Romeo and Juliet Themes

Themes are the recurrent ideas underlying a creative piece. These central ideas enable readers to view a certain piece from various angles to broaden their understanding. Regarded as one of the most significant and widely read playwrights, Shakespeare has skillfully explored diverse themes such as loyalty, the dichotomy of love and hate, violence, greed, and insanity in his tragedies. “Romeo and Juliet” is perhaps Shakespeare’s most significant contribution with various themes. However, instead of portraying an idyllic romance , this timeless play presents tragic themes governing human life. A few central themes in “Romeo and Juliet” are discussed below.

Themes in “Romeo and Juliet”

The abiding quality of romantic love.

Although presented as a short-term expression of youthful passion, Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other ultimately wins over every form of social constraints. The abiding quality of their selfless love is an essential theme of the play. It serves to reinforce the claim that if authentic lovers cannot be united in this world, they can certainly be together in the life hereafter.

Individual vs. Society

The conflict between individual desires and social institutions is a recurrent theme in “Romeo and Juliet”. The young lovers’ struggle against their respective families is the most important theme. By opting for individual fulfillment as opposed to social traditions, both Romeo and Juliet refuse to follow the commands of their families. They illustrate the triumph of an individual’s will over social customs. On a metaphorical level, this courage highlights the threat that young love poses to the absurd social traditions.

The theme of violence also plays a significant role in the play. Usually, blind passion, hatred and desperation are some instances of violence given throughout “Romeo and Juliet”. Tybalt kills Mercutio though it was not intentional. In order to avenge Mercutio’s death and in a moment of desperation, Romeo kills Tybalt and Paris. Both murders are classic examples of violence. The blind love of Romeo and Juliet that motivate them to commit suicide is another example. These examples show that violence has a vital role in this tragedy .

The Overarching Power of Patriarchy

In “Romeo and Juliet”, most of the significant decisions are made by the men of the two families, the Capulets, and the Montagues. Lady Capulet and Lady Montague’s views are not important. It is clearly displayed by their silent assertion of their husbands’ ideas in the play. It is Lord Capulet who selects Paris as his daughter’s future husband. Then forces Juliet to abide by his decision. Perhaps the most blatant example of the rule of men in the play is the feud between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. Although their wives don’t harbor any ill-will toward each other, the two Lords force their families to support them in their pointless dispute and keep up their enmity against each other.

The Theme of Death

Death is a theme that lurks throughout the play. In many ways, “Romeo and Juliet” shows the journey of the two lovers from their initial, love-filled meeting up to their death. Thus, death serves as the tragic resolution of various conflicts. For instance, Romeo’s conflict with Tybalt ends with the latter’s death. Moreover, the two young lovers’ conflict with the hostile social conformity ends with their untimely deaths. These tragic losses make the entire play as if it is only a play of deaths.

The Inevitability of Fate

The inevitability of fate is another important thematic concern of “Romeo and Juliet”. The phrase , “star-crossed” refers to the fact that the two lovers were destined to die from the beginning. Hence, aside from a string of poor choices made by the two lovers and their families, the power of fate governs the end of the play. Friar John’s inability to deliver the letter to Romeo on time was inescapable fate and a deadly blow. The letter would have informed Romeo that Juliet was alive. It is the most fatalistic moment in the play that drives Romeo to commit suicide.

The institution of marriage is another important theme in the play. Contrary to popular beliefs, marriage is not shown as a good institution in the play. The play emphasizes the idea that though marriages of the Capulets and Montagues are socially approved, it lacks a soul. On the other hand, the union of Romeo and Juliet is authentic and yet condemned. Moreover, the political motive behind Friar Lawrence’s approval of Romeo and Juliet’s marriage highlights that in the Shakespearean era, marriage was seen as a means to ensure political strength.

 Ideological Divide Between the Young and the Old

The ideological divide between the younger and the older generation is also a repetitive theme underlying the play. The impulsivity and youthful exuberance of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Paris serve as a strong contrast to calculating, the political foresight of Lord Capulet, Lord Montague, and Friar Lawrence. The tragedy of the play is in the fact that both the older and younger generations are unwilling to compromise and end the disagreement for good. They are not willing to resolve their pointless dispute.

