Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a romantic tragedy that expresses true love as well as main elements such as loyalty and betrayal and this essay will discuss how they all are equal parts of the play. There is loyalty between friends and family, betrayal against Romeo and Juliet and there is true love, shown between the two star cross lovers Loyalty is a large section of this play, it is shown within the actions of the characters.
Some very great act of loyalty are given to both Romeo and Juliet by their friends and family, for example; the friar shows loyalty by giving advice to the two teens, always staying wise, and only trying to stop the quarrel between the two houses and letting Romeo and Juliet be together, the friars motives are known to the audience by the line “for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households rancour to pure love” this line allows the audience to know the friar to be a wise and loyal man, only thinking about what’s best for the houses as well as the lovers.
Another example of true loyalty is by Mercutio to Romeo. Mercutio knows if Tybalt duels with Romeo, Romeo will most likely lose. So Mercutio protects him by insulting Tybalt by saying “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission” then goes on to say, with a now drawn sword “Tybalt you rat catcher, will you walk” which is a question of a duel. Mercutio doing this is a great act of loyalty toward Romeo. Mercutio’s death by Tybalt adds to his heroic services to Romeo.
Romeo shows his act of loyalty back to Mercutio by getting revenge on his soul, he does this by beating Tybalt and overall killing him. The line “for Mercutio’s soul” tells the audience that he did do it to avenge his soul. The final example of loyalty portrayed in the text is by the nurse to Juliet. The nurse helps Juliet by giving her wise and loyal advice as well as helping her in her plan to marry Romeo by being their messenger. Juliet’s appreciation to the nurses acts are shown in the line “hie to high fortune, honest nurse! this line suggests what Juliet thinks of her nurse, a honest and loyal women. The nurse shows her devotion to Juliet when she allows her to marry Romeo , the mother nor father would have allowed this, but the nurses dedication to Juliet makes her go through with it. Betrayal is also a large slice of this play and is portrayed through the dishonourable acts of the characters. An example of betrayal in Romeo and Juliet is Juliet to her father as well as her father betraying Juliet.
Juliet betrays her father by disobeying his orders to marry the county Paris, her betrayal is portrayed in the lines “Proud can I never be of what I hate” this tells the audience that Juliet is not grateful of what the ‘man of the house’ has given her. Mr Capulet retaliates by insulting her and calling her baggage with the line “hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch” Mr Capulet thinks of Juliet as a piece of property he can sell this is told by the line “an you be mine”. Another example of betrayal in the play is by Ms Capulet to Juliet.
When Juliet’s father insists she must marry Paris, she turns to her mother for comfort and support, but her mother does not do so, this is told from the line “talk to me not, for I will not speak a word; do as throw wilt, for I have done with thee” this line sends Juliet into despair, and is a betrayal of lady Capulets motherly duties. The final and perhaps worst act of betrayal is by the nurse to Juliet. Juliet has already been betrayed by both of her parents, so she turns to her nurse for her wisdom and loyalty, but that is not what she gets.
Although the nurse has been loyal in the past, now she betrays Juliet. The betrayal is shown by the line “I think it best you married with the county. O, he’s a lovely gentleman. Romeos a dish clout to him. ” Insulting Juliet’s husband is an act of betrayal against Juliet, this leaves her alone, completely betrayed and without help. Finally true love. True love is the building blocks of this play. Romeo and Juliet, a pair of teenage kids brought together by the true love for one another. True love is shown throughout the, some examples are “did my heart love till now? and “she doth teach the torches to shine bright”, as well as their final act of true love. When Romeo gives his life away thinking Juliet is dead, and then Juliet, knowing Romeo is dead. Their love for each other was their worst enemy as it lead to their tragic ends.
In conclusions, the evidence put through by this essay tells the audience that loyalty and betrayal are as equally important parts of this play as true love. Loyalty was portrayed though the friends and family of Romeo and Juliet, the betrayal of Juliet from her family’s and of course the tragic love between the two stars crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
