Q: Discuss the treatment of Love in two plays studied in Semester One

Q: Discuss the treatment of Love in two plays studied in Semester One


Love and desire has existed in many forms throughout time. William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra, are two good examples of how love can be beautiful and pure yet destructive and fatal. This essay will explore the two plays mainly considering the relationships of Antony and Cleopatra and Romeo and Juliet and how Shakespeare treats the issue of love within each of them.
It could be suggested that Shakespeare was influenced by the Italian theatre, ‘Characters meet and fall in love, they have funny friends and bawdy servants. These acts follow an Italian style called Commedia dell’arte, which usually has two virtuous lovers and fathers keep them apart and servants make racy comments about sex.’
According to the trailer for Baz Luhrmans film Romeo and Juliet, it was "The greatest love story ever told". It has been a story that has lasted through out many generations;
"The name...