Theme Quotes Flashcards
(23 cards)
How is the theme of love presented ?
*Romeo and Juliet immediately have a passionate, intense love and they’re willing to give up everything for it. At different points the older generation try to control romantic love.
*The audience sees an obsessive love from Romeo. He’s initially madly in love with Rosaline, but then fall in love with Juliet.
*Shakespeare shows how R+J’s romantic love led to tragedy due to hasty impulsive decisions. On the other hand, Shakespeare shows the healing power of love as Romeo and Juliet’s death forces an end to conflict between Montague and Capulet.
Love - Romeo - ‘Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!’ (Act 1 Scene 1)
Analysis - Romeo says this at the very start of the play, when he’s heartbroken over Rosaline. Romeo is describing how love and hate are intertwined.
He’s confused and emotionally overwhelmed, expressing how love can cause suffering, just like hate.
Love - This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: / My two lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand…” (Romeo, Act 1, Scene 5)
Context - Romeo speaks this line when he first meets Juliet at the Capulet party. Their first conversation takes the form of a shared sonnet, using religious imagery to express mutual attraction.
Analysis - Their use of elevated, poetic language shows how quickly and deeply they fall in love. Romeo is comparing Juliet to a holy shrine, making her seem sacred and pure.
He then describes his lips as “blushing pilgrims”, suggesting he wants to worship her through a kiss.
The word “sin” is ironic here—he presents kissing not as immoral, but as a kind of devout, sacred act. This is the beginning of their intense, poetic romance.
Techniques - Religious Imagery when Romeo uses words like “holy,” “shrine,” “pilgrims,” and “sin.” This elevates Juliet to a divine status, suggesting their love is pure and spiritual, not just physical. Metaphor of his lips as “blushing pilgrims” shows how his desire is sincere and not lustful. Pilgrims travel to sacred places, which adds to the sense that Juliet is precious.
Love - Juliet - “My only love sprung from my only hate;
Too early seen unknown, and known too late.”
( Act 1, Scene 5)
Analysis - She is shocked and conflicted, realising that she has fallen for someone she is supposed to hate.
She saw and fell for him “too early” before knowing who he was. And now it’s “too late” to stop her feelings.
Love - “Juliet is the sun”(Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2)
Context - Romeo speaks this line during the balcony scene when he first sees Juliet appear at her window. He uses this powerful metaphor to describe how radiant and essential she is to him.
Analysis - Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, suggesting that she is the centre of his world. In this moment, Juliet becomes the source of warmth, light, and life, much like the sun is to the Earth. Romeo sees her as perfect, illuminating, and vital. This metaphor reflects the intensity and idealization of Romeo’s love for Juliet. He is so captivated by her that he compares her to an object of eternal beauty and importance.
Technique -The comparison of Juliet to the sun is a metaphor that elevates her beauty and presence to something divine and incomparable. Romeo is saying she is the most important thing in his life. It also hints at the fragility of this love, as the sun (like their relationship) can be both brilliant and fleeting. Light imagery portrays her as a source of hope and beauty.
Love - “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls.” (Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2)
Context - Romeo speaks this line during the famous balcony scene after he has secretly met Juliet. He’s expressing that his love for her has given him the strength to overcome physical and social barriers.
Analysis - The powerful force of love push people to act impulsively. Romeo is willing to take physical risks and defy family loyalties for his love for Juliet. His love is immediate, intense, and without concern for consequences. The walls represent the familial feud and social barriers, and Romeo’s ability to “o’erperch” them shows the empowering nature of love. The word “light” can also suggest that love makes him feel weightless and free.
Techniques - Romeo is using metaphor to describe his love. The “light wings” suggest that love gives him the freedom and power to transcend the difficult obstacles that separate him from Juliet (the walls of her house, their family feud, and societal restrictions).
Love - Juliet - “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name.” (Act 2 Scene 2)
Analysis - Juliet is asking why Romeo has to be a Montague. She wishes he would reject his family name, just so they could love each other freely.
This shows how love for Juliet is stronger than family loyalty and even identity — she’s willing to challenge social norms for love.
How is the theme of fate presented ?
*The prologue tells us exactly what’s going to happen in the play. It’s as if fate has decided how Romeo and Juliet’s lives will play out.
*This prologue creates a major sense of dramatic irony throughout the play as the audience knows something that hasn’t yet happened.
*Romeo and Juliet’s love is ill-fated and doomed from the start. They never stood a chance in their love. Fate and the stars had pre-determined the tragic end of their love.
Fate - ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives’ (Prologue)
Context - This line comes from the Chorus in the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet, which outlines the entire plot before the play begins.
