Romeo and Juliet is one of the most well known and greatest of love stories. Shakespeare wrote this play with a didactic purpose in mind to prove that nothing good can come from revenge. This play shows how only pain and suffering can come from revenge. Shakespeare uses very powerful language to reinforce that lesson. Shakespeare brings to the attention how revenge always ends in tragedy and Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous tragedies to date. The tragedy is of the two star-crossed lovers whose destiny from the start was cursed, they both lived on opposing, sides of feuding households, The Montague’s and the Capulet’s.
The prologue of Romeo and Juliet gives us an insight as to what is going to happen in this play. This prologue tell us of a young girl who falls in love with an older boy. The older boy is on the opposing side to her feuding family, but she has no regrets. “Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet”. The couple then get married in secret. But Juliet is supposed to be wed to another man, a wealthy man, the county Paris, but Juliet does not want to be married to Paris as she has already been wed to Romeo Montague. But their love from the start was already doomed.
Their marriage ended with the two lovers dead and the death of three others, Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, Tybalt Juliet’s cousin and the county Paris. After all these loved ones die the parents of both of the feuding families then put everything behind them. “Doth with their death bury their parents strife”. Shakespeare adds a lot of emotion in to the ending scenes building up suspense as to weather Juliet will wake up before Romeo takes the poison. But adds a lot of sadness when Juliet finally commits suicide and her parent s are told.
The Prince makes a speech to the old Lord Capulet and Montague in this speech he threatens the two households for their terrible behaviour and all the fighting and all the disturbance they have caused to the citizens of Verona. He also calls them ‘beasts’. “Will they not hear? What ho, you men, you beasts”. Beast to me is a symbol of a nasty, bloodthirsty animal, so this I think this is what the prince is trying to get across to them. In the princes speech there is a lot of powerful language and he also uses a lot of comparisons. “With purple fountains issuing from your veins”. He seems to me a very proud prince and a very authoritive person and doesn’t like the thought of Verona’s citizens lives being put at risk.
Tybalts vicious reaction towards Romeo is very violent, he knows that Romeo is a Montague. Tybalt is very proud of who he is and the honour of being a Capulet. He recognises Romeo by his voice and doesn’t care about the party he feels as though Romeo is trying to antagonise him. So Tybalt wants to kill Romeo. “Now by the stock and honour of my kin, To strike him dead, I hold not a sin”. Tybalt’s Uncle Lord Capulet had to stop him from doing something he would regret. “Content thee gentle coz, let him alone”. “My grave is likely to be my wedding bed” means to me that when he is married he is more likely to be dead.
He is more likely to be dead because of the feuding going on around Romeo and also Tybalt seeing him at the party. Romeo also said “My life were better ended by their hate, then death prorogued wanting of thy love” Which means he’d rather die now then live without his love Juliet . Tybalt ‘s violence towards Romeo and Romeo and Juliet’s sonnet are both very different Tybalt uses angry, violent words whereas In Romeo and Juliet’s sonnet they use comparisons to diamonds, stars and light in general “t seems she hangs upon the cheek of night”. Romeo also talks of Juliet’s beauty. “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows”.
Revenge can be sweet but has a bitter taste! Act 3 scene 1 is the pivotal point of the play, two die and Romeo is banished for seeking vengeance for Mercutio’s death. Mercutio is a hotheaded man and has a way with words.
“Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make a bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter dry-beat the rest of the eight”. This is what he said to Tybalt before they fight. This fight wouldn’t of happened if Romeo hadn’t of gone to the Capulets party, Tybalt saw him there and his pride got the better of him. Tybalts uncle Lord Capulet had to stop him from breaking out a fight right in the middle of the party. “Now by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead I hold not a sin”. “Why how now my kinsmen, wherefore storm you so “. Tybalt is still furious about Romeo even daring to go to the Capulet household. He finds Mercutio and this is were the fighting begins. Benvolio say to Mercutio “By my head here comes the Capulets” and Mercutio replies “By my heel I care not”While Juliet’s cousin and Romeos best friend are brawling in the streets, Romeo and Juliet are married in secret .
Romeo arrives at the fight scene and tries to make-a-mends with Tybalt , but Tybalt thinks Romeo is a coward. Romeo did not want to fight Tybalt because he has just married Tybalts cousin Juliet and they are now family but he cannot tell Tybalt.
“Romeo the love I bear thee can afford no better term then this thou art a villain”. “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee, doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting: villain am I none. Therefore farewell, I see thou know’st me not”, Tybalt attacks Romeo and faithful Mercutio comes to his aid and is stabbed by Tybalt and soon after dies. I think Mercutio is very brave on his death bed and still comes out with smart remarks. “Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch, marry tis enough”. It may have looked like a scratch but it certainly wasn’t. Mercutio knew he was going to die I know this because he said “ask for me tomorrow and I shall be a grave man”. Romeo must have been distraught his best friend killed by his worst enemy, this is why Romeo killed Tybalt in a furious attack, Romeo is only banished for his actions by the prince because it was revenge for killing Mercutio.
Act 3 scene 5 is a scene that offers striking dramatic contrasts. Romeo is banished by the prince and spends his last night with his secret wife Juliet but little do they know that it will be the last time they ever see each other again. When daylight comes Juliet hears the lark but questions weather it is the nightingale but Romeo tells her that it is the lark they heard. “It was the nightingale, and not the lark”, ” It was the lark, the herald of the morn”. Romeo does not want to leave but has been banished and has to leave for Mantua, so Juliet says to Romeo, “Then window let day in, and life out”. This means let the daylight in and let Romeo climb out, so not to be seen by the guards. Romeo replies “Farewell, farewell, one kiss and I’ll descend” and upon those words Romeo leaves. Juliet’s mother is cold and is more like an evil stepmother than her real mother, Juliet’s nurse brought her up from when she was really young and is more of mother figure to Juliet.
Juliet’s mother wants her to be wed to a nobleman the county Paris Juliet at first would like o meet Paris but then meets Romeo and changes her mind. I think the only reason jolliest mother wants her to be wed to Paris is for his wealth and her mother wants Juliet to be wealthy but I also think she wants to gain some of this wealth. Jolliest father has a furious confrontation with Juliet when she tells him she won’t marry Paris, it seems to me he feels that Juliet is ‘mocking’ him like she’s throwing everything he has given her back in his face. He confronts her with all this anger because think he needs to be the authoritive one in the family. “Thank me, no thankings, nor proud me no prouds, To go to Saint Peters church, or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither”. Juliet’s nurse seems good to her in the start but she then sees Juliet with Romeo and changes her mind and tells Juliet to marry the county Paris” I think it best you married with the county O he’s a lovely gentleman, Romeo is a dishclout to him: an eagle madam.
Paris thinks Romeo has come to destroy Juliet’s tomb and cause havoc, “can vengeance be pursued further than death”. Paris thinks Romeo has come to continue on with the feud and cause more pain to the Capulets. Romeo and Paris then fight ad Paris is slain and asks Romeo “O I am slain, if thou be merciful open the tomb, lay me with Juliet” Romeo then takes his own life and Juliet awakens and sees her love dead so kills herself with Romeos dagger. Shakespeare brings the prince to investigate the scene and he seems to sum up the whole play in the ending lines. “Where be enemies? Capulets, Montague’s’see what scourge is laid upon your hate! That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
Shakespeare has taught us through this didactic play not to seek revenge as nothing good can come from it. As shown in this play five young nobles die and a lot f the princes kinsmen during the families brawls. This play also shows us of two young lovers who fall for each other and it ends in tragedy with the two lovers dead.
