever with Romeo, Juliet wears white, emphasising the strength of their love in a way Shakespeare does not. We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Shakespeare and Luhrmann show love’s evolution; I cited how Capulet’s paternal love for Juliet become fury, whilst Romeo and Juliet’s love evolves from superficial to sacrificial. This tragic contrast between Juliet’s love for Romeo deepening, but her family’s love becoming rage, emphasises hate’s connection to love. Initially, Romeo appears focussed on looks shown by extravagantly hyperbolic description of beauty. Later, natural imagery reflects their natural love: â€Å"This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower Ultimately, both commit suicide, to be together, showing their love has become deep and sacrificial. Whilst Luhrmann places a fish tank between Romeo and Juliet, symbolising separation – caused by family enmity – forcing them to yearn, but never be together, even though their love evolves, Shakespeare shows that family enmity causes separation, when Romeo and Juliet die and family enmity, and therefore separation, disintegrate: â€Å"O brother Montague, give me (Capulet) thy hand. † After the civil brawl, Romeo says: â€Å"Here’s much to do with hate but more with love. Implying brawls are caused by Benvolio loving Montagues and protecting family honour. Tybalt reinforces this: â€Å"Now by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin. † This shows familial love engendering hatred for the rival family. Upon realising Romeo’s name, Juliet says: â€Å"My only love sprung from my only hate † showing love’s relationship with hate. In Shakespeares play unlike Luhrmanns film Paris and Romeo fight because they love Juliet, so love and hate are more intertwined. In Shakespeare’s death scene, Romeo says: â€Å"Forgive me cousin (Tybalt)†, showing that, although Romeo hated Tybalt for killing Mercutio, love for Tybalt vanquished hate for him, depicting love as a stronger force; Shakespeare shows love conquering hatred again, when love replaces family enmity: â€Å"O brother Montague, give me (Capulet) thy hand. † In Luhrmann’s film, love never conquers hatred, so is less dominant. Upon hearing of Juliet’s death, Romeo recognises fate or ‘stars’ control him: â€Å"I defy you stars†, Shakespeare means Romeo will kill himself, thus defying his fate, which Romeo believes is to lose Juliet. World-wearied flesh† and â€Å"Shake the yoke of inauspicious stars† shows Romeo cannot live without Juliet, so encourages fate to pull him faster towards death and his fate. Romeo predicts a tragic outcome of the party: â€Å"Some consequence yet hanging in the stars†. â€Å"He that hath steerage of my course Direct my sail † shows a conscience controls his fate. After killing Tybalt, Romeo personifies this conscience as ‘Fortune’: â€Å"I am fortune’s fool † suggesting Fortune betrayed him. Fate has such control, the prologue predicts the tragedy: â€Å"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life ; â€Å"fatal loins† shows Death’s and Fate’s involvement from birth; â€Å"star-crossed lovers take their life† reinforces this, because fate made them meet and commit suicide. Luhrmann’s use of a newsreader as the choric voice establishes the modern setting; when Friar Lawrence repeats the prologue, Luhrmann emphasises his crucial role in their fates, in a way Shakespeare does not. Death’s central role extends beyond the prologue. Death caused the tragedy: Mercutio’s death led to Tybalt’s death, which led to Paris’s and Romeo’s deaths, which resulted in Lady Montague’s and Juliet’s deaths. Love is also a contributing factor in Shakespeare’s play, but less so in Luhrmann’s film; killing Tybalt, Paris and himself are impulsive actions, caused by love – for Mercutio and Juliet – which Romeo later regrets. Neither Paris’s death nor the quotation: â€Å"Forgive me cousin† occur in Luhrmann’s film; instead, Romeo’s progress towards Juliet and his death appears measured and calm. These differences suggest Luhrmann’s tragedy was not caused by love-induced impulsive actions; so Shakespeare’s play suggests love and death caused the tragedy, whereas Luhrmann’s film suggests death is the only cause. On the other hand, Romeo is measured and calm in Luhrmann’s film, because there is no urgency, whereas in Shakespeare’s play, the Page causes urgency: â€Å"I will go call the watch†, which could suggest the suicide is more to do with desperation than love, suggesting love is more dominant in Luhrmann’s film. Shakespeare also links death to love, by linking the banquet where Romeo and Juliet fall in love to the death scene. Before dying, Romeo kisses Juliet: â€Å"Thus with a kiss I die † and Juliet kisses Romeo: â€Å"I will kiss thy lips † Shakespeare links these kisses to their first kisses, emphasising that love caused their deaths. In Luhrmann’s film, Romeo takes drugs before the party: â€Å"Thy drugs are quick † this is also his last line before dying, hinting that the banquet where they fell in love caused their deaths; this means love and death are intertwined closer than in Shakespeare’s play, where Romeo takes no drugs before the party. Love and death are also connected in Shakespeare’s play, by contrasting light and dark, when Romeo describes the brightness of his lover: â€Å"her (Juliet’s) beauty makes This vault a feasting presence full of light†, then the darkness of the deathly tomb: â€Å"This place of dim light†. In Luhrmann’s Balcony scene, light symbolises Juliet and love, but there is no contrast between her light and the dark of the tomb; weakening the connection between light and dark. The link between love and death is further emphasised in Shakespeare’s death scene, when Juliet lovingly describes means of killing herself: â€Å"Happy dagger† and â€Å"Friendly drop†. This shows Juliet would love to die and emphasises the connection between love and death; because, in Luhrmann’s death scene, she only says: â€Å"Friendly drop†, the connection between love and death appears weaker. Romeo personifies Death in the death scene: â€Å"Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath†, identifying Death as a conscience. He then ponders why Death took Juliet: â€Å"Shall I believe that unsubstantial Death is amorous And keeps Thee here in the dark to be his paramour? † This rhetorical question suggests Death killed Juliet because he loved her; this quotation and the next emphasise links between love and death. â€Å"Seal with a righteous kiss A dateless bargain to engrossing Death † means when kissing Juliet, Romeo seals a bargain that he would die for her love.

City-states in Lower Mesopotamia essays

City-states in Lower Mesopotamia essays Factors that contributed to the emergence of city-states in Lower Mesopotamia and the influence the landscape played in the formation of the civilization which emerged. For this essay I considered the question of what factors contributed to the emergence of city-states in Lower Mesopotamia and the influence the landscape played in the formation of the civilization which emerged. Through my research on this topic I found that there is much evidence to support the claim that landscape was a very large influence on the emergence of civilization and that most of the contributing factors were, in some way, linked to geography. In order to fully understand the topic, I first explored what the definition of civilization is. The first criterion for civilization, that I could think of, is domestication and an agricultural economy capable of producing a stored surplus. From this, I felt the need to examine the origins of Mesopotamian agriculture. With the glacial retreat after the last ice-age (roughly 10000 BC) the Mesopotamian climate improved and many modern plants and animals began to become concentrated in specific areas. Around 9000 BC the vast majority of Mesopotamian peoples were hunter-gatherers. With the concentrations of plants and animals being in specific areas these hunter-gatherers soon began to domesticate those plants and animals and a sedentary village farming pattern arose. This became the predominant way of life around 6000 BC. This change from food collecting to food producing was one of the major transformations in human history. Early peoples no longer had to live the nomadic life of hunter-gatherers but could settle down in permanent housing and produce their own food. It also began an economic change that altered social and political institutions, religion, etc. Domestication is the process of altering plants and animals so that they are no longer bound to the natural habitats of their wild ancestors. In es ...