Romeo And Juliet Comparison

Introduction

Regarded as two of William Shakespeare’s greatest plays, “King Lear” and “Romeo and Juliet” feature some of his most brilliant writings. “King Lear” is a tragedy set in England, in ancient times. Largely focused on the misguided actions of Lear, this play contains a moving plot that follows one man’s mistake, and the costly justice that prevails in the end. Similar in nature, “Romeo and Juliet” follows two lovers caught between an ignorant family feud that prevents them from being together. Like the previous work, this play is largely a tragedy, although some comedic features are prominent throughout the first half of the story (Shapiro 498). When comparing and contrasting these two plays, one would expect to find many similarities,

This wordplay could also be construed as a commentary of Lear’s “tenuous hold... on both power and his sanity” (Ghose 188). This passage may be regarded as a “sneak peak” into what is to come, just as the initial witty banter between Sampson and Gregory alerts the viewer of future comedic elements. Just as in “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare makes use of clever wordplay to peak the viewers interest in the play while communicating clever, yet subdued

As one of the most important themes in “King Lear,” justice is featured throughout the play. Victor Cahn notes that the idea of justice is set in the beginning of the play as the “order of the law,” which cannot be challenged (158). He then argues, “The play shows us what happens when that order breaks down, and all traditional forms of judgement and punishment cannot be carried out” (Cahn 158). Contemplating this reasoning, justice can be considered one of the most important themes in the work, as it provides a catalyst for the events that happen throughout the story. Shakespeare puts justice in the forefront, as to remind the reader of the importance of law, and the penalties that can occur to individuals when there is so order and punishment for one’s actions. By the end of the play, a form of justice is reached when the antagonists of the play are punished by death, and those (Edward, Albany and Kent) who have stayed true in character are able to restore order to the kingdom. In comparison, “Romeo and Juliet” does not have the same overarching sense of justice as “King Lear” has. Some moments in the story contain elements of justice, such as Romeo avenging Tybalt and the family feuds resolving after Romeo and Juliet's demise, but the core plot of the story does not revolve around justice. In the end, Romeo and Juliet both die