In “Romeo and Juliet”, love’s power of influence is a constant strength and source of courage. Throughout the play, the protagonists fight against the present society and counter their family’s wishes in order to follow their desires and make of two star crossed lovers one. They are both willing to abandon their names for each other “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”. This shows that love in Shakespearean literature overcomes and supersedes their reputation, loyalty towards their names and is basically the only key to happiness. This forcefulness of love becomes so strong and intense that it turns to violence and hatred for all obstacles blocking their reunion.
He pushes them into a hasty secret marriage, without the knowledge or permission of their warring parents. This sets the stage for the secrets that create the tragedy to come. Unable to face the banishment for killing Tybalt, Romeo seeks the advice of Friar Lawrence who scolds him for his despair, “Hast thou slain Tybalt? Wilt thou slay thyself, and slay thy lady that in thy life lives by doing damned hate upon thyself?” (3, 3, 116,) then when Romeo is at his lowest, Friar Lawrence cheers him up, suggesting a comforting visit to his Juliet and then his escape. “Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed.
Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou will not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet “(II, ii, 33-36). These words of Juliet state that if Romeo will not look back to his father’s name, then she is willing to refuse the fact of being a Capulet just to be with him. “But, soft! What light through, yonder window breaks?!.. That I might touch that cheek!” (II, ii, 2-25) this was Romeo’s words when he started talking about how madly in love he is over Juliet.
Prodigious birth of love it is to me that I must love a loathed enemy” (1.5.136). Juliet says these words as she finds out who Romeo is. Earlier, Juliet states that she would rather die than marry any other man. She says this without knowing Romeo’s name. In this quote Juliet is regretting the fact that she has fallen in love with an enemy, a Montague.
Romeo and Juliet are devastated that they love the enemy: “Prodigious birth of love it is to me, / That I must love a loathed enemy” (1.5.142-144). Romeo and Juliet are supposed to be enemies and are not allowed to see each other. Capulet threatens Juliet to rush her into marrying Paris: “And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the street, / For, by my soul, I’ll never acknowledge thee” (3.5.194-195). Capulet is harsh on Juliet to marry Paris but Juliet is already married so she feels like she needs to take drastic measures. The Prince tells the families his opinion when Romeo and Juliet are found dead: “Where be these enemies?
This is demonstrated from the opening scene where out of nowhere a fight breaks out, just out of one perceived disrespectful utterance. If both sides hadn’t despised each other so much Romeo and Juliet’s affection would not have been sneered upon and, indeed may never have happened at all. In a classic forbidden fruit statement Juliet whispers “My only love sprung from my only hate!” when she realises who her love is. The conflict carries on even with the death of Mercutio and Tybalt. Instead of mourning their loss, each family incessantly blames the other for its cause.
Romeo was still heartbroken by Rosaline and Juliet thought she would marry no one she liked in the least bit at all. In Act 1 Scene 4 Romeo says “I have a soul of lead, so stakes me to the ground I will never move.” He says this out of sadness of not being able to marry Rosaline. This was literally a few moments before Romeo sees Juliet for the first time. It supports that Romeo was vulnerable to love as he was stricken with sadness resulting in his attraction to Juliet merely to distract himself, not out of true love. As for Juliet, she was vulnerable as well as she wanted to choose any man other than Paris to marry.
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.” Juliet is asking Romeo to deny his family to love her. She then says that she will sacrifice her families love for her to be with him. She is portraying her true feelings. Romeo feels platonic love for Mercutio. He enjoys Mercutio’s company.
Romeo went from being a very romantic soft-hearted person and not reacting from Tybalt's threats and pleading not to fight 'good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied'. After Tybalt injured Mercutio, Romeo's attitude also changed, he became a hard-hearted killer full of 'fire eyed fury'. Romeo then brutally kills
Love: The Perfection of Affection In the play written by William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, two youthful lovers dramatically take their own lives because of their overwhelming love for each other. Several characters bestow opposing views of love, none of which are more divergent than Romeo’s and Mercutio’s. Mercutio believes that love is a lustful game in which the ultimate reward is the fulfillment of a sexual hunger, while Romeo accepts love as affection and devotion. Romeo’s ideals are the very principle and nature of which love is precisely about. Mercutio inundates with wit, imagination, and crudity.