Romeo And Juliet Essay

In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, there is no denying that the predominant theme is love. As this play explores society's diverse attitude to love, there is one idea to love that stands out. This concept is displayed in the values of the character of Romeo, who viewed love as his new religion. What makes this idea inspirational is that it is held in high regard even in the dire of conditions, in this case, the mutiny of the lover's families.

When the audience first encounters Romeo, Shakespeare introduces this melancholy youth who is probably more in love with being in love than actually loving an individual. This is shown where he over emphasises Rosaline's beauty, saying "She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair." Here he is trying to recreate feelings of love, that he can only read in poetry, When his cousin Benvolio encourages him to look at other beauties, the evidence of love being displayed as Romeo's new religion is when Romeo says "When the devout religion of mine eye maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire!" Here he is professing Rosaline to a high regard as his "faith" so if he were to look at other girls, he would be turning to falsehood and therefore his eyes deserve to be burned as heretics.

The powerful nature of Romeo's intense love is evident in his first conversation with Juliet. At that second instance of love at first sight, Romeo completely forgets his infatuation with Rosaline as he says "Did my heart love till now? For swear it, sight, for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." Then with his first interaction with Juliet, the idea of love as his new religion is shown as he portrays Juliet as a "holy shrine" to which he wants to worship with his "lips, two blushing pilgrims." Here Romeo is completely converted to viewing love in such a high regard in relation to religion, proving he is no longer a philosophical youth who has to succumb to unsatisfying love.

This idea of