Shakespeare’s Tragic Love Essay Example

remains used to this day. One way that a play may be seen as a tragedy, as Nevo wrote, is “by way of intrusive morality in the interpretation of the spectator”. (Nevo 244) This means that, while the audience watches the play, it uses its own ideals of law, order, and society to judge the actions of its characters. The actions of Romeo are seen by the audience as falling against the contemporary ideals of right and wrong.  Romeo is a character who longed for a chaste girl, accepted an invitation to a party under false pretences, allowed for his love of Rosaline to be completely forgotten at the sight of Juliet, and who, in a moment of extreme rage and wanton revenge, slays the cousin of his new bride (this rage is also seen in Othello’s character when he believes Desdemona is cheating on him).The hero’s evil that is confronted, and therefore defining the tragedy, is embodied within Romeo himself, as it is for Othello.

It is through his own actions, as one can pull from the text, that his relationship with Juliet is doomed, also similarly with Othello. It is Romeo’s haste to the crypt of the Capulets that causes him to miss the message from the friar – which explained his and Juliet’s planned feigning of her death. Despite the asking of Balthazar for Romeo to “have patience”, (V.1) he rushes to the apothecary and sets into motion his own plan for suicide.

It can also be said that Romeo’s haste for death kills Juliet – therefore involving him in her death and causing Romeo to lose the story-long battle against the

evil that he, himself, embodied. George Branam wrote in his 1984 article regarding Romeo and Juliet that it was “Romeo’s impetuosity that prevented the reunion which might have otherwise have occurred”. (Branam 174)  Thus it would seem that Romeo is a slightly bumbling hero who rushes around the play, falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat and whose impetuous youth eventually leads to his and Juliet’s tragedy.  The theme of love being blind, and the youthful follies of the main characters seem to enhance this idea of tragedy in Shakespeare’s play and to play into the idea that tragedy has sprouted from these two lover’s union.There also come the smaller plot elements that add to the definition of tragedy. The death of Mercutio, in act 3 scene 1, creates the opportunity for Romeo to be sent on the path that would ultimately lead to his death.

“The unexpected, almost accidental death of Mercutio”, (BEST) makes the turn in the play to a plot point that is easily seen as tragic. Tybalt slaying Mercutio causes Romeo to seek revenge. Though done in a moment of extreme haste and duress, Romeo kills Tybalt none-the-less – which leads to his banishment from Verona.  This is another sign of Romeo’s impetuous nature that both leads him to kill Tybalt as well as to fall in and out of love with Rosaline, and to fall in love with Juliet.

  The proponents of youth add to the ambience of the play as well as the progression of the plot, thus, the theme of love and pride has a sub-theme in Shakespeare’s play, that of the impulsive

youth.The plot of Romeo and Juliet “stresses the accidental”. (Nevo 241) A series of accidents lead to the meeting of Romeo and his love, Juliet – the illiterate servant of the Capulets gives an invitation to the masked ball to Romeo and Benvolio by mistake. (I.2) This chance meeting goes on to illustrate another incident that could redefine the play – Romeo’s love for girl, Rosaline—this theme of the accidental is not present in Othello as every step of tragedy is plotted out by the antagonist Iago.

Romeo, previous to meeting Juliet, longs for a girl who would not return his affections, the well-born Rosaline. Her decision to remain chaste left Romeo open for an opportunity to be introduced to new loves – which his cousin, Benvolio, obliges. It is the sexual mores of the character Rosaline that enables Romeo the chance to meet his future love.The encounter of Romeo and Juliet at the masked ball also echoes of a comic characterization.

