Romeo And Juliet Key Theme Love edexcel 1-Shakespeare

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Love timeline

The theme of love in each act of Romeo and Juliet:

Timeline of "Romeo and Juliet": key quotes and summaries for each act highlighting the evolving love between Romeo and Juliet amidst family conflict. — **Romeo and Juliet love timeline**

What are the elements of love in Romeo and Juliet?

Shakespeare portrays different types of love: romantic, familial and friendship. The elements of love in the play include:

Romantic love: Romeo and Juliet fall in love at first sight and their love is presented as courtly and spiritual, reflecting Elizabethan conventions of romantic love, as well as passionate and sensual:
- “Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged”
- However, Juliet’s directness in Act II, Scene II can be seen as subverting courtly conventions: she is not passive but an equal participant in the flirting
Familial love: Shakespeare initially presents the relationship between Juliet and her father as loving:
- As the play progresses, Lord Capulet’s actions in forcing his daughter to marry Paris ultimately contribute to his daughter’s tragic demise
Friendship: Benvolio, Mercutio and Friar Lawrence are loyal friends to Romeo and offer support in different ways:
- Benvolio attempts to keep the peace, Mercutio defends Romeo’s honour and Friar Laurence devises a plan to help him

The impact of love on characters

The theme of love is a powerful force in the play. It strongly motivates both Romeo and Juliet after they meet and fall in love at first sight and drives them to suicide as they would rather die than live apart.

Diagram titled "Love" with a heart at the centre, detailing roles of Romeo, Juliet, Friar Laurence, the Nurse, Benvolio, and Mercutio in defying family feud. — **Love in Romeo and Juliet**

Character	Impact
Romeo and Juliet	Romeo and Juliet risk the wrath of their parents to be together: Juliet goes against the wishes of her father, when he insists she should marry Paris and Romeo is prepared to break away from his family in order to be with Juliet: “Henceforth I never will be Romeo”
The Nurse	The Nurse has a strong maternal relationship with Juliet, describing her as the “prettiest babe”: The Nurse wants Juliet to be happy and will do anything for her happiness, even collaborating in her marriage to Romeo: “There stays a husband to make you a wife”
Mercutio	When Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, Mercutio takes up the challenge instead, as he does not want to see the Montagues’ honour jeopardised: “pluck your sword”: Following Mercutio’s death, Romeo shows his grief by challenging Tybalt
Benvolio	Benvolio tries to stop the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets and to prevent Romeo from avenging Mercutio’s death: After Romeo has killed Tybalt, Benvolio encourages Romeo to flee: “Romeo, away, be gone”
Friar Laurence	Friar Laurence acts as a confidante to Romeo, advising him on his relationships with Rosaline and Juliet and how his actions should be: “wisely and slow”: He hopes that by marrying the young lovers, the feuding families will make peace: “To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.”

Why does Shakespeare use the theme of love in his play?

1. Setting and atmosphere

Shakespeare establishes love as the central theme of the tragedy and its driving force from the very beginning
Creates an element of urgency and secrecy as Romeo and Juliet’s love must be hidden

2. Plot driver

Drives the tragic sequence of events as the love between Romeo and Juliet is a catalyst to the dramatic action

3. Audience appeal

Appeals to Shakespeare’s audience as romantic love was considered heroic at the time the play is set
Reflects a universal theme of love which would resonate with both contemporary and modern audiences

4. Dramatic device

Heightens the dramatic tension by contrasting love with violence

Exam-style questions on the theme of love

Try planning a response to the following essay questions as part of your revision of the theme of love:

How does Shakespeare portray the intensity of young love in the play? (You could start with Act 2, Scene 2.)

“Romeo is never really in love in the play”. How far do you agree with this statement? (You could start with Act 1, Scene 1.)

Sources

Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor (eds), 2005, The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works (Second Edition), Oxford University Press

English Literature GCSE EDEXCEL