The Absurdity Underlying Family Feuds

The absurd legacy of rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets brings chaos that is shown later in the play. Although the actual reason for enmity between the two families remains undisclosed, it is shown that they are unable to reconcile with each other. It also shows that they have no credible reason for continuing the enmity between them.

In addition to violence, revenge is another destructive element that sustains the action of the play. Hence, it makes an important theme of the play. However, the tragedy carrying the cycle of revenge neither guarantees a good end nor does it lead to poetic justice . For instance, Romeo kills Tybalt in order to seek revenge for Mercutio’s murder. This rash action of Romeo is not tried in the court. Moreover, several other actions that require resolution are not brought to the law. Therefore, revenge seems to have the upper hand.

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theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

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Romeo and Juliet Themes – GCSE English Revision Guide

Welcome to another GCSE English Literature revision guide from Tutor In. We’ve included everything you need to know about Romeo and Juliet themes. Find out how Shakespeare presents the themes and learn some key quotations. Your exam will ask you about either a theme or a character, so we need to focus on these areas to make sure our revision is efficient and effective. Make sure you’re confident in explaining how Shakespeare presents the themes in this guide and then learn about the characters. Learn some key quotations for each theme and character and practise plenty of exam style questions to complete your revision – it’s not rocket science, just focus on what rewards you with marks form the examiner.

Romeo and Juliet Themes

You’ll notice that many of the quotations shown in this guide can cover multiple themes and characters. This is a good way to work efficiently. Memorise quotations that you can apply to a number of different questions to limit how many quotations you actually have to learn (which I’m sure you’ll agree is good news!)

Check out even more great free revision guides and practice questions on our resources page .

If you’re looking for some specific support with your GCSE English revision then why not book in a trial lesson with one of our expert online English tutors? Learn more about our specialist GCSE English tutors here and drop us a message to book your free consultation . We’ll help you achieve great results in GCSE English.

Now let’s get stuck into these Romeo and Juliet themes…

How the theme is presented

  • It’s not a spoiler to say that love underpins most of the plot.
  • Shakespeare explores the positive aspects of love, as well as the difficulties when different relationships are incompatible. 
  • We see the difference in how the older and younger generations approach love. Romeo and Juliet immediately have an all-encompassing love for each other. It’s by far the most important thing in their lives and they’re willing to give up everything for it. At different points the older generation, particularly Capulet, try to control romantic love and orchestrate Juliet’s relationship with Paris.  
  • The audience sees an obsessive love from Romeo. He’s initially madly in love with Rosaline, but she doesn’t feel the same. He then quickly switches affections to Juliet. An even greater obsession then begins.  
  • Shakespeare shows the power of traditional romantic love to shape Romeo and Juliet’s lives and lead to tragedy. On the other hand, Shakespeare shows the healing power of love as Romeo and Juliet’s death forces an end to hostilities between Montague and Capulet. 
  • Shakespeare also explores other types of love. He presents: the bond between friends with Romeo and Mercutio; family ties, particularly when Romeo declares his love even for Tybalt; and caring relationships like Romeo with the Friar and Juliet with the Nurse. 
  • It’s important to understand the historical context around every theme. In Shakespearean times people tended to get married at a much younger age than today. It was normal at the time to be married by the age of 13. Parents would also usually choose the spouse for their child. They’d look to secure a match to a rich, important family. It is, therefore, very difficult for Romeo and Juliet to decide who they want to marry, especially when they’re choosing someone from an enemy family.  

Key Quotations

  • Romeo: ‘Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!’ 
  • Mercutio: ‘If love be rough with you, be rough with love; prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.’ 
  • Romeo: ‘Is she a Capulet? O, dear account! My life is my foe’s debt’ 
  • Juliet: ‘My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy.’ 
  • Romeo: ‘But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun…It is my lady, O it is my love! O, that she knew she were!’ 
  • Juliet: ‘O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.’ 
  • Juliet: ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’ 
  • Friar Laurence: ‘Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.’
  • Juliet: ‘Romeo, I come! This do I drink to thee.’
  • Capulet: ‘O brother Montague, give me thy hand’ 
  • Prince: ‘For never was a story of more woe that this of Juliet and her Romeo.’ 

Revise all of the themes in Romeo and Juliet below. You can also check out our GCSE English revision guide on characters in Romeo and Juliet to complete your revision on the text.

