You must understand the tragedy to write excellent essays about Romeo and Juliet. Check out this article to see our collection of examples and writing prompts.
“Romeo and Juliet” is one of William Shakespeare’s greatest works. This play about two star-crossed lovers became a hit in 1597, resulting in many adaptations like films, books, plays, and musicals. Today, many writers, filmmakers, theaters, and schools still base their compositions on Romeo and Juliet.
We present five essay examples about Romeo and Juliet’s story, its popularity, characters, and other relevant ideas related to the legendary play. Use the following essays as inspirations to write your paper.
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Contents
- 1. Summary of “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare by Pragati Ghosh
- 2. Short Essay on Romeo and Juliet by Prasanna
- 3. The Depiction of Gender Roles and Social Constructs in Romeo and Juliet by Anonymous on GradesFixer
- 4. The Nurse and Friar Laurence Are Responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s Death by Anonymous on PapersOwl
- 5. Types of Love in Romeo and Juliet: Love in Shakespeare’s Play by Anonymous on IvyPanda
- 7 Prompts Essays About Romeo and Juliet
- Author
1. Summary of “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare by Pragati Ghosh
“Romeo and Juliet, the most renowned romantic play written by William Shakespeare about two star-crossed lovers whose deaths, ultimately unites their families… A beautifully said love story of all ages is what Romeo and Juliet is.”
Ghosh straightforwardly summarizes Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy in this essay. How they met, fell in love, and how their story ended. He also introduces important characters and circumstances so the readers can understand what makes their story a tragedy.
The notable characters are Paris, Juliet’s fiancé, Rosaline and Benvolio, the reason Romeo goes to the party, and Friar Laurence, the supporter of their relationship and plans. In addition, Ghosh details the famous balcony scene and Romeo’s failure to discover Juliet’s plan, which ultimately becomes the reason for their demise.
Looking for more? You might also be interested in these essays about Hamlet.
2. Short Essay on Romeo and Juliet by Prasanna
“Romeo and Juliet’s play is believed to be the sixth most popular play of Shakespeare that has left its mark on millions of hearts.”
Prasanna describes the origin and current level of popularity of Romeo and Juliet in her essay. She also mentions famous theatre companies like Lord Chamberlain’s Men and Duke’s Company which performed Romeo and Juliet, to make the piece more credible. Prassana also references the modification of the 18th-century version with a happy ending. Check out our post detailing the 400-year-old first edition Shakespeare text on display.
3. The Depiction of Gender Roles and Social Constructs in Romeo and Juliet by Anonymous on GradesFixer
“If Juliet were not rebellious enough to go through with the marriage, she would have lived her life with Paris, alongside her family, and the fight would have continued forever. There would be no tragic ending, there would be no Romeo and Juliet.”
The essay shows how Romeo and Juliet ignored gender roles to fight for love. The author reveals that Romeo’s character should be masculine, passionate, and violent. He should believe that women are powerless and only suitable for sexual pleasure. These are characteristics contrary to what Romeo did in the play. Instead, he was ready to give up everything for Juliet.
On the other hand, Juliet’s character is a good child who wants nothing more than to make her parents happy. However, that all changed when she met Romeo. After that, she demonstrated independence and disobeyed her parents to follow her heart. The essay also provides sufficient evidence to support the author’s claims.
4. The Nurse and Friar Laurence Are Responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s Death by Anonymous on PapersOwl
“The thing’s most responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death are Friar Lawrence, themselves, and the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets.”
This essay focuses on identifying the characters responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. In addition, the author expounds on the roles of Juliet’s nurse and Friar Lawrence in the love affair between the two. The essay also states that if each character in the story had not made a wrong and rash decision, they would have avoided Romeo and Juliet’s and other characters’ deaths.
5. Types of Love in Romeo and Juliet: Love in Shakespeare’s Play by Anonymous on IvyPanda
“The play has been classified as the greatest love story based on the playwright’s high concern on the issue of love. The highlight on the different forms of love across the play is of great importance in ranking the story.”
The author believes Romeo and Juliet are not in love. They are only infatuated with each other. The essay proves this argument by defining the word “love” and its types. Further, the author compares it to the kinds of love that the author observed in the story. This essay also emphasizes that the tragedy shows love as a weakness and thinks it doesn’t conquer everything.
If writing a whole essay sounds intimidating, simplify it and write a 5 paragraph essay instead.
7 Prompts Essays About Romeo and Juliet
Are you ready to start writing your essay but don’t know which topic interests you the most? Consider using the essay prompts listed below to create your paper:
1. Romeo and Juliet’s Origin
Although many accept William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, there are claims that the tragedy was from an Italian tale in the 16th century – The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, a poem written in 1562 by the English poet Arthur Brooke. Research this original poem and compare the poem and Shakespeare’s play. Then, in your essay, you can highlight similarities and differences between the two and add your thoughts about whether this poem inspired Shakespear’s work or not.
2. Discuss Famous Lines And Quotes In Romeo And Juliet
Apart from the plot, Romeo and Juliet also became famous for the author’s expressive, dramatic and figurative writing. Choose and list some of your favorite lines and quotations from any characters. Then, briefly summarize the context of these quotes and explain to your readers why you sympathize with these quotes.
3. What I Learned From Romeo And Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is more than a story of two people who took the dangerous and passionate road of love. Besides being an iconic story that has produced various adaptations, it also has important lessons for viewers. What did you learn from the story, and if you were in the same position as the main characters, would you arrive at the same decision? Highlight the key takeaways and lessons learned from this piece of writing and discuss your views on the moral of the story.
4. My Favorite Romeo And Juliet Scene
Who can forget the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet? Tell your audience why if it’s also the scene that tugged on your heartstrings the most. If you have parts that resonated with you more, discuss those instead. You can also provide details of the story you wish did not happen and offer your reason.
5. Romeo And Juliet’s Relevance Today
For this prompt, your essay should focus on why the story of Romeo and Juliet is still relevant in modern times. Do you know someone who experienced or is experiencing the same ordeal? Share their story and what they did to overcome it. Meanwhile, you can also talk about arranged marriage or overbearing parents.
6. Do Romeo And Juliet Deserve A Happy Ending?
Over time, there have been various modifications to Romeo and Juliet’s story. While there are few happy endings, most still follow the story’s original ending, including forbidden love and many obstacles. Do you agree with the outcome of their story, or do you prefer adaptations with a happy ending? Use this prompt to express your opinion on the importance of sticking to the original script. You can also share what ending you’ll like to give the couple.
7. Review Of A Romeo And Juliet Film
On the IMDb site, there are more than 22 movies based on the story of Romeo and Juliet that you can watch. The 1996 film “Romeo + Juliet” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Clair Danes is the most popular on this list. Is it also your favorite? Use this prompt to write about the best Romeo and Juliet movie for you and explain why. Add scenes where the original story and the film are similar or different.
If you’re still stuck and struggling to choose a topic, check out our list of different essay writing topics.
You might also enjoy these essays about To Kill A Mockingbird and essays about Othello.
