Compare and Contrast two scenes in Romeo and Juliet which explore key themes in the play

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Compare and Contrast any two scenes in Romeo & Juliet which explore key themes of the play

In this essay I will be comparing two scenes within the play that convey similar and contrasting themes. The themes I have chosen to contrast are love, hatred, loyalty, time and fate. I will also look at how Shakespeare uses these themes to characterise the protagonists and antagonists, moving it towards its tragic denouement. The scenes I have chosen are Act 2 Scene 2, the famous balcony scene, in which Romeo and Juliet fall deep into blinding love and agree to marry; and Act 3 Scene 1, in which a terrible fight breaks out between Tybalt and the Montagues, resulting in Tybalt and Mercutio's deaths, and Romeo's exile. I have chosen these scenes because they show such contrast that it is hard to believe that they are in the same play. They also uses a wide range of themes that are used in very different ways within the two scenes, as well as this, the scenes are two of the most romantic and exciting of the entire play.

The main underlying theme in Act 2 Scene 2 is