  • Fate has a very interesting role in Romeo and Juliet. Various characters refer to fate guiding their lives. 
  • The audience gets a clear sense of fate’s influence right from the start. The prologue tells us exactly what’s going to happen in the play. It’s as if fate has decided how Romeo and Juliet’s lives will play out. 
  • The words “pair of star-cross’d lovers” and “death-mark’d love” emphasise this idea that Romeo and Juliet’s love is ill-fated and doomed from the start. 
  • Again, thinking about context, many people in 16 th  and 17 th  centuries believed that astrology played some part in setting the course of their lives. So this idea of “star cross’d lovers” would seem realistic to a contemporary audience. 
  • This prologue creates a major sense of dramatic irony throughout the play. Remember dramatic irony is where the audience knows something that hasn’t yet happened or that the characters on stage are not aware of yet. 
  • When we get to the tragic end of the play Romeo refers again to the stars. The suggestion here is that he and Juliet never stood a chance in their love. Fate and the stars had pre-determined the tragic end of their love. 
  • Chorus: ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives’ (Prologue)
  • Juliet: ‘My grave is like to be my wedding bed.’
  • Romeo: ‘O, I am fortune’s fool!’ 
  • Prince: ‘Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.’ 
  • Juliet: ‘O fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle’ 
  • Friar Laurence: ‘Unhappy fortune!’
  • Romeo: ‘Is it even so? Then I defy you, stars!’ 
  • Friar Laurence: ‘Fear comes upon me: O, much I fear some ill unlucky thing,’
  • Friar Laurence: ‘A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.’ 
  • Conflict is central to the play, with the feuding families providing a dramatic background to the tale. 
  • Shakespeare starts the play with a serious fight between the Montagues and Capulets, ending with the Prince’s dire warnings – showing this conflict has been an ongoing problem in Verona. 
  • Mercutio (the audience favourite for his humour) is killed in a fight with Tybalt, Romeo goes on to kill Tybalt and Paris. With so many main characters dying in fights Shakespeare shows the potential price of conflict in defence of honour. No one wins. Both families lose people before they draw an end to the fighting. 
  • As well as this obvious fighting in the streets of Verona, Shakespeare portrays more nuanced, personal elements of conflict both within the families and within individuals themselves. 
  • Juliet displays her inner conflict on her balcony in Act 2 Scene 2 when she knows she loves Romeo, but knows the difficulty his being a Montague will bring. She decides that she would happily give up her name and family to be with Romeo. 
  • Shakespeare shows us conflict within a family as Capulet tries to persuade Juliet – more and more forcefully – to marry Paris. 
  • Ultimately it takes multiple deaths for love to (in some way) overcome conflict. The final scene sees Montague and Capulet agree to end their feud following Romeo and Juliet’s suicides. 
  • Tybalt: ‘What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee’ 
  • Romeo: My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.’ 
  • Friar Laurence: ‘These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die’
  • Mercutio: ‘A plague o’ both your houses!’
  • Tybalt: ‘Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this,- thou art a villain.’
  • Mercutio: ‘ask for me tomorrow, and you will find me a grave man.’ 
  • Mercutio: ‘Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.’ 
  • Prince: ‘See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. And I for winking at your discords too have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punished.’ 
  • Shakespeare explores the complex nature of family relationships. He shows us the strong connection of family as well as the alienation caused by going against a strong family. This theme links closely with love and conflict. 
  • The Montagues and Capulets are high status, wealthy families in Verona. In this position the binds to Montague and Capulet go far beyond their immediate families. Many people who worked for the families would owe allegiance to them and wear their livery (the colours associated with that family). This means that the family feud ranges across Verona and involves many people beyond the families.  
  • We see some big differences between contemporary and modern families, but also some timeless similarities. 
  • ‘Ancient’ family conflict between the Montagues and Capulets is the backdrop to the play and is shown to overwhelm people’s lives.  
  • The conflict has been going on for years and the warring between the two sides is almost natural.
  • It’s strange, therefore, how similar the two families appear. Both high status, with children around the same age and a huge retinue of servants and allies. 
  • Both Romeo and Juliet are shown to be very young. Juliet is 13 and, although we don’t hear Romeo’s exact age, it is implied that he too is very young. Both characters are quite immature. Romeo roams around the streets with his mates and uses hyperbolic language to describe his love. Juliet refers to herself as an ‘impatient child’. 
  • Romeo and Juliet’s youth makes their alienation from their families and their ultimate tragedy all the more horrific for the audience. 
  • The two families are only reconciled after the death of their children. Shakespeare presents the strength and power of conflicts between families, as only such tragedy can overcome their feud. 
  • Capulet: My child is yet a stranger in this world; She hath not seen the change of fourteen years’ 
  • Friar Laurence: ‘In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households’ rancour to pure love’ 
  • Nurse: ‘first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say: for the gentlewoman is young.’ 
  • Romeo: ‘Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the apparenting rage to such a greeting: villain am I none; therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.’ 
  • Romeo: ‘good Capulet,- which name I tender as dearly as my own,- be satisfied.’ 
  • Capulet: ‘But fettle your fine joints ‘gainst Thursday next, to go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!’ 
  • Capulet: Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o’Thursday, or never after look me in the face: speak not, reply not, do not answer me’  

