Romeo & Juliet Appearance vs. Reality Essay

933 Words2 Pages

Romeo & Juliet

Appearance vs. Reality Essay

Shakespeare was a very fine play writer, who examined human nature and exposed it through literature. One of his famous plays, Romeo and Juliet, depict many different themes such as, fate vs. freewill, duty vs. self, feuds, appearance vs. reality, parents choose who we marry, love at first sight and confidante. Appearance vs. reality is one of the themes that are portrayed through out the play. It means, things aren’t always what they seem to be. Something or someone might appear to be another thing, but the reality is different. Romeo and Juliet show appearance vs. reality through out the play because of their secret marriage. Examples of appearance vs. reality are when Juliet finds out about Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment. Juliet’s parents think that Juliet is crying about Tybalt’s death, but she is crying about Romeo’s banishment, when the couple (Romeo and Juliet) get married, but everybody thinks they are still single and when the nurse finds Juliet dead and the Capulet’s have an unnecessary funeral for Juliet even though she is not dead and had only swallowed Friar Lawrence’s potion, which put her into a long sleep.

Juliet cries a lot when she finds out about her husbands fate. Her parents think that she is grieving about the death of her cousin, but instead Juliet is crying for the murderer of her deceased cousin. The nurse brings Juliet the bad news about Romeo (Juliet’s husband) and Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin). She tells Juliet that Romeo has been banished form Verona for murdering Tybalt, who killed Mercutio. Juliet is devastated by this news and starts to mourn about her banished husband (Romeo). Later that day, Paris comes over to the Capulet residence to talk abou...

... middle of paper ...

...e it appears that Juliet is dead but she is actually just faking it.

Thought out the story, Romeo and Juliet, there are many examples of appearance vs. reality. The examples discussed were when Juliet appears to be crying for Tybalt but she is actually crying for Romeo, when Romeo and Juliet get married in secret but it looks as if they are still single and when Juliet appears to be dead but instead is just in a deep sleep. Appearance vs. reality is a very interesting theme because it makes the story more suspenseful and gives it dramatic irony. There are many themes depicted in Romeo and Juliet but appearance vs. reality is a theme that is prominently portrayed through out the play. Romeo and Juliet is an amazing play filled with drama, irony and suspense and leaves the audience wanting for more.

Open Document