Romeo & Juliet: Is Love Stronger Than Hate?

Love and hate are two of the most powerful emotions. Both can make one take daring, risky decisions, and make one’s thoughts cloudy. But which one is stronger? Which emotion can cause a pair of star-crossed lovers to take their lives? In the classic Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet, two lovers from different family clans are being pulled apart. Romeo, after committing an accidental murder, is banished from his love’s city. In an attempt to keep their love together, Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence, in desperate need of a pick-me-up. He gives to her a potion, “Take thou this vial…drink thou off…all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse shall keep his native progress…to paly ashes, thy eyes’ windows fall”(Act 4, Sc.1, 90-100.) Romeo, finding Juliet in this comatose state, believes she is dead and drinks poison to be with her once more; “Here’s to my love! [drinks] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [falls]” (Act 5, Sc.3, 115-120.) Romeo’s love for Juliet has caused him to think irrationally and commit suicide. In this case, love is much stronger than hate.

He feels he cannot live without his one and only Juliet, and dies to be with her. Juliet now finds her lover dead, next to her in the tomb. She is in somewhat of a grieving shock. She sees the poison in his hand, and wishes that he had left some for her, “O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after?”. She hears noise, and decides to follow Romeo’s path. “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die. [She stabs herself and falls.]”(Act 5 Sc.3 160-170.) This is yet another case where love is stronger than hate. Love appears to take a staggering hold of more than just the two lovers, but their rivaling families as well: “(Capulet) ‘O brother Montague, give me thy hand.’ (Montague) ‘But I can give thee more; For I will raise her statue in pure gold…as that of true and faithful Juliet.’” (Act 5, Sc.3, 295-305.) These families were rivals before the death of their two loved ones.

Now that they are both stricken with grief, they are pulled together by the love of their now deceased. Hate can be powerful, and can cause people to kill for small things. Love, though, pulls crowds of people together, no matter what. It causes people to think without caution, to go head-first into a dangerous situation. Many believe first off that hate is the strongest, as it is a common thing. Love, though, is the better, stronger half. It appears to be weak, to be silly, dainty, and frail. In the end though, love is the winner, love is what brings people together and causes them to be strong. We have now come to the conclusion that love is indeed stronger than hate, contrary to the popular belief. It works in many sneaky ways, whereas hate is blatant. It finds its way to peoples hearts in the hardest of times, in the darkest of days. Love truly is the strongest.