Just two more themes to revise. Keep going!

Romeo and Juliet GCSE Revision

Individual vs Society

  • Romeo and Juliet are presented as strong individuals. No matter their feelings, it takes strength for each to go against their whole family in the way they do. 
  • They also live a very oppressive society that demands allegiance to the law, religion, family and a very structured social order. Romeo and Juliet have to face down all of these constructs. 
  • Beyond their families they also go against a lot of the institutions and norms in their society. The society Shakespeare portrays relied heavily on loyalty to family and to social superiors. It was also a very patriarchal society where the head of the household (almost always a man) would have huge influence over his family and their lives. It was unthinkable for most people to go against this loyalty, even for such intense love. We do see bot Romeo and Juliet struggling with these conflicting ideas through the play. 
  • Given this patriarchal society, Juliet, in particular, shows her strong individual character in standing up to her father’s wish for her to marry Paris. 
  • Romeo and Juliet’s suicide is their final act of individual defiance against a society that won’t let them be together. Suicide was considered a tremendous sin in their very religious society and a dishonour. Romeo and Juliet even go against religion and society in their tragic deaths. 
  • Romeo: ‘my reputation stain’d with Tybalt’s slander,- Tybalt that an hour hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper soften’d valour’s steel!’ 
  • Juliet: ‘That “banished”, that one word “banished” hath slain ten thousand Tybalts.’ 
  • Romeo: ‘ Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say “death”, for exile hath more terror in his look’
  • In response to Romeo on banishment – Friar Laurence: ‘O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness!’ 
  • Death overshadows the whole play and links to all of the other themes discussed in this guide. 
  • From the opening prologue the audience knows that Romeo and Juliet have to die to end the feud between their families. We know their love is doomed and this shadow of death overhangs the play. 
  • We see death throughout the play. From Act III the death toll rises quickly – Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo and Juliet. Many of the main young characters die because of the family feud and the complexity of Romeo and Juliet’s love. 
  • The number of deaths by the end of the play follows the classic ideas of the Tragedy. Tragic plays show the audience the downfall of the main character and usually end with many of the characters dying. Those left usually promise to improve things and learn the error of their ways following the deaths of their friends and family. We see this here with Montague and Capulet promising to end their feud. 
  • Romeo and Juliet refer to the threat of death in their lives. Both would face retribution if the other family found them with each other. Shakespeare shows us that both characters are acutely aware of the risks they are taking. 
  • There’s some quite morbid context for this theme, but we should note that death was far more common in everyday life and even ‘normal’ at the time when Shakespeare was writing, particularly death from conflict and at a young age. For a Shakespearean audience death was present in their lives in a way that’s (thankfully) very different from the lives of a modern audience. 
  • Capulet: ‘Death is my son-in-law, Death is my heir; My daughter he hath wedded’ 
  • Romeo: ‘O true apothecary, they drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.’
  • Juliet: ‘O happy dagger! This is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die.’ 
  • Prince: ‘For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’ 

There’s quite a lot to learn here, but it’s all important for your exam. The information in this guide should provide the basis for your revision of Romeo and Juliet themes. Use this guide to help ensure you feel confident explaining these themes. After that, have a go at some past exam papers and practise assessing the presentation of each theme while integrating and analysing the quotations.

You can find more help with Romeo and Juliet on the Royal Shakespeare Company website . They have some very useful plot summaries, quotation lists and revision resources. You can also leave me a comment below or message me directly with any specific questions.

