Freedom In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Reading Williams Shakespeare’s classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, it is evident that the famous playwright uses a broad range of stylistic techniques to expose the audience to the idea that no one is ever truly free. Audiences often think of Romeo and Juliet as a love story and overlook the morals behind the tragic tale, two children cast aside from one another as a result of the aging feud between the two families, Montague and Capulet. To truly connect to his audience, Shakespeare’s story explores the themes of love, hatred, freedom and sacrifice to enhance the restriction that the main characters have in their lives, hence portraying the idea that no one is ever truly free.
Shakespeare depicts the themes of love, hatred, sacrifice and freedom
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In Act 3, Scene 1 Shakespeare expresses Romeo’s true emotion through emotive language as he exclaims the fact that fate does not favour him and fates grasp upon him will never be lifted, so Romeo will never be truly free. Employing the same idea that no one is free, Shakespeare has characters Romeo and Juliet conduct their marriage ceremony in a small church, linked to the empty setting of the environment, there is no audience to witness Romeo and Juliet’s marriage. The closure of this setting symbolises that there is no approval. The recognition that Romeo and Juliet do not have the approval of their parents is seen in Act 2, Scene 3 “As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine: and all combin’d save what thou must combine” page 118 (Romeo to Friar Lawrence). Romeo is restricted of freedom of choice throughout the rivalry between Tybalt, a nephew to the Capulets. “Romeo the love I bear thee can afford, No better term than this: thou art a villain In Act 3, Scene 1, Shakespeare uses the characterisation of Tybalt and his urges to fight and cause destruction as a reminder to Romeo the he must retaliate to Tybalt’s behaviour disregarding the fact that it’s against Romeo’s own will as it is merely what is expected of him. Emphasising Shakespeare’s main ideas through emotive dialogue and setting, …show more content…
No character within the play is free to live their own lives without a burden that they have to bare, whether by choice or by rivalry, Shakespeare employs this key idea and supports it throughout each scene using a broad range of techniques including characterisation, dialogue, setting and symbolism to make the audience truly witness his main points of each event. Characters Romeo and Juliet are not given the right to be free throughout the play, hence emphasising that their sacrifice was necessary to escape. Overall Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet successfully employs that freedom cannot be achieved without sacrifice and even then, no one is ever truly

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