Themes (Romeo and Juliet)
Love versus hate - and the many forms love takes; its power to challenge hate; the impetuosity of young love; the irrationality of hate and its capacity to destroy love.
Some related scenes:
- Act 1 Scene 1: The Capulets and Montagues fight in Verona's market-place; Romeo tells Benvolio of his unrequited love for Rosaline.
- Act 1 Scene 5: Forgetting Rosaline, Romeo falls in love with Juliet at first sight.
- Act 2 Scene 2: In Juliet's orchard the two lovers agree to marry.
- Act 3 Scene 1: Tybalt fatally wounds Mercutio under the newly-wed Romeo's arm.
- Act 3 Scene 5: Romeo and Juliet prepare to part after their wedding night.
- Act 5 Scene 3: Romeo and Juliet commit suicide; the Prince asks the two families to reconcile.
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Parents and children and the struggle of young people to make their own choices in the face of parents' vested interests.
Some related scenes:
- The Prologue: The Chorus describes the parents' 'ancient grudge' which is the catalyst for the death of their children.
- Act 1 Scene 1: Lord Capulet approves Paris's request to ask Juliet to marry him.
- Act 3 Scene 5: Lord and Lady Capulet tell Juliet of their arrangements for her to marry Paris.
- Act 5 Scene 3: Romeo and Juliet commit suicide; the parents are faced with the consequences of their ancient feud.
Chance versus choice - the inevitability and the fickleness of fate; the mixture of chance and choice in determining outcomes.
Some related scenes:
- The Prologue: The Chorus describes the lovers as 'star-crossed'.
- Act 1 Scene 4: As he goes to the Capulets' ball, Romeo tells of a dream he has had.
- Act 3 Scene 3: Romeo happens upon the sword fight between Tybalt and Mercutio; his intervention results in Mercutio's death for which he kills Tybalt and calls himself 'fortune's fool'.
- Act 5 Scene 1: Balthasar tells Romeo of Juliet's death and Friar Laurence learns that Brother John has been unable to travel to Mantua to tell Romeo that Juliet still lives.
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