Love In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

“Under love’s heavy burden do I sink,” (1.4. 22). William Shakespeare constantly points out the misfortunes that are involved in love. Romeo and Juliet is a play based on the tragedies of young love and is one of the many plays that connects love with death. Shakespeare ties love to a responsibility that ultimately leads to the demise of many, as shown in Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra. Romeo and Juliet additionally show through their suicidal impulses that adolescent love can often be hasty and careless. Shakespeare links a self-destructive tendency with love as shown by the suicidal impulses Romeo and Juliet exhibit, which reveals the instability that characterizes young love. First off, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet to show how destructive
Antony and Cleopatra is a play of power struggles, war, betrayal, shame, forgiveness, honor and love. “She is cunning past man’s thought” (1. 2. 147.). Antony tells how Cleopatra is cunning, never displaying loyal affection. Cleopatra, to Antony, is a manipulator and someone who has him under her power. “These strong Egyptian fetters I must break or lose myself in dotage.” (1. 2. 118-119). Antony says he must break free of Cleopatra’s hold or else he would be deemed as a fool infatuated. Antony knew that Cleopatra basically governed his actions and he could not break free due to his never-ending affection towards her. Cleopatra, after being accused of betrayal commands one of her servants to tell Antony that she killed herself with his name being her last word and his love for her caused his death. “Since Cleopatra died I have lived in such dishonor that the gods detest my baseness” (4. 14. 66-68). Since the “death” of Cleopatra, Antony has not forgiven himself for threatening to kill her and accusing her of betrayal. Antony believes that the only way to make the gods happy and to be reunited with Cleopatra is to meet her at death’s door. After stabbing himself, he finds out that Cleopatra is alive and well, so he wishes to just be by her side when he finally dies. Cleopatra similarly kills herself with the
Romeo and Juliet both have suicidal urges that show how fragile the relationship truly is. “I’ll to my wedding bed. And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead!” (3. 2. 138-139). Upon hearing that Romeo is banished for slaying Tybalt, Juliet quickly decides to take her life. The nurse quickly stops her and promises to bring Romeo to Juliet before he departs Verona. If the nurse had not promised that, Juliet would have taken her life for sure. “Hadst thou no poison mixed, no sharp-ground knife, No sudden mean of death, though ne'er so mean, but “banished” to kill me?” (3. 3. 44-46). Romeo believes that banishment is worse than death because he will be separated from the lovely Juliet and sent to a place where she cannot him reach easily. Romeo tries to take his life with a dagger but Friar Laurence reassurances that he will see Juliet. “God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands. And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo sealed, Shall be the label to another deed, Or my true heart with treacherous revolt Turn to another, this shall slay them both.” (4. 1. 57-61). Juliet is ready to kill herself because her father tells her to marry Paris or become a bagger on the streets. Juliet goes to Friar Laurence to get advice on what to do before she actually kills herself. Juliet, in addition to not wanting to betray Romeo, doesn’t want to go to the underworld if she is married