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How Does Shakespeare Present Commitment In Romeo And Juliet

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Examine Shakespeare’s presentation of commitment within a love relationship in Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare wrote over 400 plays during his life during the Elizabethan era, of which one of his more famous plays is Romeo and Juliet. People from all classes went to watch his plays at the Globe theatre where seating was available to suit the various classes. His plays examined several issues that occurred to Elizabethan society, at a time when loyalty, religion and family were paramount. This essay will be looking at the theme of commitment and how it was portrayed. Shakespeare shows the theme of commitment in the play Romeo and Juliet by demonstrating commitment to one another within a love relationship. This was demonstrated within the lines “If thou dost love me, pronounce it faithfully” which is followed later in that dialogue with “Lady by blessed moon I swear.” This shows commitment by swearing at the moon of their love, which is an example of pathetic fallacy due to the fact that this scene occurs at night. This is pathetic fallacy as the relationship is secretive which has connotations of darkness / night. The word “moon” can have several meanings in this context. The first meaning “moon” can have is of one where it provides light in the darkness which as previously discussed may be referring to the secrecy of their relationship. A second meaning is that the darkness represents the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets; whilst the moon is representing

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