Rice 1

Elizabeth Rice
English 9
Miss V
12 April 2016

O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And Ill no longer be a Capulet (Shakespeare 2.2 3336). This is a line spoken by Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. Picture this; two kind hearted
people have fallen deeply in love with one another, it just happens to be two families with a
rivalry against one another. Romeo and Juliet fall under magical spell of a sort, both would rather
die than ever be without one another. One night come to find the one whom was once so close
now as cold as stone and appears dead in a tomb. The cold bitter of night, what way would the
situation shift? Would it go past grief? The reason for these questions is leading into the main
theme tragic love. There are so many things in our world such as, books, movies, and plays; that
show this one common theme tragic love. Everyone has either seen this or even experienced it.
One may wonder what does this have anything to do with the price of eggs in China, well hang
in there the theme tragic love very soon will present itself. In the play Romeo and Juliet, written
by William Shakespeare the main theme is tragic love. Tragic love is the main theme in this play
for three reasons: society's view of love and tragedy is based off of this play and expanded from
it, every character was affected, and the whole story was about how these two people fall madly
in love but, cannot be together due to their families feud.
Many times tragic love presents itself in many characters , like the ones whom were the
main cause of the tragic love topic in the play, Romeo and Juliet. Romeo a sad, dreaming young
man, had his eye on a beautiful women named Rosaline. Then you have Juliet a bright, beautiful
young woman, she was bond to be married off to Paris a friend of the Capulets. They both fell in
love at first sight, Juliet blindsided by the fact that he was a Montague (a rival family of the

Rice 2

Capulets). They then hide behind parents backs and marry, only to cause multiple deaths. Many
may think okay so what, they fell in love, they got married. By the end Mercutio, Tybalt, Lady
Montague, Paris, Romeo, and Juliet who all perish from this tragic love. Each one died for an
unfair reason that could have all been prevented. First look at Mercutio, he dies because, Romeo
refused to fight Tybalt (because he was a cousin of the Capulets). Then as Tybalt went to stab
Romeo he when under his arm, and stabbed Mercutio by accident; after that Romeo filled with
rage killed Tybalt for the revenge of him killing Mercutio. Moving on to Lady Montague she
died from a broken heart (heart attack) because, Romeo was banished for the death of Tybalt. We
then have Pairs (a man who was to be married to Juliet before her death). He at her tomb was
killed by Romeo in their duel; he was only trying to protect his fianc. Unless you look at it as
Romeo was just trying to get into have his final breath be with his wife, his true love. In this
situation it is all about how you look from each persons perspective. Now on to the two most
known suicides, Romeo and Juliet; these forbidden lovers both ended their young lives. No
matter how hard they try, something always got in their way. First, Romeo took his own life
lying next to his love, Juliet and said, Thus I die with a kiss (Shakespeare 5.3 131) Then
finally, Juliet took her last breath knowing that the love that she wanted was no longer possible.
Many modernizations of this theme tragic love are present in our day in shows and
movies such as; The Secret LIfe of an american teenager, The Last song, Gnomeo and Juliet,
Titanic, and countless other films. In shows such as The secret life of an american teenager, we
see the character Ben fall in love with the main female character Amy, both are of fifteen years of
age. Amy ends up being pregnant before the couple get together so now the tragic love kicks in
when he and the rest of the town finds out that she is expecting. Her parents do not let the two
get married and that is their tragic love, two die heart lovers unable to marry one another

Rice 3

because, of age. The film Titanic is that shows tragic love the best, these two aventuras totally
different souls fall in love, only to have Roses family completely disgusted that she would love a
commoner. These two were in such love but, unable to be together the unfaithful night of the
crash that he unfortunately passed. With a heavy heart she would never forget the one she loved,
Jack. These two are the best representations of Romeo and Juliet, because, both couple madly in
love but, there is always something in the way. This just goes to show, this theme has been
carried on for many, generations.
Nowadays no one hardly sees this theme because, generally it is a hard topic to think of.
Seriously how can there be both tragic, and love. Usually we think of them as separate concepts
like okay, love easy to define love is something someone generally feel towards another person.
Most of the time they are of the other gender and are someone is in a relationship with. Sure
people experience this towards family members as well but, the kind of love I am speaking of is
intimate. Now tragic it is something we are faced with in everyday lives things such as: death,
hunger, poverty, war, and many other bad things that go on in our great big world. The hard part
is when they are put together, what is the definition of tragic love? Tragic love is when there is a
love separated by something, or not able to be together for some reason. You also may wonder
how did these two even find what they considered love so fast. It is believed by some that it was
the first introduction when Romeo says (taking JULIETs hand) If I profane with my
unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready
stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. (Shakespeare 1.5 92-96)
William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is best known for the main theme tragic
love, we not only see see this in every character in the play, but we also are able to see many
movies. As many can tell these star crossed lovers, were willing to go to the ends of the world to

Rice 4

be with one another. This play is one of the most interesting plays about tragic love. In many
occasions we see this theme become relevant in not only us, but our future generation. Tragic
love will forever remain the true theme of Romeo and Juliet.As the Prince in Romeo and Juliet
said in reaction to the deaths A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun, for
sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be
pardon'd, and some punished: For never was a story of more woe. Than this of Juliet and her
Romeo(Shakespeare 5.3 19-22).

Work cited