| Introduction? | ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare, is a play about two young lovers, whose love was destined for destruction from the beginning because of the hatred between the two families, Montagues and Capulets. The themes of love and hate are very important in the play as the plot is driven by them. Throughout the play, different characters act in an inconsiderate and dangerous manner that leads to Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. |
| Topic Sentence for First Paragraph? | In the play, love and hate share the same feature in that they are both irrational and excessive. |
| First Paragraph (1st point) | While at some points love may be the passion used to drive Romeo head over heels for Juliet, at other times hate may be the same passion used to drive Tybalt into a fatal rage. |
| First Paragraph (2nd point) | Both love and hate can be at times blinding and can cause characters to act with no sense of care. Consequences may be ignored and lives may be lost in the process. The never-ending brawl between the Montagues and Capulets pushes the lovers into conflict. |
| First Paragraph (3rd point) | Romeo states, “Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love” when he describes the fight between the two households at the start of the play. The language Shakespeare uses to depict love and hate shows that the two passions are deeply similar. |
| Second Paragraph (1st point) | If the Montague’s & Capulet’s did not hate each other so much the great love between Romeo & Juliet would not have ended so tragically. Juliet says, “My only love sprung from my only hate” when she was on her balcony talking to herself about Romeo. |
| Second Paragraph (2nd point) | While Romeo’s love for Juliet prevents him from initially entering into a fight with Tybalt, he later becomes enraged after the death of his friend, Mercutio. When Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo’s love for him turns to hate. Romeo loved Mercutio, so when his death is caused, his hatred for Tybalt comes rushing back. |
| Second Paragraph (3rd point) | It is the hatred between the two families that makes Romeo and Juliet have to hide their love. Love as passionate as Romeo and Juliet’s could only be born out of hatred and their love is made more intense because of their families’ feud. The play explores the consequences of hate more than it explores love and shows that hate has the capacity to destroy love. |
| Third Paragraph (1st point) | “Did my heart love till now? For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Romeo says this when he first lays eyes on Juliet. The love Romeo and Juliet share is passionate although it is based off physical attraction. Romeo’s love for Juliet is no different than his passion for Rosaline because he is merely in love with the idea of being in love. |
| Third Paragraph (2nd point) | Their love is also chaotic and destructive, bringing death to friends, family, and to themselves. Repeatedly in the play, Romeo and Juliet’s love is mentioned in connection with death and violence. It is Romeo’s love for Mercutio that drives him to seek revenge when Tybalt kills him. In his reactive rage, Romeo tells Tybalt that they must fight until one or both of them are dead. |
| Third Paragraph (3rd point) | The Nurses’ love for Juliet is significant as she was the one who sent the messages between Romeo and Juliet. She tried her best to help the lovers and wanted Juliet to be happy. |
| Conclusion? | The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a story displaying the uncontrollable feelings of love and hate through foreshadowing and fortune. The two star-crossed lovers’ fate were sealed from the beginning of the play. There is such a fine line between love and hate and both are full of passion and each has a reason for its behaviour. |
English – Romeo and Juliet: Love vs Hate
August 29, 2019