Analysis - “Star-crossed lovers” means lovers doomed by fate or the stars. In Elizabethan times, people believed that stars and planets controlled human destiny. Shakespeare uses the idea of being “star-crossed” to explore how fate controls human life. Foreshadowing as the line directly reveals the lovers’ fate, building dramatic irony because the audience knows their end even before the story unfolds.
Theme - This quote introduces the theme of fate vs. free will. The lovers are not in control — external forces (like family, society, and destiny) shape their lives.
Fate/ Death - Juliet - “My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” (Act 1, Scene 5)
Context - Juliet says this shortly after meeting Romeo at the Capulet party. She is overwhelmed by her feelings and says that if Romeo is already married, she would rather die than marry anyone else.
Analysis - It shows the depth and intensity of her feelings and links love and death very early in their relationship as she would rather die than not marry Romeo.
Technique - Shakespeare foreshadows the tragic ending where her wedding bed will literally become her grave as they never truly got to live as a married couple and they unite in death. The audience knows her words will come true, which creates tension and sadness.
Theme - Love, Death, Fate. Juliet unknowingly predicts her own fate which reflects how Shakespeare presents fate as inescapable. Love is also often linked with danger and death, showing the tragic nature of passionate love.
Fate - Romeo - ‘O I am a fortune’s fool’ (Act 3, Scene 1)
Analysis - Romeo says this after he kills Tybalt in a fit of rage. Romeo feels powerless and believes that fate has manipulated him into doing something terrible. Calling himself “fortune’s fool” means he sees himself as a victim of fate, as if he’s being mocked or toyed with by luck or destiny.
Technique - The use of a metaphor as he is being made a fool by fate. This shows that he feels powerless, as if he’s being controlled by forces beyond his control.
Theme - Romeo expresses how fate rules over his life, making him act against his desires and bringing him misery. Fate always pushes him towards conflict which results in his tragic death
Fate - Romeo - ‘I defy you stars’ (Act 5 Scene 1)
Analysis - Romeo has just heard of Juliet’s “death”. In a moment of rage and despair, he cries out that he will defy fate by taking control of his destiny — even if that means taking his own life.
Technique - Exclamatory sentence which reflects Romeo’s emotional intensity and sense of hopelessness. Romeo’s love for Juliet is so strong that losing her feels like the end of his world, leading him to make irrational choices.
Theme - The theme of fate is shown when Romeo is trying to resist fate, but tragically, his attempt actually leads to what he was avoiding which was their death. The more they try to control their own lives, the more they seem to walk into the destiny set for them.
Fate - Friar Lawrence - “Unhappy fortune!” (Act 5, Scene 2)
Context - Friar Lawrence says this when he learns that his letter explaining Juliet’s fake death has not reached Romeo. This failed communication leads to the tragic ending.
Analysis - Friar Lawrence is blaming fate (rather than himself) for the failure of his plan. It shows how characters in the play often view fate as a powerful force that controls events, rather than taking full responsibility.
Technique - The exclamatory sentence shows Friar’s shock and desperation. The audience knows that Romeo is already planning to kill himself because he didn’t get the message, which builds dramatic tension.
Theme - This moment reinforces the idea that fate controls the lives of the characters rather than their own irresponsible actions. Shakespeare presents fate as a cruel, unstoppable force that drives the tragedy forward.
How is the theme of Conflict / Violence presented?
*Shakespeare starts the play with a serious fight between the Montagues and Capulets showing the conflict in Verona.
*With so many main characters dying in fights (Mercutio, Tybalt) Shakespeare shows the price of conflict in defence of honour. No one wins as both families lose people.
*Shakespeare also shows us conflict within the Capulet family as Lord Capulet tries to persuade Juliet to marry Paris forcefully
*Ultimately it takes multiple deaths for love to overcome conflict between the families. The final scene sees Montague and Capulet agree to end their feud following Romeo and Juliet’s suicides. ‘O brother Montague, give me thy hand’ (Capulet - Act 5, Scene 3)
Conflict - Prologue - “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.”
Context - Sets up the central theme of inherited violence and family conflict in the prologue
Analysis - This refers to the long-standing feud between the Montagues and Capulets and shows how the conflict is deeply rooted in history, yet still causes present-day chaos. It sets the stage for a play filled with hatred, revenge, and bloodshed.
Technique - Oxymoron of ancient and new which emphasises how the past continues to affect the present. Foreshadowing as this line predicts violence which lead to tragic consequences.
Theme - The quote establishes the central theme of destructive family rivalry. Shakespeare uses this line to highlight how the tragedy is caused by cycles of inherited anger and social division.
