GCSE Eduqas 'Romeo and Juliet': Key Themes

Love

Shakespeare explores this theme in different forms: familial, unrequited, romantic and platonic

Hate

Shakespeare explores the idea that through love we can also feel ____. For example, Romeo and Juliet's love is in conflict with their family's feelings for each other - the long-standing family feud means that their love is forbidden.

Violence

In the play, this theme is closely tied with the theme of love. For example, Romeo and Juliet's forbidden love means that they begin to plan their deaths.

Revenge

In the play, the desire for vengeance results in many characters acting violently or even becoming murderers. This theme is closely tied to the longstanding grudge between the Capulets and Montagues.

Family

The play revolves around the Montagues and the Capulets. Through this theme, Shakespeare explores ideas of loyalty and honour.

Loyalty

This theme is demonstrated in the act of Romeo killing Tybalt to revenge Mercutio's soul

Gender

This central theme in 'Romeo and Juliet' is explored when Shakespeare both challenges and affirms the beliefs of patriarchal Elizabethan society

Sex

This theme links to the themes of love and gender. In Act I Romeo alludes to the fact his relationship failed with Rosaline as she wished to remain "in strong proof of chastity well armed".

Fate

Shakespeare explores this theme in the relationship between Romeo and Juliet where they have no control over the events in their lives. This theme would have been very relevant to Shakespeare's Elizabethan audiences who were religious and would have believed that God was in control of their destiny.

Individual vs Society

Shakespeare employs the use of night and darkness imagery to explore the idea that an individual's desires are often in conflict with society's expectations. Romeo and Juliet's love of the night, when Juliet hopes the 'nightingale' that sings at night is what they hear, represents a time when their individual wishes can be fulfilled in secret while day time brings society's restraints once again.

Private vs Public

In the play, Shakespeare contrasts scenes in public and private spheres. For example, in the public streets of Verona, there are brawls while in the private sphere Romeo and Juliet fall in love.

Youth

Romeo and Juliet are both very young. Shakespeare describes them both as immature at times, and the reader often wonders whether they are too young to get married.

Passion

Shakespeare depicts Romeo and Juliet's connection as a violent, uncontrollable force which overpowers all else in the play

Love at First Sight

Without knowing anything about each other, the two protagonists pledge themselves to each other

Bad Luck

There are a number of moments in the book where a small change or a few minutes, could make all the difference to the story, such as the message reaching Romeo successfully

Conflict

This theme is explored throughout the play - between and within families, and between many characters

Civil Unrest

The Prince's main goal is to prevent dissent from occurring, the threat of which hangs heavy over many interactions in the play

Death

Many key characters die in the play; the effects of which shape the key events which unfold

Relationships

There are a number of different relationships shown in the play, all with different power dynamics and feelings at work

Religion

The Church is depicted as a mechanism of social validation in the play, plus many other themes (e.g. love) are depicted as almost religion-like for some characters