Romeo and Juliet conflicts essay

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Discuss the theme of conflict in “Romeo and Juliet.”

Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s first play that is based on a tragedy even though there is a certain amount of comedy within the play. However through out the play there is a feeling of unease as the conflict between the two families becomes more in depth. The older generation of these two families started the

conflict a long time ago and now it is up to the younger members of the families to continue their war. However in the middle of this conflict is a young couple who fall deeply in love but are

not allowed to marry because their families hate each other. In this first tragedy play Shakespeare uses conflict between two families however this play does not have the power that his later tragedies have         for example in Macbeth the conflict is far wider in this play countries are torn apart by the deeds of the characters within the play. In this essay I hope to explain the different kinds of conflicts that are included, such as: physical, verbal, cross generation, language, and emotional conflict.

      The prologue to act one scene one of Romeo and Juliet is in the form of a sonnet. Sonnets are usually focused on love and romance but this sonnet is about violence and chaos. This automatically shows conflict in the structure and language of the play. At the very beginning of act one scene one we are introduced to two members of the Capulet family, Sampson and Gregory these character’s are friends in the play although at first they are shown to be arguing with each other. In fact they are actually trying to psyche each other up, so that they are ready to fight the members of the Montague family. For example Sampson says “a dog of the house Montague moves me” this is basically saying that the Montague’s are getting on his nerves. Then Gregory says “if thou art moved thou runn’st away” this is basically calling Sampson a coward. This also show’s extremely clearly that there is conflict between the two families.

Many directors have attempted to recreate this play as a modern film. But in most of these films this conversation is left out, this is because modern audiences would not have found some of the metaphors used amusing and instead they would have been confused, where as the audience in the Elizabethan times would have found these jokes amusing. For example Sampson is said to be biting his thumb at Abraham which in those days was a sign of disrespect like the modern raising of the middle finger.

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Later in the scene we are introduced to Bonvolia a member of the Montague family, he is a main character in the play and is Romeo’s best friend. Here are some of his first words “I do but keep the peace.” this shows that he is clearly a peaceful character in the play, on the other hand a member of the Capulet family named Tybalt is a blood thirsty character who is bent on destroying all of the Montague family, here is an example of this. “peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montague’s, and thee.” This ...

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