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3 Types of Love in Romeo Annd Juliet

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3 Types of Love in Romeo Annd Juliet
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a play of two young lovers from opposing families is mainly based on the theme of love and hate. Love is presented right from the start and perhaps the most obvious subject is different kinds of love that involved in this play. Shakespeare used the characters and imagery to portray courtly love, dutiful love and romantic love.

Shakespeare used the relationship of Romeo and Rosaline, Paris and Juliet to present courtly love. Romeo is terribly in love with Rosaline but the love is not returned which turns out Romeo unrequited love to Rosaline. “ Shut up his windows, lock fair daylight out and makes himself an artificial night.” (I, i, 134-135) The imagery made a depressed atmosphere, Shakespeare created a difference between light and dark, also portrayed the miserable and sorrowful feeling of Romeo. Same as Romeo, Paris loved Juliet very much. “So will ye, I am sure, that you love me.” (IV, i, 26) Paris is accepted by Capulet and glad to marry Juliet but he doesn’t know that Juliet is married to Romeo secretly by Friar Lawrence.

Dutiful love is a major love that Shakespeare have presented throughout the play, especially in the Capulet family. “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move, but no more deep will I endart mine eye than you consent gives strength to make it fly.” (I, iii, 99-101) Juliet have always been faithful and dutiful to her parents but became independent after meeting Romeo. “Not proud you have, but thankful that you have. Proud can I never be of what I hate, But thankful even for hate that is meant love. (III, iiiii, 146-148) Shakespeare have presented dutiful love from Juliet’s words and sayings, he also contrasted the change of Juliet’s love to her parents before and after meeting Romeo.

Parental love is a kind of dutiful love shown in Romeo and Juliet. Capulet and Lady Capulet wants their daughter to marry Paris “Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn the gallant. young and noble gentleman, the county Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church, shall happily make thee there joyful bride.” (III, iiiii, 112-115) The loving parents arranged the marriage to lift out sorrow and to decide the best for Juliet, but unfortunately their love is not what Juliet expected. Shakespeare also used the presented love in the character’s speeches.

Shakespeare wrote romantic love in several levels. Shakespeare sets the lovers in to opposing families, therefore, the couple feels that things will go unsatisfactorily for them. Then true love of Romeo and Juliet then increased by the feud where Shakespeare included Tybalt to compared dutiful love and romantic love. In the end, Romeo and Juliet killed themselves due to the strong love they both felt for each other. “From fatal the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” (Chorus, prologue, 5-6) Shakespeare portrayed the two lovers as stars and also beauty and love of Juliet as sun “ It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon.” (II,ii 3-4)

“ O bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, from off the battlements of ant tower, or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk where serpents are. Chain me with roaring bears, or hide me nightly in a charnel-house O’erecovered quite with dead man’s rattling bones, With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls. Or bid me go into a new made grave, and hide me with a dead man in his shroud things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble and i will do it without fear or doubt. To live an unstained wife to my sweet love.” (IV, i, 79-89)

Shakespeare portrayed the powerful nature love of Romeo and Juliet through death. The imagery portrays the extent of Juliet’s love for Romeo, Juliet would rather be dead than live without Romeo or be forced to marry Paris.

Different kinds of love is portrayed and presented by figurative language and imagery through the characters in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare divided the love in relationships and developed character’s personality, attitude and actions throughout the play.

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