Romeo and Juliet: Character Analysis, Themes, and Literary Devices

Romeo and Juliet

Character Analysis

Romeo Montague

Romeo is the male protagonist of the play. He is a young man who is deeply in love with a girl from a rival family, Juliet Capulet. He is known for his passionate and impulsive nature. He is initially in love with Rosaline, but when he meets Juliet, he falls deeply in love with her. However, due to the feud between their families, their love is forbidden. Romeo's love for Juliet leads him to take extreme measures, including killing Tybalt in a duel, which results in his banishment from Verona.

Juliet Capulet

Juliet is the female protagonist of the play. She is a young girl who is initially obedient and naive. She is also deeply in love with Romeo, despite the feud between their families. Juliet is determined and strong, and she is willing to defy her family's expectations and social norms for the sake of her love for Romeo. When Romeo is banished, she makes a logical decision to follow him, even though it means defying her parents and cutting herself off from her social position in Verona.

Themes

Love

Love is a central theme in the play. Romeo and Juliet's love for each other is the driving force behind the plot. Their love is forbidden due to the feud between their families, and they must take extreme measures to be together. Their love ultimately leads to their tragic end, as they both take their own lives.

Fate

Fate is another important theme in the play. Romeo and Juliet are trapped by their social roles and the feud between their families. Their love gives them a sense of freedom, but it also leads them to their tragic end. The play suggests that their love was fated, and that their tragic end was inevitable.

Plot Summary

The play is set in Verona, Italy, where two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been feuding for many years. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet at a party and fall in love, despite their families' hatred for each other. Their love is forbidden, and they must take extreme measures to be together. Romeo kills Tybalt Capulet in a duel, which results in his banishment from Verona. Juliet fakes her own death to escape her marriage to Paris, but when Romeo returns from exile, he finds her dead and kills himself. Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead and takes her own life.

Literary Devices

Symbolism

The play uses several symbols to convey its themes. The feud between the Montagues and the Capulets is a symbol of the larger conflict between love and hate. The dagger that Romeo uses to kill himself is a symbol of his love for Juliet.

Foreshadowing

The prologue at the beginning of the play foreshadows the tragic end of Romeo and Juliet. It warns that two lovers, one from each family, will die by suicide, which will finally force the two families to reconcile their differences.

Quotes

"Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean"

This quote from the prologue sets the scene for the play and foreshadows the tragic events that will unfold. It suggests that the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets is a never-ending cycle of violence and hatred.

"O brawling love, O loving hate, O any thing of nothing first create"

This quote from Act 1, Scene 1, expresses Romeo's frustration with the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. It suggests that love and hate are intertwined, and that they are both destructive forces.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

This quote from Act 2, Scene 2, is Romeo's famous statement about the power of names. It suggests that the names we give things do not change their essence, and that love is more important than social status.