2 thoughts on “Romeo and Juliet Themes – GCSE English Revision Guide”

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These articles about specific topics are so informative, thanks for putting the time and effort, Liam!

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I am in year 10 and have my mock that I used this website to help revise and it was so helpful for quote memorising

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Mr Salles Teaches English

theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

How does Shakespeare present the theme of conflict in ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the theme of conflict’s pervasive and intoxicating nature first emerges in the prologue. 

Shakespeare's use of a fourteen-line sonnet in the prologue hints at the conflict to come in "Romeo and Juliet." Through violent language, he reveals the deep-rooted feud between the Montagues and Capulets, setting the stage for their bitter r…

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Themes of Love, Hatred and Conflict in 'Romeo and Juliet'

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theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

Romeo and Juliet

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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Though much of Romeo and Juliet is driven by the choices its main characters make and the actions they take, there is a dark undercurrent running throughout the play: the suggestion that fate, not free will, is behind the entirety of the human experience. Repeated references to fate and fortune throughout the play underscore Shakespeare’s suggestion that humans are merely pawns in a larger cosmic scheme—invisible but inescapable fates, Shakespeare argues throughout the play, steer the course of human lives, and any and all actions that attempt to subvert those fates are futile and doomed to fail.

In the world of Romeo and Juliet , fate and predetermined destinies are an accepted part of life and society. From the chorus that introduces the first two acts of the play, commenting upon the events that are about to take place, to the characters’ own preoccupation with the unseen forces that control them, Shakespeare imbues the world of the play with the heavy atmosphere of a “black fate” sitting like a storm cloud just above the entirety of the action. Throughout the play, characters acknowledge—and make “misadventured” attempts to thwart—the invisible forces guiding their lives. Yet every attempt to outsmart, outwit, or dodge fate ends terribly. By having Romeo and Juliet verbally acknowledge—privately and to one another—their fears about their doomed fates, Shakespeare showcases how badly his characters want to believe that their desires and actions stand a chance in the face of fate’s wily hand. “Alack, alack, that heaven should practice stratagems / Upon so soft a subject as myself,” Juliet laments after learning that her parents have arranged for her to marry Paris , not knowing that she is already married to Romeo. Juliet has, at this late point in the play, had to deal with the death of her cousin, the cruelty of her family, and the destruction of her previously held ideals about the nature of good and evil, friend and enemy. She has, she feels, been through enough—and is beginning to believe that fate is “practic[ing]” on her, striking her with terrible news and insurmountable problems for sport. Juliet acknowledges the role fate plays in her life—she knows she is a pawn of the “heaven[s]”—and yet her actions over the course of the rest of the play show that she longs to fly in the face of heaven’s decrees.

“O, I am fortune’s fool!” Romeo screams shortly after he kills Tybalt in a duel; “I deny you, stars !” he shouts when he learns of Juliet’s “death” in the play’s final act. In these two expressions of frustration with fate and fortune, Shakespeare uses Romeo’s anger at fate’s dominion to show that while he hates realizing he is on a predetermined path, he is nonetheless cognizant of his lack of autonomy in the face of fortune’s plans for him. When Romeo calls himself “fortune’s fool” after slaying Tybalt, he laments, perhaps, having committed the act he knew he’d have to commit all along: killing the man who killed his best friend. Now that he has committed murder, however, Romeo feels he has been a “fool” to play into fortune’s hand, and to fail resisting harder the pull of fate’s demands. When Romeo learns of Juliet’s death, he cries out that he will “deny” the stars—in other words, he doesn’t want to believe Juliet is dead, or possibly believes, deep down, that there is something he can do to reverse what the stars have ordained even if she is. As he prepares to ride from Mantua to Verona to investigate the truth of his servant Balthasar ’s news, he is admitting, full-out, that he plans to try to reverse his and Juliet’s fortunes—even as, in the same breath, he tacitly admits that he knows their fates are already written in the stars.

