THEME SIGNIFICANCE
Love
Importance of the power of love to the text.
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The theme “the power of love” in Romeo and Juliet is important because it shows us
how we can become blinded by our humanly emotional feelings. When Romeo and
Juliet first meet at “the Capulet Party” they are instantly enraptured by each other –
they fall in love at first sight. Although at the time, as they gaze at their distorted
images at each other through the fish tank, neither Romeo or Juliet realise the
consequences of falling in love with each other. As Juliet is dragged away by the
maid, it becomes clear to Romeo that their relationship is not going to work out, he
senses trouble ahead but chooses to ignore fate and face the consequences, thus
bringing about both of their deaths.
It becomes clear to us that both the characters have to die to end the two families
years of rivalry and bloodshed, how love has the power to conquer all. The Montague
and Capulet houses were very violent and showed no love to each other for many
years. It was almost as if the world that they were a part of needed a saviour like
figure to bring them out of the death and violence that had been part of their lives for
generations. Romeo and Juliet came in the form of this Mercutios life was sacrificed
because Romeo refused to fight Tybalt because of his immense love for Juliet, a love
that would eventually make the two families come together and unite in the deaths of
some of there most loved. This is important because it reminds us the extraordinary
power of love can have over a entire society of people to change the way they think
and act towards each other.
Relevance of Love Today
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It is important to understand the kind of love that Romeo and Juliet shared
between each other and to use it in our society today. With a world filled
with lawlessness, killing and violence, it is important for us to value and help
each other in all the ways we can. Imagine a world without the horrors of
today, the on going war in Iraq with many innocent lives lost on a daily
basis, what would happen if we as people stopped being so selfish and
thought about each other? Romeo and Juliets’ love ended the rivalry
between two families. Think about the difference it could make in our lives if
we learnt to love each other. No more war, killing or violence! No innocent
lives been lost daily. Poverty, orphanages major diseases like AIDS. They
could all be fixed with a little bit of love, which is in my opinion the greatest
human trait.
My Task. . .
Visual Techniques
“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude
and it pricks like a thorn”
Camera Work
• In the ball scene, there is a hand held camera
following Romeo and Juliet (R and J) around
as the run around the party together.
• This implies that this particular scene is fastpaced and is almost saying that because the
camera is having trouble keeping up with
them, it is implying that they’re rushing into
their ‘love too fast.’
• This also shows their impulsiveness as it is too
fast for even the camera to keep up.
Camera Work
• At the start of the ball scene, there are quick
cuts between people’s faces showing the drugs’
affect on Romeo
• But when there is cut to the bathroom scene
where there is a CU of Romeo’s head in the
water, not only does this foreshadow the
balcony/pool scene, but in some religions water
is symbolic of peace and purity, so he is
considered to be pure and differ from the rest
of his family.
• This is also shown when there is a camera shot
of Romeo and Juliet looking at each other
through a fish tank filled with yellow and blue
fish (symbolic of the Capulet’s and Montague’s).
Lighting
• At the ball, after Romeo and Juliet have just
met, they run off and end up in the elevator.
• In the elevator, there is a bright white light
shining upon them as they embrace.
• Usually, in religions, white light is symbolic of
purity and heaven and god.
• Also it is a contrast to what is happening
outside of the elevator as it is slow and less
chaotic. It is like they are in their own world.
• This further introduces the idea that Romeo
and Juliet are the saviours and foreshadows
that they will bring peace too their families.
Costumes
• At the ball Juliet’s costume is that of an angel
which is symbolic of heaven and God.
• Romeo is a knight in Shining armour which is
symbolic of his not only being a savoir, but
that he is able to sweep Juliet off her feet.
• Also, Tybalt is a Devil which is symbolic of his
anger and hate.
• And Paris is dressed as an astronaut which is
very modern and goofy looking in contrast to
everyone else’s
• These costumes show that the characters are
dressed in something that portrays their
character.
The Power of Love
Theme Outline
The Power of Love
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The Power of Love is a very important theme in the film, Romeo and
Juliet. It brings with it not only happiness, but a great deal of pain and
loss.
Many of the characters in the film do things they would not normally
do, however their emotions for others change them. They become
reckless, endangering themselves for the ones they love, not seeing
things as they normally would, and being blinded by their emotions.
This ultimately results in the death of not only Juliet and Romeo, but
also the Montague’s friend Mercutio.
The rivalry of the two houses, Capulet and Montague, has gone on for
many years. The hate grew to the extent of having civil brawls in the
middle of cities, and it seemed as if it would never end. However, it
was love that conquered this. We see the love between Romeo and
Juliet grow, even through the short time they are together. Their love
brings the families together, as they are in effect sacrifices to end the
rivalry. Also, the love Romeo and Juliet have from their families in
evident, as they choose to put their differences aside, as they have
both lost a very dear one. They choose, out of love, to honour what
Romeo and Juliet began. This shows that love can really conquer all.
Key Event I
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A key event that shows the Power of Love is the scene where Mercutio dies.
