How Does Shakespeare Create Tension In Romeo And Juliet

The tragic drama, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, begins by describing how two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, will meet and eventually kill themselves, ending the ancient feud between their two families. Romeo is characterized as an impulsive lover, as shown when he discloses his unrequited love for Rosaline, only to ask himself if he had ever fallen in love, when he catches a glimpse of Juliet. Juliet is introduced as a dutiful young lady, but towards the end of the act, we see her more immature side when she wants to marry Romeo. Through Act 1, Shakespeare portrays how an individual may have to choose between duty and desire, and the importance of maturity in love. In Act 1, Shakespeare introduces multiple dilemmas to Romeo and Juliet. Romeo, for one, claims to have feelings for Rosaline, who has vowed to remain unwed. The realization that he cannot fulfill his lust, causes Romeo to enter a state of depression, where he “Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, / And makes himself an …show more content…
Romeo and Juliet display eros, or romantic love, when they kiss each other at first sight, and show their longing desire to be with each other. With a closer look at the dialogue, we can see that Shakespeare employs religious imagery, to give this scene a deeper meaning. Romeo refers to Juliet’s hand as a “...holy shrine…” (1.5.105) and his lips as “...two blushing pilgrims...” (1.5.106), waiting for a kiss. Juliet responds back by saying that she is a saint, and as long as Romeo shows “...mannerly devotion...” (1.5.109), Romeo can touch her. This religious imagery shows how pure Romeo and Juliet’s love is, hinting at how their love can be compared to agape, spiritual or unconditional love. Shakespeare could be foreshadowing how this agape love, will cause Romeo and Juliet to break society’s unspoken rules in their committed