Shakespeare’s argument about fate is a bleak one. The insinuation that forces humans can neither comprehend nor control guide their words and actions is perhaps even more sinister in a contemporary context than it would have been in Shakespeare’s own time. Though debates concerning free will versus determinism stretch back to antiquity, faith in humans’ ability to steer their own destinies did not begin to emerge more widely throughout Western culture until well after Shakespeare’s time. Whether or not Shakespeare himself believed in the total dominion of fate and fortune, he certainly used his plays as an arena to work out his frustrations with the mechanisms of individual destiny—and to suggest that to deny or defy one’s fate is a fatal, calamitous choice. 

Fate ThemeTracker

Romeo and Juliet PDF

Fate Quotes in Romeo and Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Love and Violence Theme Icon

Romeo: I dream'd a dream to-night. Mercutio: And so did I. Romeo: Well, what was yours? Mercutio: That dreamers often lie.

theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Romeo: Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mercutio: No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man.

O, I am fortune's fool!

Is there no pity sitting in the clouds That sees into the bottom of my grief? O sweet my mother, cast me not away! Delay this marriage for a month, a week, Or if you do not, make the bridal bed In that dim monument where Tybalt lies.

Then I defy you, stars!

O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. — Thus with a kiss I die.

Yea, noise, then I'll be brief; O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.

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Last Minute Romeo and Juliet Conflict Revision

Last Minute Romeo and Juliet Conflict Revision

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Miss Howell

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theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

An all inclusive resource for students to explore the theme of conflict .

Includes retrieval focusing on key questions, key quotes and key points. Includes an essay plan with detailed points, a deconstructed WAGOLL paragraph and an activity for students to complete

It also includes two tables

  • Quotes divided by character
  • Quotes divided into themes

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IMAGES

  1. Conflict in Romeo and Juliet Free Essay Example

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

  2. Example essay on conflict in Romeo and Juliet.

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

  3. Conflict- Romeo and Juliet

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

  4. Love and Conflict in Romeo And Juliet.

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

  5. Romeo and Juliet Conflict Essay Example

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

  6. Romeo and Juliet: A Tale of Conflict and Tragedy Free Essay Example

    theme of conflict in romeo and juliet essay

VIDEO

  1. The Conflict in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"

  2. Romeo & Juliet prologue animation

  3. Symbolism In Romeo and Juliet

  4. Achieving an A* in a GCSE Shakespearean essay

  5. The Theme of Fate in 'Romeo and Juliet'

  6. 'Romeo and Juliet': Translating Act 2 Scene 2

COMMENTS

  1. The Conflict In Romeo And Juliet English Literature Essay

    The Conflict In Romeo And Juliet English Literature Essay. Throughout Romeo and Juliet the theme of conflict is conveyed in many forms, mostly through physical violence; reflected in the era of the Renaissance where there was political turmoil and many European nations were at war. Shakespeare presents the theme in other forms as well; family ...

  2. Themes

    Conflict is a central theme in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare presents the theme of conflict through two warring families: the Montagues and the Capulets. The two families have been ...

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    The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet has captivated audiences for centuries. One of the central themes of the play is conflict, which is consistently portrayed through various relationships and situations. In this essay, I will analyze the different forms of conflict in Romeo and Juliet, including family feuds, societal expectations, and individual choices, and how they ultimately lead to ...

  4. PDF Violence and Conflict

    Violence - Act 3 Scene 1. Violence can be seen as a manifestation of conflict. One of the biggest accumulations of conflict in Romeo and Juliet occurs halfway through the play in Act 3 Scene 1 where fighting between Mercutio, Romeo and Tybalt results in the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt. Just before this scene in Act 2 Scene 6 Romeo and Juliet ...

  5. Romeo and Juliet Themes

    The main themes in Romeo and Juliet are the transformative power of love, loyalty and family honor, violence and conflict, and tragic fate. Love's Transformative Power: Romeo and Juliet's ...

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    In the play, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the challenges faced by two young people in love due to societal attitudes and family pressures. Shakespeare's play shows how closely related love is to hate and how this throws obstacles in love's path. Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy. Knowledge and evidence:

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    The Theme of Death. Death is a theme that lurks throughout the play. In many ways, "Romeo and Juliet" shows the journey of the two lovers from their initial, love-filled meeting up to their death. Thus, death serves as the tragic resolution of various conflicts. For instance, Romeo's conflict with Tybalt ends with the latter's death.

  9. Romeo and Juliet Themes

    How the theme is presented. Romeo and Juliet are presented as strong individuals. No matter their feelings, it takes strength for each to go against their whole family in the way they do. They also live a very oppressive society that demands allegiance to the law, religion, family and a very structured social order.

