When Romeo and his friends arrive at the Capulet’s party, it was said to have been love at first sight. When Romeo first noticed Juliet he said ‘For I ne’er saw true beauty until this night’. (Act 1 Scene 5).
What Romeo means is that out of all the girls and women he has seen in his lifetime, none of them were as noticeable and as easy to love as Juliet. She had true beauty and this is what Romeo loved.
Also in Act 1 Scene 5 Romeo quotes, ‘O she doth teach the torches to burn bright’. This is a good example of a hyperbole because the language used is extravagant and exaggerated. He expresses his love for Juliet by exaggerating.
When Romeo and Juliet first meet face to face they are obviously flirting. ‘O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do’. (Act 1 Scene 5).
When most people meet they introduce themselves by shaking hands but Romeo is hinting a kiss rather than the contact of hands. The language is different in this part of the play because he is using religious imagery to impress Juliet. She is impressed as she kisses Romeo back and comments, ‘You kiss by th’ book’. (Act 1 Scene 5). This means expertly and she obviously likes him to kiss him back.
When Juliet later discovers that Romeo is a Montague she is devastated that she may not be able to have a relationship with him. ‘My only love sprung from my only hate’ (Act 1 Scene 6).Out of all the boys and men in Verona, Juliet falls in love with the Families worst enemy. This quote displays both love and hate; the love being that Romeo is the one for her and the hate is between the two families which will certainly never approve.
When Romeo and Juliet meet again he confronts her and asks her whether the relationship is going to work or shall they leave it how it is. Juliet replies, ‘Tis but my name that is my enemy’. (Act 2 Scene 2). Their love is in conflict because of the feuds between the families. It is only because of her name that she has doubts. She really loves him and wants their relationship to work as much as Romeo.
Mercutio is extremely angry that Romeo has refused to fight him so he chooses to challenge Tybalt instead. Romeo tries to make peace because of his love for Juliet and he doesn’t want a Capulet in the feud. ‘Hold Tybalt, Good Mercutio’. (Act 3 Scene 1). He stops the Capulet and comments on Mercutio for not retaliating. Unfortunately it was too late and Mercution was wounded fatally. As Mercutio falls to the ground he curses both families, Montague and Capulet. ‘A plague a’ both house’. This shows what hate and disrespect leads to. In this comment Mercutio curses both families after what the pointless feud led to.
Whilst walking in the streets of Verona, Romeo begins blaming himself for the death of his good friend Mercutio. He is determined to seek revenge on Tybalt but at the same time he fears that his love for Juliet has weakened his courage. After Mercutio’s death Romeo made vows that he would kill Tybalt despite of his feelings and love for Juliet. When Romeo meets Tybalt he says, ‘Either you, or I, or both must go with him’. (Act 3 Scene 1).
Romeo is basically saying that either one of them is going to die after they have fought as he is prepared to lay down his life in respect for Mercutio. The love in this quote is for Mercutio as he is getting revenge for him and the hate is of Tybalt as he is the murderer of Mercutio. After they fight and Romeo kills Tybalt, he flees and the play focuses on Juliet’s reaction s until Friar Lawrence sends Romeo.
After Romeo and Juliet’s wedding night, Juliet’s mother enters her bedroom as Romeo is scurrying out the window. She tells Juliet that she must marry the County Paris at Saint Peters Church. Juliet replies to her mother, ‘I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom I know you hate, rather than Paris’. (Act 3 Scene 5). What Juliet is saying is that she would rather marry Romeo, a Montague, than get married to Paris. This obviously comes as a shock to Juliet’s mother but at least she expresses her undying love for somebody her family is planning to kill.
After Juliet has told her mother she refuses to marry Paris she calls Juliet’s father immediately. She tells her to tell her father exactly what she has just told her and Juliet does so. At this point in the play Juliet must hate her parents for not accepting her marriage wishes. Juliet’s father reacts by insulting and threatening her. He insults her by calling her a ‘mistress minion’, (Act 3 Scene 5), which in modern day language would mean spoilt brat. After insulting her he threatens her by saying ‘I will drag thee on a hurdle thither’. This is a frame for execution. These comments have displayed great hatred as she has brought great shame on the family.
In Act 4 Scene 3 Juliet expresses her love for Romeo by risking her life. She has been given a potion by Friar Lawrence that will send her into a deep sleep. She says that if the potion does not work she shall kill herself with a dagger. Just before drinking the potion Juliet thinks of a number of consequences such as; will she awake before Romeo arrives at the tomb? Will she go mad with dread? Is the Friar honest? Moments before drinking the potion Juliet quotes, ‘Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Heres drink – I drink to thee’. (Act 4 Scene 3). She expresses her love for him as she is willing to pay a number of consequences to be with Romeo including death.
After Friar Lawrence’s plan Romeo was supposed to receive a message that when he arrives at the Capulet’s tomb, Juliet will awaken and they can run away and live happily ever after. Sadly Romeo does not receive this message and decides he will kill himself next to Juliet in the Capulet tomb thinking she is dead. ‘Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight’. (Act 5 Scene 1). Romeo feels that he has let Juliet down dearly so that is why he decides he shall kill himself by her side. The love in this is that he has decided to kill himself in respect for the love that he has for Juliet, and the hate is of himself for fleeing. Romeo will die still loving Juliet.
In conclusion I have decided that throughout the play Romeo and Juliet loves triumphs. The love between Romeo and Juliet began many feuds and fights but it was all for a good reason. This reason was that they loved each other and were prepared to do anything for each others love. Love dominates all hate in this play.
