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Mrs. Rich
English Honors 1/2
3 Jan. 2010
Duality in Romeo and Juliet
A common theme throughout Romeo and Juliet is the idea of duality. Duality can be
described as a combination of opposites such as good and evil, love and hate, or life and death.
This theme is most apparent during a soliloquy of the Friar’s. The essence of what he is saying
is that everything has a true beneficial purpose, but things can be misused and perverted into evil.
Nothing is purposely evil. He talks about duality most plainly with the line, “In man as well as
herbs, grace and rude will;” (2.3.28). That is to say that humans, just like plants, have both good
and evil in them. He uses the example of a plant which can be used for medicine, but it can also
be used as a poison.
The two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are sworn enemies. So can it be said,
“One is wicked and one is righteous”? No! As the Friar said, both families have good and evil
within them. Duality is even clearer when love is added into the mix. The hatred that Romeo
and Juliet are expected to feel towards each other’s family is in sharp contrast with the love they
share for each other. As Juliet laments after learning Romeo’s surname, “My only love sprung
from my only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and known too late! / Prodigious birth of love it is
to me, / That I must love a loathed enemy” (1.5.138–141).
As sorely as Romeo and Juliet wish their families’ feud to end, nothing seems able to
stop it. The feud reaches its climax at the slaying of Mercutio and then Tybalt, resulting in
Romeo’s banishment. This leads to Juliet drinking the Friar’s potion, which leads to Paris’s
murder and Romeo’s suicide, which leads to Juliet’s suicide. This long chain of tragic events
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somehow manages to end well. The heads of both families realize the price of their hate and
agree to peace. It took the death of those most wishing to escape the feud to bring it to an end.
Prince Escalus said it best, “A glooming peace this morning with it brings. / The sun for sorrow
will not show his head” (5.3.305–306). Out of sorrow and suffering comes peace at last.
The use of duality in Romeo and Juliet is so striking that it is hard to imagine a more
important and universal theme. Throughout the play, examples of duality are extremely
prevalent. They are often of great symbolic and literal significance. It could be argued that while
writing this play, duality was centermost in Shakespeare’s mind, more so than even love. This
emphasis on a combination of opposites is what makes Romeo and Juliet such a beautiful and
enjoyable work of art.
