The discourse I will be exploring in my essay is Love, a force so beautiful and powerful, and over the centuries one thing hasn’t changed about it; Humans will do drastically improbable acts just for the real thing, as explored my chosen play, Romeo and Juliet. In this play, a teenage boy Romeo, who is deeply saddened by his unrequited love, falls in love with his warring families beauty, Juliet, a teenage girl who is being set up to marry a parentally sanctioned figure.
In act 1, scene 5, Romeo and his friends enter Capulet’s house just as the servants are the preparing the area for dancing. While the musicians are tuning up, the servants are running around, clearing the remains of the feast. Capulet enters and greets the masked strangers (a disguised group consisting of Romeo and his friends) and invites them to dance. Romeo then sees Juliet and says
“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night”
Tybalt recognizes Romeo in the crowd, and sends for his sword; but Old Capulet intervenes and orders Tybalt to do nothing. Just as he leaves he says
“Patience perforce with willful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.”
This in simple English means he has a grudge against Romeo and will fulfill it later.
Romeo, after seeing Tybalt, walks upto Juliet and begs a kiss, which she graciously gives him. She then does so again, which soon after they are both called away. As the feast is ending and everyone is leaving, they learn of each others names through The Nurse. Juliet says
“My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.”
They both realize the terrible clash of fate that has brought them and their rebellious love together. This scene shows no matter what your names or backgrounds are, love can bloom between almost anyone; names and backgrounds mean nothing when it comes to true love.
In Act 2, scene 2, Romeo is in the Capulet’s orchard, just below Juliet’s window. Juliet appears, and he says passionately,
“But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!”
He is mesmerized by her beauty and listens as she voices her love for him and wishes he had another name, so her love for him would be approved by her family. Romeo, deeply in love, offers to change his name just for her love. At first, Juliet worries about his wellbeing, and worries he may not be as true as he voices; but he