Love in Romeo And Juliet Essay

Love is like a rainstorm beautiful in its power, devastating in its wake. If it is strong enough, it becomes like a thunderstorm overpowering and unstoppable. Love is an intense emotional attachment between people. In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare demonstrates that love, when guided by passion and emotion, can lead to rash and impulsive actions which often result in disastrous outcomes.

When hate becomes more important than love, rules must be broken for love to thrive. Juliet knows of the ill will between the Montague and the Capulet families, but she does not care. After her brief encounter with Romeo at her fathers party she believes that the love between them can withstand any obstacles that stand between them. She proposes that Romeo Deny they father and refuse they name, or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and Ill no longer be a Capulet (2.2.33-36). Juliet believes that her love for Romeo outweighs her familys hatred for the Montague name. She already loves Romeo so much that she will deny her family in an instant in order to be with him. They marry the next day to insure their love is permanent. Romeo sends Juliets nurse to tell Juliet to find Some means to come to shrift this afternoon, and there she shall at Friar Lawrence cell be shrived and married (2.4.184-186). These two adolescences only know each other for one day before they marry. They do not truly know one another, but that fact seems to be forgotten because they are led by desire. Juliet is not stopping to think of her parents and their plans. Lord Capulet is tricked so Juliet does not have to marry Paris, the man chosen for Juliet by her parents. When Capulet finds his daughter dead he sweetly and sincerely says Death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field (4.3.27-28). If Juliet would come forward about her marriage, she would not have to pretend to kill herself to prevent the wedding with Paris. With hatred deeply embedded within a relationship from the beginning a bad outcome is likely the result.

When love robs rational thought, things become more complicated than need be. After the Capulets party, Romeo sneaks over to Juliets window, hidden by night he peers through the bushes at her. To himself he says But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she (2.2.2-6). Romeo is deeply in love with Juliet after just meeting her. Romeo and Juliet share a powerful romanic love. It is not merely a weak sexual infatuation like that of Romeo and Rosaline. Theirs is true love and therefore unstoppable. It is also different from the love Paris has for Juliet. Paris mourns the status he would gain marrying Juliet, more than Juliet herself. When Romeo hears about Juliets death and rushes to the apothecary wanting a dram of poison, such soon-spreading gear as will disperse itself through all the veins that the trunk may be discharged of breath as violently as hasty power fried doth hurry from the fatal cannons womb (5.1.61-67). Romeo is not stopping to talk to anyone about his decision of suicide. That was his first idea, so he is going to act on it immediately. Romeo goes straight to Juliets tomb. He sees her dead and makes a toast, Heres to my love. [Drinking.] O true apothecary, they drugs are quick. Thus with a kill I die (5.3.119-120). If Romeo would talk to Friar Lawrence, his mentor, he could prevent this unnecessary act of suicide. Romeo makes a permanent decision to a temporary problem of separation between him and his love.

Planning too quickly or lack of planning will end up in miscommunication and regrets. As Juliets Nurse sets off to figure out Romeos name at Capulets party, Juliet thinks to herself If he be married my grave is like to be my wedding bed (1.5.135). Before Juliet even finds out Romeos name she falls completely in love with him. In less than an hour she knows she is going to marry him, and she does. However, before they are married, Friar Lawrence cautions that These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder which, as they kiss, consume (2.6.2-11). Friar Lawrence tries to warn these lovers of what the effects of their hasty actions could be, but they are blind with lust and follow their young hormonal hearts. Friar Lawrence is certainly correct. As Juliet wakes up from her heavy sleep she finds Romeo dead next to her. Upset and irrational, she finds Romeos Happy dagger, this is thy sheath. There rust and let me die (5.3.174-175). These violent delights have violent ends. Two youthful lovers needlessly die all because love takes control. Love is a force unstoppable to man and unbearably strong. It chooses the fate of its victims and does not back off.

In the play Romeo and Juliet the characters become fatalities of their own decisions, guided by love, ending in tragedy. Love can take control; it has the power to help and the power to destroy. If love is rushed and not given the necessary time to mature, disaster can be the result. The thunderstorm that waters the earth and causes magnificent flowers to bloom also knocks trees and generates lightening; love too can provoke both beauty and pain.