This scene shows the power of love in many different ways. Firstly, Tybalt
would not have come looking for Romeo, if not for the love of his cousin and of
the name of his family. He did not want any of his family mixed up in things that
would not be good for them, and when he found out Juliet had married Romeo
he would not let her be hurt by the Montagues. And he did not want the name of
his family dishonoured by being involved with the Montagues. So he came, to
fight Romeo, and protect Juliet and his family’s honour.
Romeo, being in love with Juliet, refuses to fight Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Tybalt
tries to make Romeo fight anyway, but Romeo refuses, and Mercutio steps in.
In this, Mercutio shows the love he has for Romeo, as he will not just stand
there and watch his friend get beaten.
However, as Mercutio tries to kill Tybalt, Romeo steps in. His love for Juliet
overcomes his hate of the rival house, and he will not let his friend kill his
lovers family member.
It is this act of love that ultimately seals Mercutio’s fate. Tybalt kills Mercutio
soon after, and this would not have happened if Romeo had not been blinded
by his love for Juliet.
This shows that Love has the power, not only to create joy and happiness, but
also has the power to kill. It was the love of many that caused the situation they
were in, and resulted in the death of Mercutio.
Key Event II
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Through out the start of the film, when we see Romeo he seems like a calm sort
of guy, thinking before he acted. When he met Juliet, we saw his impulsive
side, immediately falling in love with a person he had never talked to. The
biggest transformation in Romeo was also due to love, and this strong emotion
that suddenly burst out of him caused him to do something we never would
have thought he was capable of.
Mercutio had been killed by Tybalt, and an enraged Romeo chased after him.
His love for Mercutio blinded him, and all he could see was getting revenge for
his friend.
When Romeo caught up to Tybalt, Tybalt held a gun to Romeo’s head. However,
Tybalt could not bring himself to pull the trigger. This also could have been a
form of love, love for Juliet, who in turn loved Romeo. He could not bring
himself to kill the love, of one he himself loved.
But when Tybalt dropped the gun, Romeo picked it up, and still blinded by his
love for Mercutio, he shot Tybalt, killing him.
We see in Romeo’s face when he realises what he has done. This is when his
love for Juliet takes over, as he realises he has killed one of her kinsmen. He
begins to see that this could probably affect what he has with her.
This shows that love has the power to numb our judgement, and make us
reckless, hungry for revenge, and compensation for losing a loved one. The
love that Romeo had for Mercutio drove him to kill Tybalt.
Key Event III
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The death of Romeo and Juliet was a direct consequence of the love they shared. Not only
the death itself, but also the circumstances leading up to both deaths.
Romeo had been banished from Verona, because he had killed Tybalt. Juliet, faced with the
marriage of herself and Paris, pretended to kill herself, as she was in love with Romeo.
Romeo, not knowing that this was, in fact, a fake death, in turn killed himself, as he lay
beside Juliet in the church were she lay. He did not know that she was not dead. After
Romeo died, Juliet killed herself.
Romeo’s love for Mercutio is what started off this series of tragic events. If Romeo had not
killed Tybalt, out of love for Mercutio, he would not have been banished, and Juliet would
not have been forced to live without him.
Juliet’s longing for Romeo drove her to pretend she was dead. Forced to live life without
her love seemed hopeless, and this was the only way she could see to resolve it.
Romeo’s love for Juliet made him buy the poison. He could not bear to think about a life
without her, so he killed himself, perhaps in hope that they would be reunited in a life after
death.
Juliet’s love for Romeo then prompted her to kill herself, thinking the same thing that
Romeo did when he thought she was dead.
So all in all, due to love, there was no hope for Juliet and Romeo. However, they were in a
way the sacrifices made for the two houses, Montague and Capulet to end their feud. This
shows that love has the power to conquer all, to end rivalry of generations.
Characters that help to show the
Power of Love
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Romeo helps to show the power of love in many ways. He develops into a
different person after he is confronted by love.
Firstly, he becomes impulsive, jumping into a relationship with a person he
knows virtually nothing about.
Then, he abandons all composure as he goes in search of Tybalt, his face
contorted with rage.
Romeo shows all the dangers of love. He is involved in all of the deaths in the
film, all of them being a result of a love he shares with another. He shows us
how emotions brought out by love can lead to tragedy, and how blinded a
person can be by love alone, how much it can change them as a person.
Mercutio is another character that shows us the power of love. He does not
change as a result of love, but he does step in to help a friend in need.
Mercutio sacrificed himself for Romeo, when it is clear that Romeo will not
fight for himself. Mercutio’s love for Romeo is his downfall, his death, and had
Mercutio not stepped in to save Romeo, it may well have been Romeo who had
died at that moment.
Mercutio is the first to show us the tragic side of love. The side of a death
caused solely by love for a friend.
Quotes
“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude
and it pricks like a thorn.” - Romeo
“My only love sprung sprung from my only hate…
Prodigeous birth of love it is to me, that I must
love a loathed enemy.” - Juliet
“Did my heart love till now? For swear it sight for it
never saw true beauty until this night.” - Romeo