In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, a couple of teenagers from two houses fall in love in Verona during the Renaissance. Unfortunately the love they have cannot live through they hate their families have for each other. The themes of love and hate are portrayed throughout the play and in the end love conquered all.

Love presented itself in many ways to route Romeo and Juliet. There is more than just romantic love in this play there is a love of family, a love of pride and a love of title. Their great love was deeper and powerful and overtook their emotions and loyalties to their families. Two of the fairest stars in heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spears till they return allows the audience to see the depth of Romeo’s love as he compares Juliet to of God in the sky.

Hate can be seen throughout the play as well. There is so much hatred between the Montagu’s and the caplets it threatens to destroy the social stability of the city of Verona.

 

Romeo says, “By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: my name, dear saint, is hateful to myself.” In this quote you see that Romeo understands the hate Juliet’s family will feel towards him based solely on his last name. Juliet hates that she has so little control over her own life and welfare. Juliet says “O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, from off the battlements of yonder tower.” Juliet decided she would rather be dead than marry a man she does not love. The biggest hate and the play comes in the form of a deadly feud between the Montagu’s and the Capulet’s. They hate between the two families ultimately lead to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet and Tybalt. The hatred between the two houses is the reason that Romeo and Juliet were forced to be so secretive about their love for one another.

Love ultimately wins out in this play although at a great cost. When Romeo and Juliet are laid in the tomb together the feud between the families is also buried in the same tomb. Death did not have the last word in Romeo and Juliet their great love will live on with the cessation of hostilities between the two families.

Love and hate are the main themes in the play Romeo and Juliet. The hate of the two families was so destructive it was bringing down an entire city in Italy with their feuding. The great love story of Romeo and Juliet finding each other even with all of the obstacles in their path and ultimately bringing the two families together with their untimely deaths.