Love in Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing

829 Words2 Pages

Many of Shakespeare's plays show a strong theme of love. Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing deal primarily with the issue of true and false love. Romeo and Juliet, tragic play, is about two lovers who struggle, sacrifice, and defy their families and society for the sake of love that changes them completely. Although the end of Romeo and Juliet's story is death both of the lovers, their love turns to be immortal. Much Ado About Nothing, comedy play, is about two lovers who their relationship starts as child like and develops to be true love that motives the lovers to sacrifice in order to keep their love. The two plays deal also with the idea of false love. Romeo, the hero of Romeo and Juliet, thinks that he loves Rosaline, but when he meets Juliet, the heroin of Romeo and Juliet, he falls in love with her, forgetting his love to Rosaline. In Much Ado About Nothing, the relationship between Claudio and Hero's, main characters in the play, is based on wealth and appearance attraction. Conventional love is another kind of that is shown in Romeo and Juliet, where it develops in social situations without any consideration to emotions.

Although true love is a dominant theme in both plays Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing, there are differences in the way that true love is developed in both of them and the changes it makes in the personality of the lovers. In Romeo and Juliet love between the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, is more passionate and romantic, springing up at first sight between them. Love controls and changes both of them completely, turning them to more simple and pure; it affects their language that turns to be really the language of their heart. Romeo becomes a lover poet, expressing his love to Juliet by comparing her to the sun, "Juliet is the sun" (2.2.3) and to stars, describing here as an angel and a messenger of heaven, "o, speak again, bright angel, for though art/ As is winged messenger of heaven" (2.2.26-28). The language that the both lovers use is an important instrument to show and to express their love. The change in Juliet's behavior is noticeable. Whereas she used to obey the authority of her nurse, she now defies authority. This is a sure sign of her emerging independence, and is a crucial factor in understanding her decision to marry Romeo and defy her parents.

Open Document