Love vs. Enmity

Essay by berkcanbirenJunior High, 9th grade August 2006

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Two lovers, trying to break the enmity between their families with their forbidden love, in the streets of Verona, Italy; is the main conflict of the world's most famous play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The two families, the Capulet's and the Montague's, struggle for power in Verona. Romeo, the son of Lord Montague, and Juliet, the daughter of Lord Capulet, fall in love. Romeo and Juliet love can not exist for a long period of time because their love is not as powerful as the hate between the families, which brings Romeo's and Juliet's love to an end. Tragically, love is often not strong enough to overcome enmity.

Prejudice and pride caused by enmity weaken love. Most of the Capulet's maintain preconceptions about the Montague's, as much as the Montague's maintain about Capulet's. "This, by his voice, should be a Montague. / Fetch me my rapier, boy.

/ .../ To strike him dead I hold it not a sin." (I.5.53-58) Tybalt, cousin of Juliet, is biased against Romeo. Romeo enters Capulet's party and his appearance is unacceptable for the Capulet's. Romeo doesn't cause any trouble at the party in front of the Capulet's vision; however, he kisses Juliet but luckily no one realizes. Tybalt acts as if Romeo creates a chaos. Thus, Tybalt is being biased on Romeo. It's also very obvious from Tybalt's words that he does not consider to kill a Montague, a sin. It is nearly impossible for love to remain the same and not lose its power, when there are too many conflicts. The contrast between the prejudice and Juliet's feelings about Romeo weakens love. Hence, enmity can cause pride and prejudice to ruin love.

The loss of one's self-control can lead to the destruction of love. The decisions that Romeo makes without...