Theme of Lust in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Everyone thinks that the play Romeo and Juliet is a true love story however that is incorrect. In the play Romeo and Juliet the attraction between Romeo and Juliet was misjudged as lust rather than love. Despite some people saying their relationship was truly love at first sight there is much more evidence that points to their relationship being built upon lust, by the examples of their relationship being physical, their relationship escalated extremely fast, and multiple interfering adults fed into a false love fantasy. 

The connection between Romeo and Juliet was Lust because their attraction was physical. In the opening act Romeo attends the Capulet party despite not being invited to take to Rosaline, however when he sees Juliet he feels an attraction to her and they end up kissing at the party and he lets his passion take over.

“Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. / [He kisses her.] Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. /” (Act.1, scene. 5, Lines: 117-118)

Despite Romeo meeting Juliet at the party a few moments ago and barely having spoken a word to her his passion and emotion overcomes him and he ends up kissing her. Another instance is also act 1 after Romeo kissed Juliet for the first time he goes back and kisses her again for a second time.

“Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! / Give me my sin again. [he kisses her] (Act. 1, Scene. 5, Lines: 120-121) After kissing Juliet yet another time he says “Give me my sin again” This clearly shows that Romeo’s lustful feeling towards Juliet boils over and he ends up kissing her not once but twice. In this situation in Act 3 when Juliet is talking to herself about Romeo, the language she uses when describing Romeo and her feelings towards him indicate that his physical appearance is a big part of why Juliet is with him. 

“Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die, / take him and cut him out in little stars, / And he will make the face of heaven so fine / ” (Act. 3, Scene. 2, Lines: 22-25) Juliet’s monologue speaks very highly of Romeo and his physical appearance which might make one think Juliet has her eye on his physical appearance rather than his personality. 

The connection between Romeo and Juliet was lust because their relationship escalated extremely fast. In the second Act Romeo goes to meet up with Juliet for the first time after the party. Juliet tells him she loves him and wants them both to give up their families and the names that come with it so they can be together forever happily. 

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name, / or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And  I’ll no longer be a capulet. / ” (Act. 2, Scene. 2, Lines: 37-39) Juliet is trying to convince Romeo to give up his family name to be with him and claims she will do the same. This illustrates a sense of haste from Juliet making it seem like their relationship would be possible by giving up their family. In the same act one can find a similar piece of evidence where a decision of haste was made. Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in a small and private ceremony that only included Juliet, Romeo, Friar Lawrence, and the nurse.

“For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone / till holy church incorporate two in one. / ”  (Act. 2, Scene. 6, Lines: 36-37) Despite only knowing each other for a short while Romeo and Juliet are now married in a private ceremony and with only two adults knowing their secret. The last piece of evidence is in Act 5, after Romeo hears of Juliet's supposed death he is extremely distraught, he ends up buying a vial of poison and drinking it while laying next to Juliet. And when Juliet wakes up she finds Romeo dead and immediately takes the dagger next to him and kills herself. 

“Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O, happy dagger, / This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die. / ” (Act. 5, scene. 3, Lines: 174-175) Romeo is so upset about Juliet’s fake death he kills himself, and when Juliet decides to take her own life with the knife Romeo has.

The connection between Romeo and Juliet was lust because multiple interfering adults fed into a false love fantasy. In the fourth act of the play Friar Lawrence is convincing Juliet to fake her own death to avoid marrying Paris. However the plan goes horribly wrong and Paris, Juliet, and Romeo all end up dead.

“Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distining liquor drink thou off;...” (Act. 4, scene. 1, Lines: 95-96) After Juliet comes to Friar Lawrence about her issue with Romeo he gives her the idea to fake her death. Little does he know that his actions have set the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet into motion. Another case comes from act three, where the nurse tells Juliet she should marry Paris. The nurse was Juliet’s confidant and knows how much she cares for Romeo but still tries to change the course of Juliet’s affection towards Paris.

“I think it best you married with the county. / O, he’s a lovely gentleman! / Romeo’s a dishclout to him.” Juliet however still doesn’t want to marry Paris despite the encouragement from most of the adults in her life. And because of the nurse’s lack of support for her affection for Romeo she turns to Friar Lawrence and takes up his crazy plan. In this situation in Act 3, Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet, comes to Juliet to tell her about her arranged marriage to Paris on thursday. This is not the first time Lady Capulet has brought marriage to Paris up before and knows exactly how Juliet feels about Paris and her opinion on marriage, however she doesn’t care.

“Marry my child, early next Thursday morn / The gallant, young, and noble gentleman, / The county Paris…” (Act. 3, scene. 5, Lines:117-119) Despite Lady Capulet knowing Juliet’s position on marriage and her feelings towards Paris she continues to insist they get married which puts a serious strain on her relationship with Juliet. 

Despite some people saying the attraction between Romeo and Juliet was true love, many readers would disagree because of the following reasons, their relationship being built upon lust, by the examples of their relationship being physical, their relationship escalated extremely fast, and multiple interfering adults fed into a false love fantasy. Although they were married and died for each other, they were young and didn’t have a decided future and didn’t know what to make of their attraction, making it more likely their relationship was built off of lust.