Romeo And Juliet Comparative Essay

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One of the most celebrated plays in history, “Romeo and Juliet”, was written by William Shakespeare in the late 16th century. It is a story about two lovers that have to meet in secret because of an ongoing family feud. Tragically, because of their forbidden love Romeo and Juliet take their lives so they can be together. In 1997 Baz Lurhmann adapted the play into a movie. The play and movie adaption both follow the theme that love conquers all and that fighting never solves anything. However, alike as the movie and the play are, they are also relatively different. One of the most famous scenes in Romeo and Juliet is the Balcony Scene. It portrays the theme of love conquering all perfectly by showing the two lovers up close and alone conveying their love to each other, but the fact that they cannot touch each other …show more content…

In the monologue Romeo speaks before Juliet knows of his presence. He uses an abundance of poetic language. Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to the stars when he says “Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven”, expressing the feeling that she is too beautiful to exist in this world suggesting that Juliet is heavenly or of an ethereal beauty. Shakespeare further reinforces that idea by later saying “Bright angel and wingèd messenger of heaven”. This additionally insinuates she is untouched by the evil of life or been affected by the bitter hatred of the conflict. It is this purity and innocence that allows Romeo and Juliet’s love to grow. Romeo also reassures Juliet that nothing can stop their love for each other when he says, “For stony limits cannot hold love out” and “Thy kinsmen are not to stop me”. This signifies that love transcends the physical suggesting that their deep love will last beyond anything. It will not cease to exist after death. Shakespeare also uses the metaphor “O that I were a glove upon that hand” to show the desperation of Romeo’s need to touch Juliet. This technique displays to the audience Romeos lust felt towards