The Role of Love in Romeo and Juliet
Uploaded by IronDuke2414 on May 18, 2000
The modern literature community recognizes Shakespeare as one of the most brilliant minds in the history of dramatic theatre. His unmatched ability to represent human behavior and emotion makes the love in Romeo and Juliet the driving force behind the play's success. Shakespeare incorporated many different types of love in order to capture the hearts of the Elizabeth Era.
Juliet's nurse shows amazing concern for the young girl's well being. She, in some ways, takes the place of her natural mother ("Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet"). Lady Capulet treated Juliet as a naïve young girl with no knowledge and feelings of her own. Nurse recognized the maturity of Juliet and helped to make her truly content. During the entire traumatic experience of arranging a marriage between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, the nurse aided the two young lovers in their quest to be together. She acts as a messenger from Romeo, Juliet, and the friar ("Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet"). Despite the nurse's efforts the plans go array because of the arranged marriage between Juliet and Paris. At this time, the nurse shows her love for Juliet once again. She goes to Juliet's defense and stands up to Lord Capulet by saying: "God in heaven bless her!/ You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so."(Act III, Scene 5, Line169-170). One is easily able to see the motherly care the nurse shows for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
The counterpart to the love nurse displays for Juliet as a "mother" is the fatherly love the Friar gives to Romeo. The prince exiles Romeo because of his murder of Tybalt. This leaves the young man alone and scared of his future. The only person available to aid Romeo in his sufferings is the Friar. He tells the fugitive "Arise, one knocks/ Good Romeo, hide thyself" (Act III, Scene 3, Line 71). This shows that Friar puts himself at risk in order to make certain no harm comes to Romeo He provides insight to the situation at hand and helps Romeo to see the next course of action. Another example of fatherly love was shown through Lord Capulet to Juliet. He saw that his daughter was in great grief over the death of Tybalt and the exile of her love Romeo. He lovingly tries to ease her remorse by finding a husband for Juliet. He presents the arrangement in...