Romeo and Juliet Group

Question:

ei
ei
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In "Romeo and Juliet," what is love?  Why do people fall in love with each other even though they are not meant to be?

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Posted by ei on Saturday November 1, 2008 at 10:21 PM and tagged with fate, love, romeo and juliet, starcrossed lovers.

Answers:

  1. jgomezada
    jgomezada Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    The theme of star-crossed lovers, or lovers who are bound to find each other but whose relationship is doomed from the start, is evident in hundreds of stories, even before Romeo and Juliet. From Lancelot and Guinevere, to Tristan and Isolde, to Pyramus and Thisbe, these lovers have been loving passionately and dying tragically for centuries. The term has astrological roots as it was thought that people that were born under certain stars by fate were bound to meet, fall in love, and be unlucky in trying to be together.

    Such was the case for Romeo and Juliet, whose families had been feuding for years. Fate leads then to fall in love at first sight, and their love is so strong that they deny their families and marry. Love was stronger than the hate in their case, and although the young lovers die at the end of the play, love conquers all, and civil order finally comes to Verona.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo/
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo/themes

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    Posted by jgomezada on Sunday November 2, 2008 at 6:58 AM