Slash, cling, clank these are the sounds that are heard in a sword fight as a man is
killed. In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare the theme death is portrayed
many times by the characters Marcutio, Romeo, and Juliet.
The first instance of the theme death was in act 3 when Marcutio challenged Tybalt to
a sword fight. "Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find a grave man."(Act three, scene
1, line 104.) Also as Marcutio is dying he says "Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I
shall Faint." (Act 3, scene 1, line 113.) Both these quotes show how Marcutio portrayed
the theme death. Second, Romeo is the next to portray the theme death.
Now in Act 5, this is the time that Romeo shows the theme death. He has heard of
Juliet's death and is so heartbroken that he goes to an apothecary to get poison so he
can join Juliet in heaven. "To Juliet's grave; for there must I use thee." (Act 5,
scene 1, line 93). Second when Romeo is about to drink the poison he says, "Here's to my
love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
[Falls.]" (Act 5, scene 3, line 122). These quote show how Romeo loves Juliet. So much
he will die to be with her." The next quotes show how Juliet's feelings are mutual to
Romeo's.
After Juliet wakes up from her death like coma she sees Romeo's dead corpse and notices
that he had never got the message from the friar. "O churl! Drunk all, and left no
friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss his lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang
on them. To make me die with a restorative." The next quote shows how the poison has no
effect on Juliet, and how she is so desperate to be with Romeo she will stab herself. "O
happy dagger! [Snatches Romeo's dagger.] This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me
die. [She stabs herself and falls.] These quote all show Romeo and Juliet's mutual
feelings on how they will die to be together.
All these quotes show how the theme death was portrayed by the characters Marcutio,
Romeo, and Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. This theme was very important to the play
in that if they didn't love each other enough to die for one another the family feud
wouldn't have been ended. Now Romeo and Juliet may be together in a better place were
there names don't matter.
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