Romeo and Juliet's Oppositions

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Lauren Sutter   10AK

Romeo and Juliet’s Oppositions

Shakespeare’s play of Romeo and Juliet is filled with many oppositions. This play takes place over four days, however a lifetime of events and experiences are found within it. Love vs. Hate, Old vs. young, Montague vs. Capulet and many more. This is a play of love and tragedy, would Romeo and Juliet both have ended up dead, if they had thought about others not just themselves?  

Love and hate are the main aspects in Romeo and Juliet and explain the reasons for a lot of the characters actions. Romeo claims that he loves Juliet very intensely, however he also did so with Rosaline. Friar Lawrence, questions Romeo about this.

        “Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear?

        So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies”

He is making sure that Romeo is positive about his feelings for Juliet. Romeo has only met Juliet once yet they are both passionately in love. Before meeting Juliet, Romeo was very confused about his love for Rosaline. He spent hours weeping for her; he was completely besotted by her. Yet as soon as he caught a glimpse of Juliet from across the room at the ball, his love for Rosaline came to an end, he was hopelessly devoted to Juliet. Could this not occur again, if he sees someone else he is interested in? Is his love for Juliet pure, will it last forever? Perhaps, they should wait a while; try to persuade their parents that what they are doing is right, ask for their approval. They were obviously struck by love and rushed into things.

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Romeo and Juliet must have had a very strong sense of love for each other or they would not be so passionate about making vows and getting married. Throughout the play Romeo uses complex imagery to profess his love for Juliet, whereas Juliet speaks much more plainly about her thoughts on love. She is very straightforward and focused on what she directly wants. At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 2, both Romeo and Juliet speak soliloquies, and then speak together. Romeo used a lot of imagery to describe what he feels and thinks of Juliet.

        “But soft, what ...

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