Wednesday, February 16, 2011

What are the different types of love in Romeo and Juliet, and how does love change in different characters throughout the play?

Romeo and Juliet begins with the love
of revenge, if that's a love.  The Capulet and Montague servants and households cannot
wait for their enemies to bait them toward violence.


When
Romeo and Juliet meet, we have infatuation (puppy love) and love at first sight.  This
is the destructive love which leads to their hasty marriage and deaths.  It is a
passion-only love, and Romeo and Juliet forget consequences, responsibility, law, and
common sense by expressing it.  Later, on their honeymoon night together, Romeo and
Juliet consummate their love physically
(eros).


Friar Lawrence wants to
express brotherly love (philea) between the families.  This is why
he marries the couple secretly, in hopes that their love will smooth over the love of
revenge.


The Prince loves the law, and he tries to uphold
it by threats of punishment, but it is to no avail.


Lord
and Lady Capulet love obedience in their daughter.  They love throwing parties.  They
love their high status in Verona.


The Nurse loves Juliet,
and at first she wants to make her happy regardless of social propriety.  But she later
sides with Lady Capulet in demanding Juliet marry Paris.  So, in the end, the Nurse
loves the obedient daughter as well.


The play ends with
love of peace, a reconciliation.  Lord Capulet erects a statue of pure gold to honor
Lady Montague, and the two families bury their hate (love of
revenge).

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