Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous works of the highly regarded Shakespeare. This tragedy tells a tale of two star-crossed lovers, whose family feud kept them apart, and ultimately led to the death of young Romeo Montague, and Juliet Capulet. This story has been read over an extended period of time by many students, teachers, historians, and scholars. Most will tell you that there are many themes and ideas that can be interpreted from the play. The strength of love and hate is one of the main ideas that is constantly brought up in Romeo and Juliet. Love and hate are the strongest opposites in our dichotomous thinking. One destroys, while the other builds. Opposed to what most people think, love is the more powerful emotion of the two …show more content…
It is the strongest emotion. A particularly compelling example of this can be found in the death scene. “Thus with a kiss I die.” What this makes clear is the fact that Romeo killed himself out of love, not hate. He wanted to be with his one “true love.” Several other examples of the influence of love can be noted in history by influential leaders. For example, this quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness is begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.” This demonstrates that the idea of love being the most powerful emotion isn’t just prevalent in Romeo and Juliet or in any other tale written by Petrarchan lovers, obsessed with the idea of love; it can be seen throughout history and modern society. Love ultimately trumps hate. Although there are many examples of the power of love, it is important to acknowledge the alternate perspective of hate. Hate can stem from love, and cause individuals to perform on impulsive and rash thoughts. While it is significant to recognize hate, its power cannot compare to that of loves. Love empowers, excites, and ignites a perpetual flame of endless compassion. Love will ultimately prevail and come out victorious in any perilous circumstance. Hate will cause somewhat of a wedge in between two (or more) people, whereas when two people are meant to for each other, no time it too long, no distance is too far, and no one can ever tear them