How Does Shakespeare Present Conflict In Romeo And Juliet

Explore Shakespeare’s presentation of conflict in ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Romeo and Juliet was first performed in 1597, at the Curtain Theatre in Shoreditch. The play focused on two young lovers, brought together by fate, their future supposedly written in the stars. Throughout the play, the theme of conflict is a prevailing one that determines key aspects of the plot and eventually leads to the demise of the eponymous Romeo and Juliet. Conflict is expressed in many different ways, such as the internal conflict in key characters which leads to external brawls and death, or through the idea that fate is controlling the destinies of the characters, leading them in the direction it chooses. Shakespeare explores conflict as a persisting theme throughout

The Prologue is originally performed by The Chorus, a group of actors who commented on or described aspects of the play. The Chorus originates from Greek Tragedy foreshadowing that the play will not have a happy ending. The use of syntactic parallelism and juxtaposition when the Chorus recounts that “civil blood makes civil hands unclean” highlights the devastation caused by the rivalry of the “two households” - there is no civility here. An example of how fate influences conflict is also demonstrated when the Chorus explains that the two lovers are “star-crossed” and “take their life”, anticipating the tragic end and creating a sense of inseparability between the two. During Shakespeare’s time, the Protestants governed England, but Catholicism was a present threat and the feud between the two families could be an allusion to this religious strife between Catholics and Protestants. Additionally, the theme of suicide is heavy in the Prologue, and this was regarded as a mortal sin and not accepted by the people in Shakespeare’s time. This taboo would have resonated with the

Shakespeare uses personification to portray the idea that Romeo believes he is a victim of fate and his actions are somewhat uncontrollable, and personifies fate as a person with the ability to control and make a fool of Romeo. Additionally, the phrase “star-crossed lovers” is another example of fate and destiny - the imagery used connotes an image of the night sky for dramatic effect, and that Romeo and Juliet’s lives are linked like stars-crossing paths. The phrase also alludes to the strong belief Elizabethans had in astrology and how star and planet formations affected them. The play could be interpreted as exploring the idea of free will versus fate, as Romeo and Juliet’s decision to marry goes against their families’ feud and suggests that they are exercising free will. However, the tragic end to the play suggests that their fate was predetermined and their actions were