Conflict/ Honour - Tybalt - ‘What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee’ (Act 1, Scene 1)
Context - This is said at the start when Benvolio tries to stop a public fight. Tybalt responds aggressively, showing his intense hatred for the Montagues.
Analysis - Tybalt mocks the idea of peace and shows how deeply violence is ingrained in him.
His hatred is so extreme that he compares the word “peace” to hell.
Technique - The repetition of “hate” emphasises Tybalt’s aggressive mindset and uncontrollable rage. The rule of three intensifies his hatred for hell, the Montagues and Benvolio.
Themes - Conflict and Violence as Tybalt embodies the destructive nature of the family feud. He views fighting as a way to defend his family’s honour. His rejection of peace and glorification of conflict help set the tone for the tragic events that follow.
Conflict - Mercutio - “A plague o’ both your houses!” ( Act 3, Scene 1)
Context - As Mercutio dies, he curses both the Montague and Capulet families for causing his death, showing his anger and frustration at their feud.
Analysis - His death marks a turning point in the play, after which violence escalates and tragedy becomes inevitable. His death is a tragic result of the families’ ongoing hatred, and his curse reinforces the futility of the feud.
Technique - Repetition as repeated the phrase three times to emphasise his hatred of the family feud. Metaphor as “plague” suggests widespread suffering and death which is fitting for the tragedy that follows.
Theme - Conflict and Violence as Mercutio’s death is a direct result of the families pointless feud. This quote highlights conflict as a toxic, contagious force that leads to tragedy and injustice
Conflict - Romeo - “Fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!” (Act 3, Scene 1)
Context - Romeo speaks this line after Mercutio is killed by Tybalt. Until this moment, he has tried to keep the peace, but now he allows rage and revenge to guide his actions.
Analysis -This quote marks Romeo’s shift from being a lover to becoming a man driven by violent emotion. Romeo’s impulsive decision highlights the dangers of letting emotions take over as this moment leads to Tybalt’s death and his banishment.
Technique - Metaphor as “fire-eyed” suggests intense, consuming rage — fire is often symbolic of destruction and passion. Personification as “Fire-eyed fury” is imagined as a living force controlling Romeo which shows he’s giving up his free will to anger.
Theme - Conflict and violence as Romeo abandons peace and becomes part of the feud causing more death. Romeo feels pressure to avenge Mercutio to prove his masculinity.
How is the theme of Male/ Familial Honour presented?
*Shakespeare uses honour to show how society pressures men to fight and dominate, often with deadly consequences.
*Characters are often expected to defend their family’s name, even through violence, which leads to destructive choices.
Honour - Romeo - “O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate” ( Act 3, Scene 1)
Context - Romeo says this after Mercutio dies in the duel with Tybalt. He blames his love for Juliet for weakening him suggesting that her beauty made him less manly.
Analysis - This moment reflects Romeo’s deep inner conflict between his new love and the violent masculine expectations of society. Juliet’s love has made him too gentle, which, in a violent world driven by honour, feels like a flaw.
Techniques - “Made me effeminate” implies that love has stripped him of traditional masculinity. (metaphor). Femininity is associated with weakness in Elizabethan society
Themes - Masculinity and Honour as Romeo believes being a man means being aggressive and vengeful. His failure to act “like a man” (by fighting Tybalt) leads to guilt and a desire to prove his honour. Shakespeare uses this moment to critique the destructive ideals of male pride and the pressures young men face.
Honour theme quotes (most analysis can be found in character quotations)
*“What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word / As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.”- Male Honour/ Conflict as he tries to protect his family name
- “O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate” - male honour
- “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!” - male honour
- “My only love sprung from my only hate!” - Juliet is torn between romantic love and familial honour, as Romeo belongs to the family her own is sworn to hate.
- “Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!” - Capulet sees Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris as a threat to his authority and family honour.
- “A plague o’ both your houses!”- Mercutio dies due to the families obsession with honour
How is the theme of Death presented?
*Death overshadows the whole play and from the prologue the audience knows that their love is doomed.
*The death of Romeo and Juliet is needed to resolve the conflict and family fud between the Montagues and the Capulets
*Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo and Juliet all die due to the destructive violence caused by the families
* Tragic plays show the audience the downfall of the main character and usually end with many of the characters dying.
Death theme quotes (most analysis can be found in character quotations)
- “My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” - An early connection between love and death, foreshadowing her fate.
- “O happy dagger! / This is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die.”- Juliet kills herself with Romeo’s dagger, linking love and death once again.
- “Death is my son-in-law, death is my heir.” - He personifies death as part of the family.
- “A plague o’ both your houses!” - Mercutio curses both families as he dies
