In the prologue it summarises what the story is about. It also mentions on how two people fall in love `A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life’.
In Act one scene one it is mostly about hate because there is a feud between the two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. There also is a lot of tension as Tybalt arrives for the Capulets who hates the Montagues the most and dares Benevolio to fight. `What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benevolio, look upon thy death.’ This quote shows how much hatred Tybalt has with the Montagues. Also in scene one Romeo explains the love he has for Rosaline but she doesn’t feel the same for him and he explains his love for Rosasline to Benevolio who has come to find him. Romeo says that he is love. ` Alas that love, whose view is muffled still’ he explains he has been hit by cupid’s arrow all the time. He uses a soothing language as the words he says flow. `For beauty, starv’d with her severity, Cuts beauty off from all posterity’.
In scene two it is about love and destiny as Capulet is talking to Paris about the marriage between Paris and Juliet who is Capulets daughter. This part of the scene is destiny as they are talking about the marriage and it is Juliet who is destined to marry Paris and her father questions Paris on why marry her at a young age. Capulet only wants Juliet to be happy and will decide when she decides so he cares for her feelings `My will to her consent is but a part' he also believes that Juliet is too young to marry `Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride’.
Romeo and Benevolio find the guest list and have an idea of coming to the party to find Rosaline. He also says that he will be destined to be miserable and it will be he cause of his death `Ay, mine own fortune in my misery’. He explains his love for Rosaline again `When the devout religion of mine eye, Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire!’
In scene three this is more about destiny and love as Juliet talks to her mother about the marriage with Paris and Lady Capulet speaks for her as well as the nurse. The nurse interrupts the conversation an explains the years when Juliet was young `When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple’. This shows that the nurse has a natural care for Juliet. Lady Capulet says that the main theme of love is marriage and explains about Paris for Juliet. Also she describes him as if she was reading a book. `Read o’er the volume of young Paris face’. She explains his love and Juliet says that she will decide whom she wants to marry and it tells us that she wants to find the right person for her to love.
In scene 4 it is another scene of talking about love. This time Romeo is still thinking of Rosaline and Mercutio gives advice to Romeo about what to do and Romeo try’s to overcome her love. Mercutio explains Romeo as a lover and a dreamer` through lovers brains and then they dream love; O’er courtiers’ knees, that dream on curtsies straight’. Romeo’s head is full of fantasies of Rosaline and Mercutio and Benevolio convince him to go to the Capulets party and to forget Rosaline.
In scene 5 it is Capulets party and in this scene there is all of the three themes: love, hate and destiny. Romeo and his friends wear masks so thier identity is hidden. Tybalt finds out that Romeo has come and he is furious and has a lot of hatred and wants to fight. His language shows his hatred towards the Montagues. This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy’. Capulet tells Tybalt to keep down and not to fight `Why, how now, Kinsman! Wherefore storm you so?’
Juliet and Romeo meet each other in the courtyard and instantly fall in love with each other. There is love between the two and Romeo explains that it is his destiny `o dear account! My life is my foe’s debt’. All he wants is a kiss from Juliet, which he describes as a sin. Juliet also explains that she loves him to the nurse `My only love sprung from my only hate!’
These themes are important and in each scene there is at least one of the themes expressed in them. Even in the other acts and scenes there are still these themes throughout the play.
Vikash Singh 11C
