Examples Of Motifs In Romeo And Juliet

Significant Motifs

The most significant motif in Romeo and Juliet is that of Love, but the play deals with many other important ideas too. Shakespeare also invites readers to examine the importance of Hate. In which the themes are relevant today, which is why the play is still popular after all these years. These motifs impact the understanding of the play to give readers a key to understanding Romeo and Juliet as a play and identifying Shakespeare’s commentary. Love is naturally the play’s dominant and most important motif. But so is Hate, the main reason the two main characters couldn’t be together was mainly because of the hate between both families. The play focuses on romantic love, specifically the intense passion that brings up at

While Romeo was walking the streets of Verona he stumbled upon Tybalt, ”Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banishèd; 'That 'banishèd,' that one word 'banishèd,' Hath slain ten thousand Tybalt. Tybalt's death Was woe enough if it had ended there”(3.2.112-115). When Juliet found out that Romeo had killed Tybalt, her cousin, she was distraught mainly because her lover, Romeo, was banished from Verona, she couldn’t be with him even him living close to her and now that they are going to be further apart.Furthermore,Romeo is banished, and has to leave Juliet, the girl he loves the most. Romeo mainly thinks about what he's going to do without Juliet. He didn't spend enough time with her, and killed her cousin. He is also distraught. In the text it states “Not I, unless the breath of heartsick groans,Mist-like, enfold me from the search of eyes”(3.3.72-73). Even though they just met, and got married, they couldn’t be together due to their families’ feud. The play focuses on a tragic love story, in which both characters’ families have even more

At the beginning of the play, the characters, Gregory and Sampson were fighting on the streets for the same reason as the family’s feud. Just then the Prince has come and given them a warning stating that if one more incident happens the whole family who started will get consequences. For instance, “No, sir. I do not bite my thumb at you, sir. But I bite my thumb, sir.” (1.1.46-47). This is important because that is when all the major problems of both families started to happen. If this fight wouldn't have happened Romeo would have not been banished from Verona. Moreover, Friar Laurence hates to be involved in the feud too and says it’s fault because every time he did something, his plans failed. According to the text it states, “Her nurse is privy. And, if aught in this Miscarried by my fault, let my old life Be sacrificed, some hour before his time, Unto the rigor of severest law.” (5.3.266-269). This motif is important because many people in the play die, probably not because of the two main characters, but mainly because of the hate between both families. Consequently, Montague and Capulets feud is over due to Romeo and Juliet killing themselves because they couldn’t be together because of hatred between both families. In the play right after their bodies were brought to their families the Prince states, “Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,”