Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is a play in which it explores the idea of two youths deeply in love but it is almost impossible for them to be together because of their rivalling families. The play takes the audience through the lovers struggle to be together and how they were doomed from the beginning. Shakespeare prepares the audience for the tragic outcome with the prologue, where it basically provides some ‘background information’ of what is to come. Shakespeare also uses techniques like juxtaposition to add different perspectives to the play, with the contrast of love and hate threaded throughout.
The rivalling between the two families is very evident at the start of the play as it begins with a fight between both the Capulet’s servants and the Montague’s servants, and Benvolio (a Montague) and Tybalt (a Capulet) brawl in the public square of Verona. The Prince stops the fight and threatens to execute and Capulet or Montague who disturbs the peace of Verona again. “Romeo and Juliet” is based on many different types of love throughout, the main, of course, being the love between Romeo and Juliet. The audience first hear of Romeo when Lady Montague asks “O where is Romeo” and we see that he is sulking like a love sick puppy over Rosaline, someone whom he thinks he is in love with but she does not feel the same. Benvolio explains that “A troubled mind drove me to walk abroad where underneath the grove of sycamore (That westward rooteth from this city side) So early walking did I see your son” this shows that something, or someone is troubling Romeo. When Benvolio sees Romeo and speaks with him the audience begin to see the unrequited love that Romeo has for Rosaline, when Benvloio says “Good morrow, cousin” to which Rome replies “Is the day so young?” in a way this shocks the audience, because Romeo is so young and wealthy. How can he be so unhappy? Romeo comes across as a bit of a hopeless romantic, he also seems so sure that Rosaline is the one...