Romeo And Juliet: Hate's Influence

Maayan Cohen

Mrs. Hayes

Honors English 9

9 February 2023

Romeo and Juliet: Hate’s influence The story of Romeo and Juliet is a tragic comedy written by William Shakespere in the 1590’s. Romeo and Juliet displays many themes, two of the main ones being love and hate. The book is more about the essence of hate, hate between the people in the town of Verona, and hate of the circumstances that the main characters are put into. Because of all this hate, Romeo and Juliet end up having an unfortunate end, one that would not have happened if there was more love and thoughtfulness displayed with the characters. Because of the hate between basically everybody in Verona, Romeo and Juliet were doomed from the start. Right at the beginning of the story,

A big overarching problem is that Paris wants to marry Juliet, and instead of telling Romeo about it and being honest, Juliet internalizes her problem, which leads to Juliet wanting to actually end her life because she couldn’t be with Romeo if she was married to Paris. She longs to be with Romeo, but she can’t even talk to her parents about it. Juliet says to Lord and Lady Capulet, “Proud can I never be of what I hate/ but thankful even for hate that is meant love” (3,5,152-153) Juliet speaks indirectly to the fact that she hates the feud and can never be proud of her family because of it, and even though she is supposed to hate Romeo she loves him. Romeo also gets into a fight because of the feud, and people end up dead. Because of this, Romeo gets banished. He goes and hides at Friar Lawrence’s house, and says to him, “Oh Friar, tell me/ In what vile part of this anatomy/ doth my name lodge? Tell me, that I may sack/ The hateful mansion.” (3,3,114-117) Romeo also thinks of ending his life because of the hate that got him cast out of his home, and Friar has to talk him into staying

However, it is Romeo and Juliet’s love that brings them together and gives them happiness. Romeo risks his life, going to see Juliet because he loves her so much. Against intense odds, he goes to her, saying “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls/ For stony limits cannot hold love out,”(2,2,71-72) Romeo and Juliet’s love seems to overcome everything. And it seems so simple, also, that Romeo and Juliet’s love can conquer all, Juliet reminding him that “Tis but thy name that is my enemy” (2,2,41). However, even if it seems that Romeo and Juliet have a good argument to present to their families, nothing can stop the feud, and Romeo and Juliet end up facing difficult