Is Romeo and Juliet a play about love or hate

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Is Romeo and Juliet a play about love or hate?

Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare around 1595. The play is set in Verona, Italy, where and ancient grudge has existed between the families of the Montague’s and the Capulet’s like a volcano it is unpredictable in its actions, when it erupts, it not only affects people near and far away but also changes the atmosphere. The play depicts the love between two people that is Romeo and Juliet. We see many different aspects of love and hate throughout the play which I will analyse in this essay. Firstly, the play opens with a brawling scene between the servants of the two households which eventually draws in the noblemen of the families and the city officials, including Prince Escalus (the prince of Verona). The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the play and we see how a feud so old and pitiful that it involves the servants who are supposed to be status less and have no rights soon drawing in the noblemen, the complete opposite who are supposed to be wise and diplomatic. I take this as a big sign of hate that exists between the families because the noblemen of both families were ready to degrade themselves to the petty fights of their servants.

The main characters in the play are Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, Juliet’s Nurse and Friar Lawrence. Romeo and Juliet is about two teenagers who fell into deep meaningful love with each other, but unfortunately there was deep antagonism between the two households so the two had to meet in absolute secrecy.  

In the beginning of the play Romeo is lamenting the fact that he is in love with woman named Rosaline. He and his friend coincidently happen to stumble across and illiterate servant of the Capulet household in the street. The servant, Peter is trying to read a list of names of people who are invited to a masked party at the Capulet’s house the same evening. Romeo assists Peter in reading the list and receives and invitation to the party, this shows the audience from the beginning that Romeo is a conniving person because although he is part of the rival Montague family, he still wants to attend.

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Further more in act 1 scene 5 (the Capulet’s party) Romeo stands to the side and removes his mask during the dancing to have a better look at Juliet as soon as he does this he immediately falls in love with her and forgets completely about Rosaline. Tybalt recognises Romeo and immediately sets his gaze on him like a predator after his prey but before Tybalt can create a scene old Capulet tells him to leave Romeo alone as he does not want the party turned into a battlefield. In the party there is mainly love, hate tries rise ...

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