How does Act 1 Scene 5 of 'Romeo and Juliet' explore the themes of love, hate and conflict
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Introduction
How does Act 1 Scene 5 of 'Romeo and Juliet' explore the themes of love, hate and conflict? The three themes, love, hate and conflict explored in Act 1 Scene 5 are central throughout the text of Romeo and Juliet. As you read the prologue it almost sets out what is to come in the rest of the play. Romeo and Juliet was based on source material of two lovers, Shakespeare tended to use already set out story lines, but would always put his Shakespeare magic on the storyline to create such stories as; Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth. The first theme I am going to explore is love, as Romeo enters the Capulet mansion for Lord Capulet's party he sees Juliet and he falls in love at first sight with her. Previously Romeo talks about how much he is in love with Rosaline and Benvolio tells Romeo to attend Lord Capulet's party so he can compare her with other girls at the party. When he sees Juliet he falls in love, this shows that Romeo is quite fickle and his love can be seen as quite superficial because he has looked at a different girl and he falls madly in love with her and just forgets about Rosaline, who he was crying over the day before. ...read more.
Middle
Friar Lawrence hoped that if Romeo and Juliet could be wed possibly it could bring the Montague's and the Capulet's closer which was a love shown by him to the rest of the land and both of the families. However, we are reminded of how powerful the opposite emotions are - love does not win until the very end of the story. The second theme I am going to explore is hate, when Romeo is in the Capulet mansion for Capulet's party, Tybalt realises that he is there and he is a Montague and he absolutely refuses to have him in the house and refers to Romeo as a 'Villain' and doesn't even state or know why he hates Romeo other than the families have always hated each other. This is referred in the prologue as 'new mutiny' which means there is no reason given for their fighting and 'ancient grudge' makes the whole hatred between the families seems quite pathetic and ridiculous. Romeo and Juliet both realise that the family hatred may cause their downfall Juliet says, "My only love sprung from my only hate, too early seen unknown and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy." ...read more.
Conclusion
Perhaps her youthfulness shows she is willing to risk things. In the rest of the play conflict is also explored, such as in Act 3 Scene 1 where Tybalt once again calls Romeo a "villain" than Mercutio says to Tybalt that he should he should fence against him then Romeo gets in the way of the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt and Mercutio gets stabbed and dies then Tybalt flees and Romeo goes after him and kills him. There is such conflict between the families that it led to 2 deaths in Act 3 Scene 1 and 5 deaths in the whole play. I conclude that Shakespeare explores each of the three themes of love, hate and conflict in extreme depth. All of the themes lead to deaths and pure hatred yet they all come together at the end of the play and lead to peace. Shakespeare uses the prologue and certain parts of the play to foreshadow what is going to come in the rest of the play. He uses each of the themes incredibly well and just by reading this one play and even scene you are able to see why Shakespeare is the name he is today. ?? ?? ?? ?? English Coursework ...read more.
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