The prologue calls Romeo and Juliet 'star-crossed lovers' — their fate appears determined from the start. Shakespeare explores whether love is a force for transcendence or destruction.
The feud between the Montagues and Capulets is the engine of the tragedy. Shakespeare shows how ancient hatred destroys innocent people who had no part in creating it.
The young lovers act on emotion; the older generation (Capulet, Friar Lawrence) make decisions that shape their fates. Shakespeare contrasts the impulsiveness of youth with the caution — and sometimes failure — of age.
Romeo and Juliet speak in a heightened, poetic register when together — including a shared sonnet on their first meeting. Their language elevates their love above the violence and vulgarity surrounding them.
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