  10. How does Shakespeare present the theme of conflict in 'Romeo and Juliet'?

    Share. In 'Romeo and Juliet', the theme of conflict's pervasive and intoxicating nature first emerges in the prologue. Shakespeare's use of a fourteen-line sonnet in the prologue hints at the conflict to come in "Romeo and Juliet." Through violent language, he reveals the deep-rooted feud between the Montagues and Capulets, setting the ...

  11. What is the meaning of conflict in Romeo and Juliet?

    Romeo and Juliet 's love develops from terrible conflict: In the evening of the street fight, Romeo meets his enemy's daughter Juliet and falls in love; theirs is a violent love, a "violent ...

  12. PDF Question Bank

    Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself. 01) Explore how far Shakespeare presents internal conflict in Romeo and Juliet. Write about: how Shakespeare presents internal conflict at this moment in the play. how Shakespeare presents internal conflict in the play as a whole. 3.

  13. Themes of Love, Hatred and Conflict in 'Romeo and Juliet'

    The essay on the themes of love, hatred, and conflict in Romeo and Juliet demonstrates a solid organization of ideas, with a clear focus on the topic. The writer effectively uses sentence structure to convey their points, and the grammar and voice are appropriate for an academic essay. However, some improvement can be made to enhance the ...

  14. Love and Violence Theme in Romeo and Juliet

    LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Romeo and Juliet, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. "These violent delights have violent ends," says Friar Laurence in an attempt to warn Romeo, early on in the play, of the dangers of falling in love too hard or too fast. In the world of Romeo and Juliet, love is ...

  15. Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay

    Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay. The OCR GCSE English Literature exam paper asks you to write one essay from a choice of two on the Shakespeare play you have studied. Here you will find an annotated model answer for Question 2, the discursive essay question. "Discursive" can be interpreted as a discussion on wider ideas, so examiners are ...

  16. Essay on Theme of Conflict in "Romeo and Juliet"

    Open Document. 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare incorporates the theme of conflict through many different characters and situations. The definition of conflict is "a fight, battle, or struggle; especially a prolonged struggle; strife" The play mainly focuses on the tragic lives of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet; the two ...

  17. Fate Theme in Romeo and Juliet

    Fate ThemeTracker. The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Fate appears in each scene of Romeo and Juliet. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis. How often theme appears: scene length: Prologue. Act 1, Scene 1. Act 1, Scene 2. Act 1, Scene 3.

  18. What is the major conflict in Romeo and Juliet?

    In my opinion, the major conflict in Romeo and Juliet is the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. Evidence for this theory is given in the prologue to the play. Where civil blood makes ...

  19. How Is The Theme Of Conflict Presented In Romeo And Juliet?

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  20. Last minute Romeo and Juliet Revision: Themes

    Last minute Romeo and Juliet Revision: Themes. Key words with definitions, two tables with A4 sheets of quotes linking to 1) Characters 2) Themes. Accessible revision with key quotes, points and questions with a further start of a tables consisting of essay plans for students to complete. All include clear detailed WAGOLLS.

  21. PDF Edexcel English Literature GCSE Romeo and Juliet: Themes

    Violence - Act 3 Scene 1. Violence can be seen as a manifestation of conflict. One of the biggest accumulations of conflict in Romeo and Juliet occurs halfway through the play in Act 3 Scene 1 where fighting between Mercutio, Romeo and Tybalt results in the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt. Just before this scene in Act 2 Scene 6 Romeo and Juliet ...

  22. Romeo and Juliet

    Revise the themes of Romeo and Juliet for your GCSE English Literature exams with Bitesize interactive practice quizzes covering feedback and common errors.

  23. How important is the theme of conflict in Romeo and Juliet ...

    A conflict with something in society can occur by fighting against a government that is tyrannical. In Romeo and Juliet,this occurswhen Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt. Man vs. the unknown ...

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  25. Last Minute Romeo and Juliet Conflict Revision

    Resource type: Assessment and revision. File previews. pptx, 63.46 KB. An all inclusive resource for students to explore the theme of conflict. Includes retrieval focusing on key questions, key quotes and key points. Includes an essay plan with detailed points, a deconstructed WAGOLL paragraph and an activity for students to complete.