How Shakespeare Highlights the Tragic Waste of Young Life in Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet

How Shakespeare Highlights the Tragic Waste of Young Life in Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet

The play “Romeo and Juliet” was written in the 1590’s by William

Shakespeare. He based his ideas and play from folk stories made

popular in Italy and France and also from Arthur Brooks’ poem, “The

Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet” which was written in 1562,

way before Shakespeare’s version was produced.

“Romeo and Juliet” was one of Shakespeare’s earlier tragedies, so it

could have possibly been an experiment before he wrote “Macbeth” for

example.

It is a piteous play which examines the devastating effects of

prejudice. The two powerful families, the Montagues and the Capulets,

have been feuding with each other for years. The reason for this

however is unknown. In the prologue it is said,

“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.”

This shows the dispute has been going on for years. It is a big shock

to the couple, Romeo and Juliet, when they first meet as they are

supposed to be prejudiced against each other. Just because Juliet is a

Capulet, Romeo believed he should hate her.

“Romeo and Juliet” also displays a lot of violence. The fact that the

two families can not even tolerate each other leads to a lot of

violence. The fighting and violence in this play is usually the

consequence of the power and strength of young love. For example the

fight between Mercutio and Tybalt happened because Romeo did not want

to fight a Capulet due to his love for Juliet. This led to the fight

between Romeo and Tybalt. The shows that the influence of love can be

very powerful.

Shakespeare’s intention in writing “Romeo and Juliet” wa...

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... have stopped the family feud and the

fighting if he had been stricter.

“Capulet, Montague?

See what a scourage is laid upon your hate,

That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!

And I for winking at your biscords too

Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished.”

This quote explains how the feuding between the two families has

affected the outcome of the play. If the feuding had not started, the

couple would have been together in the open so there would have been

no need for the deaths.

Prince ends the play by saying,

“For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

This rhyming couplet ends the play as it finishes off the whole story.

Shakespeare often ended his plays with a rhyming couplet to finish off

the play with a final impact and conclusion.