As Romeo meanders through the masked party, he catches sight, for the first time of Juliet. While she is “enrich[ing] the hand / Of yonder knight” (I.5), Romeo, none-the-less asks a servant her name. His immediate infatuation with Juliet comes into direct conflict with his previously spoken attraction for the chaste Rosaline, and, more importantly to the definition of comedy, Juliet’s apparent attachment to the “yonder knight”.This love at first sight moment is nearly ended by Tybalt – who, upon seeing Romeo at the event, calls for his sword. However, through the intervention of Juliet’s father – who does not wish to ruin his gala with violence:Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;He bears

him like a portly gentleman;And, to say truth, Verona brags of himTo be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:I would not for the wealth of all the townHere in my house do him disparagement (I.

5);This intervention serves two very important purposes. First, it allows for Romeo, time enough to secure his love for Juliet, and creates within Tybalt, a driving anger and hatred for Romeo that will culminate in their eventual fight.  Here, the reader sees the opposite of pride or impetuous youth, that of measured reason and fortitude, however, this motif is not to last in Shakespeare’s play since it does not offer a progress to the tragedy.The moment that Romeo and Juliet are allowed to share towards the end of Act I scene 5, instills and solidifies the two lover’s mutual attraction.

Without knowing the identities of the other, they both kiss, and profess love for the each other. It is not until Juliet is called away by her nurse that Romeo learns of her heritage, and the situation that he has fallen into. More-so than tragic, this scene clearly is meant to illustrate a comedic path.The changes that would occur would be the play’s underlying moral intent.

Therefore, one must ask what that intent is. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet speaks to the world as the power of love overcoming all things. This love is forbidden by the ancient hatred of two families, which the play never truly defines. The tragedy is also a tale of moral judgment. The hero, Romeo, both struggles against and embodies an evil that is denying him his love.

The heroine, Juliet, is captivated by the unknown

young man who turns out to be the son of her family’s enemy – only to forsake her family’s honor and side with him, both in love, and in the death of Tybalt. It would then seem to the reader that Juliet is even more attracted to Romeo because he presents a type of forbidden love and in being with him she is rebelling against her parent’s wishes and therefore it is Juliet’s pride that causes her own tragedy; pride in refusing her father and mother’s desire for her not to see Romeo.The tragic tale is one that can be told to illustrate the evils of young lust – rather than love. The youthful exploits of these two lovers cost them their place in society, family and ultimately, their lives.

The impetuousness of these two children would be something best avoided.Although the passion with which Romeo and Juliet express their love seems to be unmatched in other plays or stories, there is a very different approach to love as represented in Shakespeare’s play Othello.  In Othello Shakespeare utilizes pride as a devastating force against love.  Othello, the protagonist, is a general who is newly married to Desdemona. What unfolds in this tragedy is the vain fruition of an evil scheme against Othello.  Iago and Roderigo are the two spin doctors who are responsible for weaving the misfortunes that are about to befall Othello.

   Love in this play is destroyed through deception, and pride.  Two men are in love with one woman:  Roderigo and Othello are in love with Desdemona.The first scene of the play is set in the streets of Venice where Roderigo and Iago

are in deep disagreement with what is later revealed to be a plot to destroy Othello’s marriage to Desdemona. Othello is the object of hatred of both Roderigo and Iago.

The evil scheme is two-fold; one, to break up the marriage of Othello and Desdemona so that Roderigo can woo Desdemona and eventually make her fall in love with him, two, that Iago can finally have his revenge on Othello. Iago suspects that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia and he detests Othello for passing him over for a promotion that he felt he deserved more than the less experienced soldier Michael Cassio.  In the first few scenes of the play, Othello’s name is never mentioned,  emphasizing the secrecy in Roderigo and Iago’s dealings. Instead, Othello is referred to as “ the Moor” and descriptive phrases such as “ thick lips”, “ a Barbary horse” are used to refer to Othello’s person.

To stir up trouble, Roderigo and Iago tell Brabanzio, Desdemona’s father, that he has been “robbed” of his precious daughter by her sudden marriage to Othello. Realizing that his daughter got married behind his back, Brabanzio orders his men to confront Othello.  Thus, just as Romeo was deceived by believing in Juliet’s death, so is Othello deceived by people he trusted in believing that Desdemona is being dishonest with her love for him.The confrontation between Brabanzio’s and Othello’s men are interrupted when Othello is told that he is summoned by the duke to look into a security issue in Cyprus. Brabanzio sees this as his chance to “expose”  Othello’s “misdeeds” in front of the duke. He confronts Othello and accuses him of using

witchcraft on his daughter to “lure” her into his arms.

