Romeo and Juliet is a literary work written by William Shakespeare that shows what someone would do for their true love.  This poem has many themes to it, the biggest most known theme is love.  Although, the themes of hate, betrayal, family, and friendship also play a huge role.  These starcrossed lovers may have a fatal ending, but the couple days they got to spend together were the most alive they have felt in their life. 

Romeo and Juliet were both only teenagers.  Romeo at the beginning of the play is heart broken and in love with a girl named Rosaline.  On the other hand, Juliet already has a marriage set up in two years with a prince, Paris.  Romeo’s actions make his family want to take him out to a party and see all new girls.  Romeo and his cousin, Benvolio, plan to crash the Capulet’s, Juliet’s family, party.  As they arrive, Romeo sees Juliet from across the room and instantly falls in love with her.  They dance and share a kiss, after this they share names and realize that each other’s families are rivals; both become very upset but love each other too much for this to ruin it.  One day after their meeting, Friar Lawrence marries them in hopes that this action will end the family rivalry.  Both Romeo and Juliet betray their families wishes and get married, knowing the consquences.  They are so in love that the family rivalry doesn’t phase them and love conquers all.

There has been a strong hate between the Capulets, Juliet’s family, and the Montagues, Romeo’s family, that have lasted decades.  This rivalry has gone on for so long that neither family knows why they hate each other or what happened all those years ago.  All they know is that when they are born into the family, the hate for the other family starts.  The hate they have for each other is so strong that many street fights have broken out causing members of both families to die.  Romeo himself is banned from Verona because he kills a Capulet who is now considered his family because of the marriage.  Because of this storng hate between the families, it causes both Romeo and Juliet to take their lives just so that they can be together at last. 

Although Romeo and Juliet thought they were doing the right thing by getting married because of their strong love, both of them were going against their families.  Both of them betrayed their parents wishes and betrayed their ancestors by having this wedding.  The rivalry was no secret and the two families knew the most about it, but even knowing this Romeo and Juliet followed through with their actions.  There was also a time in the play when Juliet feels betrayed by the nurse for not supporting her true love and marriage by telling her to still go on with the marriage to Paris.  Romeo and Juliet wanted the support from their families and if they got it they wouldn’t have both ended up killed.

This play was all about doing anything and everything for the people you love.  Although, if the families would’ve shown love and support to Romeo and Juliet they would not have to take their own lives just to be together.  They died for one another to live in peace and not on the run and in hiding with the love of their life.