William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that depicts the story of two feuding families and their children who fall in love. At the end of the play when the two children die, the parents come together and end the feud. Shakespeare utilises contrast to add dramatic effect and contribute greatly to the tragic structure. The most obvious type of contrast used is love versus hate. There are, however other forms of contrast that play a big role. These include youth versus wisdom and fate versus choice. Ultimately there will always be one side of these contrast which is triumphant. Shakespeare demonstrates this with love being victorious over hate, wisdom overruling youthfulness and fate leads to the inevitable of lots of the characters.
Throughout this play, contrast is a reoccurring theme. It is most commonly seen with the contrast between love and hate. Love and hate are the mains driving forces that cause characters to make bad decisions. In Romeo and Juliet love is the central theme for the play. The most obvious love is between Romeo and Juliet. Not only is it the most obvious but it is also the most surprising. The two children fall in love despite the “ancient grudge” between their two families. It is this feud that ultimately leads to these “star-crossed lovers [to take] their [lives]” (Prologue). After Romeo and Juliet meet each other at the Capulet feast, they discover each other’s heritage. While out on the balcony Juliet says to herself “be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (2.2.35). Juliet says this to show that she will do anything, even giving up her family name, to be with Romeo. This statement tells us that there will be lots of sacrifice during the play. Later in the play, Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight for coming to the Capulet feast, Romeo says to him “Capulet—which name I tender as dearly as my own” (3.1.42) Romeo is suggesting to Tybalt that he will not fight him because they are now family. Thus showing where love and hate can meet. Despite Romeo proclaiming his love for the Capulet name he nevertheless kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio. This demonstrates that love and hate can occur simultaneously. Shakespeare uses this scene to contrast friendship with aggression as well as to indicate that someone can feel both love and hate for the one person.
Another major type of contrast that is displayed in Romeo and Juliet is youth versus wisdom, this is most predominantly seen through the irrational behaviours the younger characters exhibit and the wiser behaviour the older characters show. This is best seen at the start of the play when Juliet and Romeo decide to get married, even though Juliet had not heard “a hundred words of [Romeo’s] tongues utterance” (2.2.58). This demonstrates their hasty decision making as they have not known each other long.This is contrasted with Friar Lawrence’s reaction to their sudden arrangement of marriage. He tells Romeo “they stumble that run fast” (2.3.94). Friar Lawrence advises Romeo that he should think carefully and not make illogical decisions. This seen in the end when both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide. Another example of youthful behaviour is the characters tendency to resort to suicide when they are presented with a challenge. On multiple occasions the older, more knowledgeable characters have to stop them thus displaying their wisdom. When Juliet is instructed to marry Paris she tells Friar Lawrence that she wants “leap… from off the battlements of yonder tower” (4.1.80). Friar Lawrence however presents her with the plan so as to avoid her suicide. Friar Lawrence’s ability to think of a solution rather than immediately losing hope displays his maturity and wisdom. This is an example of dramatic irony as Friar Lawrence seeks to avoid Juliet’s death however a tragic ending is foreshadowed throughout the entirety of the play.
While the majority of the contrasts seen in Romeo and Juliet are based on opinions, another important form is fate versus choice. This is best seen through the choices that characters make and how it ultimately leads to their fate. In this play everyone makes a choice out of their own will, whether it is a good or a bad one. But in the end it leads to their fate. This connects with how the “star-crossed lovers” choices of staying together eventually lead to their fate of death. When Tybalt comes back to Romeo after killing Mercutio, Romeo makes the choice to fight and kill Tybalt even though Prince outlawed it. He is then banished for his actions. So the two can be united once again Friar Lawrence makes a secret plan and gets Friar John to take a letter to Romeo explaining everything. But something happened and “[he] could not send… nor get a messenger to bring it thee” (5.3.14). Balthasar then gets to Romeo and tells him that Juliet is dead. This demonstrates that it was fate that stopped Friar John from giving the letter to Romeo and gave Balthasar the opportunity to tell Romeo the wrong thing. Romeo’s youthfulness comes into play and he immediately turns to the idea of suicide. Romeo’s resorts to buying poison from the local apothecary, but he is living in hardship. He hesitates for a moment agrees to it because “[his] poverty, not [his] will consents” (5.1.78). This shows that selling the poison goes against what the apothecary beloved but had to because it might have meant he would not have food. From the very start of the play, both Romeo and Juliet were meant to fall in love and die with one another for the benefit of Verona as it brings together the two families. Shakespeare uses the contrast of fate and choice to help extend the plot and add depth.
Without Shakespeare’s extensive use of contrast, Romeo and Juliet would not have been as popular as it is today. The most reoccurring form of contrast that Shakespeare has used it love and hate which helps to add depth and sometimes even suspense to the play. Although they are not seen as regularly the contrast between youth and wisdom, and fate versus choice are still very important.