Romeo & Juliet
In William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, an aspect of human experience which Shakespeare explores is revenge and its destructive consequences. He examines the “ancient” family feud between the households of Capulet and Montague. This results in a number of deaths including the deaths of the children of the head of each house.
Shakespeare looks into the human experience of violence to develop the idea that revenge can only destroy whatever it touches. He shows this by opening the play with a brawl scene, where Tybalt and Benvolio lead their respective gangs in battle. “talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee” (Tybalt says as he states his blind anger towards Benvolio). This fight carries on until Prince Escalus interrupts and announces that any further breach of the peace will be punishable by death. No one seems to know how or when the blood feud between the two families began, which shows how blind and foolish this war really is. This paves the way for the play showing that it is just as much about violence and grudges, as it is about love.
The human aspect of revenge, is played out in Romeo & Juliet in the form of the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt. Earlier in the play Romeo and his posse of Montague friends, crash the Capulet ball. Romeo is recognised by Tybalt, who takes offence at Romeos presence at the ball. Tybalt challenges Romeo to duel him. Romeo refuses to fight someone who he now considers family through his marriage to Juliet. Tybalt considers this as cowardice and beats Romeo anyway. Mercutio enraged by Romeo’s “vile submission” fights Tybalt and is killed. Before Mercutio’s death he curses both families, saying “A plague o` both your houses!” This is the realisation that both his death and the death of Tybalt to come (at the hands of Romeo) shall be a “plague” on both the families forever.
Shakespeare explores two of the strongest traits in the human experience, which are love and hostility (which Shakespeare makes sure to illustrate are opposing traits), through the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare sends a challenge to human nature, asking the question, Which motive is stronger? Love or retribution? Shakespeare spins the story into a battle royal between the two. Shakespeare decides to separate himself from other love stories by leading the young protagonists to their deaths. The fatal flaw in the houses of Montague and Capulet is their blind hatred and pride. This leads to the death of Romeo and Juliet. showing that in love and vengeance, “All are punished”.
In Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare explores revenge and its destructive consequences through the blood war between two wealthy families and the deaths of their children (Romeo and Juliet) and their kinsman (Mercutio and Tybalt). Shakespeare has created the forerunner of these kinds of love stories, where the two lovers come from peoples of opposing interests, this archetype has influenced stories of all sorts, from “You don't mess with the Zohan” to “West Side Story” or even the “Note book”. Shakespeare's message is that no good comes from violence and vengeance, people get hurt or in the extreme case of Romeo & Juliet, people die.
Shakespeare looks into the human experience of violence to develop the idea that revenge can only destroy whatever it touches. He shows this by opening the play with a brawl scene, where Tybalt and Benvolio lead their respective gangs in battle. “talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee” (Tybalt says as he states his blind anger towards Benvolio). This fight carries on until Prince Escalus interrupts and announces that any further breach of the peace will be punishable by death. No one seems to know how or when the blood feud between the two families began, which shows how blind and foolish this war really is. This paves the way for the play showing that it is just as much about violence and grudges, as it is about love.
The human aspect of revenge, is played out in Romeo & Juliet in the form of the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt. Earlier in the play Romeo and his posse of Montague friends, crash the Capulet ball. Romeo is recognised by Tybalt, who takes offence at Romeos presence at the ball. Tybalt challenges Romeo to duel him. Romeo refuses to fight someone who he now considers family through his marriage to Juliet. Tybalt considers this as cowardice and beats Romeo anyway. Mercutio enraged by Romeo’s “vile submission” fights Tybalt and is killed. Before Mercutio’s death he curses both families, saying “A plague o` both your houses!” This is the realisation that both his death and the death of Tybalt to come (at the hands of Romeo) shall be a “plague” on both the families forever.
Shakespeare explores two of the strongest traits in the human experience, which are love and hostility (which Shakespeare makes sure to illustrate are opposing traits), through the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare sends a challenge to human nature, asking the question, Which motive is stronger? Love or retribution? Shakespeare spins the story into a battle royal between the two. Shakespeare decides to separate himself from other love stories by leading the young protagonists to their deaths. The fatal flaw in the houses of Montague and Capulet is their blind hatred and pride. This leads to the death of Romeo and Juliet. showing that in love and vengeance, “All are punished”.
In Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare explores revenge and its destructive consequences through the blood war between two wealthy families and the deaths of their children (Romeo and Juliet) and their kinsman (Mercutio and Tybalt). Shakespeare has created the forerunner of these kinds of love stories, where the two lovers come from peoples of opposing interests, this archetype has influenced stories of all sorts, from “You don't mess with the Zohan” to “West Side Story” or even the “Note book”. Shakespeare's message is that no good comes from violence and vengeance, people get hurt or in the extreme case of Romeo & Juliet, people die.