He even threatens to have Othello arrested for witchcraft to appear to have a valid reason than having Othello arrested for marrying his daughter, which he knows the duke will most likely brush aside.Othello’s quiet strength is evident in the way his proficiency in avoiding conflicts, handles possible conflicts and insults that Roderigo often throws his way, just as Romeo was disparate in fighting with Tybalt because Romeo knew the complications of such an altercation and tried to handle himself in a peacable manner. This is the exact opposite of the impression that most of the characters in the play have of Othello’s moral fiber. After much argument, it is set that Othello and Desdemona are to sail together to Cyprus.

Iago’s character is manipulative and treacherous. He is fond of implanting malice in even the most mundane, casual encounters. For instance, Iago plans to make a mountain out of the molehill that Cassio was able to briefly, hold hands with Desdemona while on board the ship.  Iago is also chauvinistic for the most part of the play and appears to have a dislike for women in general as revealed by his frequent barrages of insults towards Emilia and Desdemona. Iago’s general detest for women may come from the fact that he suspects Othello of having an affair with his wife.

His thoughts are revealed in the play and there is constant revelation that he wants his revenge “wife for wife”. This reveals a concealed lust for Desdemona born out of his baseless jealousy.Iago continues his pursuit to ruin the relationship of Othello and Desdemona. He

also has a plan to lure Cassio into performing actions that would dishonor him and possibly cause Othello to rethink his promotion of Cassio. Iago succeeds in this endeavor by subtly causing a commotion which causes Cassio to lose his composure and accidentally stab Montano, the governor. This costs Cassio his position as lieutenant.

While alone with Othello, Iago implies the possibility that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Iago manages to persuade Othello to doubt Desdemona’s loyalty and love for him. He tells Othello to closely examine his wife’s actions when she is with Cassio.These are just among the many webs of lies and deceit that he manages weave in his attempts to settle scores with Othello and Cassio.

Othello’s first gift to Desdemona was a handkerchief. This supposedly trivial object later becomes the piece of evidence that Iago uses to destroy Othello’s marriage.One evening, as Desdemona and Emilia inform Othello that dinner is ready, Othello complains of a headache. Desdemona promptly offers her handkerchief to bind his head to relieve the pain. Othello comments that the handkerchief is too small and pushes it away. Desdemona unknowingly loses grip of the handkerchief as she and Othello walk out of the room.

Emilia picks up the handkerchief, remembering that Iago had asked her a number of times to steal it, she is delighted at the prospect of surprising her husband.At the same time as Iago was to plant Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s room, Othello who discovers his plot is infuriated and exclaims that he’d rather witness deception first hand than assume infidelity without conclusive evidence. At this point, Iago, ever the manipulator, manages to get his

way again by fabricating another story that Cassio once called out Desdemona’s name in his sleep and that Cassio acted as if he were kissing Desdemona. Iago reinforced his claim by claiming to have seen Cassio wipe his beard with the handkerchief. This enrages Othello and he vows to seek revenge on Cassio and Desdemona for the alleged infidelity. Once again, Iago succeeds and even manages to get promoted to lieutenant.

In the play, Desdemona’s handkerchief is the symbol of faithfulness and later in the play the symbol of truth.Othello and Desdemona are the unfortunate victims of Iago’s irrational jealousy and treachery, however Othello’s downfall in love also deals with his own pride.  Even Before Iago becomes conscious of the gravity of his actions, lives have been lost, too much harm has been done to the point that it is beyond repair, just as there is no real repair in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.  Both plays present to the audience an ideal of love at the start of the play and at the end of the play the love has collapsed in death and pride.