what is an antithesis in romeo and juliet

Love and Hate in Romeo and Juliet

By Chris Nayak Globe Education Learning Consultant

I love you! I hate you!

Have you ever said those words? Did you mean them? Have you had them said to you? How did that make you feel?

In Romeo and Juliet, the emotions of love and hate are the lifeblood of the play. Everything that happens seems to be caused by one, or both, of these two forces.  Shakespeare frequently puts them side by side: ‘Here’s much to do with love but more with hate’ , ‘my only love sprung from my only hate’ . Such juxtaposition of conflicting ideas is called antithesis, and Shakespeare loves using it. In every one of his plays, this clash of opposing ideas is what provides the dramatic spark to make the play come to life.

But in Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare makes frequent use of a particular type of antithesis: the oxymoron. This is when two conflicting ideas are contained within a single phrase, maybe in just two words.  We use oxymorons in everyday speech:

‘Act naturally’, ‘organised chaos…’

Romeo uses many of them:

‘Cold fire, sick health…’

Later, Juliet joins in:

‘Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical…’

But this play has many more oxymorons that any other Shakespeare play. Why does he choose this literary technique for Ro meo and Juliet ?

For me, it’s the perfect way of capturing how you feel when you’re young. The extremes of new and worrying feelings and the fact that you can flip from one emotion to the opposite in a heartbeat.

How can you in one moment having  carefree and happing conversation with your parents, brother or sister or friend and then because of a look or a comment, you are filled with anger and hatred for people you know that you love/ Although it was a long time ago, this is exactly how I remember being as a teenager. And an oxymoron is just that – two extremes expressed in a second. Adults tend to qualify, quantify, and have more shades of grey. Perhaps they grow out of having feelings like this. But for some young people, this is how life is experienced.

Romeo shares this last viewpoint. When the Friar tells Romeo to see the positives in his banishment, Romeo attacks him, saying ‘thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel’ . And why doesn’t the Friar feel this way? Because he’s old, says Romeo. ‘wert thou as young as I…then mightst thou speak’ .

The type of love and hate that Shakespeare is depicting in this play belongs to young people, and oxymorons are the way to show it. Of course, some of the older characters feel their version of these emotions (Lord Capulet and Lord Montague join the brawl in the first scene), but Shakespeare’s focus is on the younger generation.

But are love and hate really opposites?

Even though Shakespeare sometimes places them in opposition, maybe they are not as different as we might think. In the play, there seem to be a lot of similarities between people when they are full of love, and when they are full of hate.

Romeo’s describes the hate he feels when Tybalt kills his friend Mercutio as a fire raging inside him. ‘Fire-eyed fury be my conduct now’ he says. The Prince is similar, ordering the families to ‘quench the fire of your pernicious rage’ .

But Romeo uses similar imagery when burning with passion for Juliet. ‘She doth teach the torches to burn bright’ , he says. ‘Juliet is the sun’ , a ‘bright angel’ . Juliet also expresses her love in the same way: Romeo is her ‘day in night’ .

The author Elie Wiesel once said that ‘the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference’ . Despite all the opposites and contrasts in this play, maybe Shakespeare thinks the same.

What do you think?

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Home » Shakespeare's Works » Elements » Figures of Speech » Figures of Speech by Name » Antithesis

Figures of Speech by Name: --> Antithesis

Antithesis (an-tith'-e-sis) is the juxtaposition of contrasting or opposite ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction. “The evil that men do lives after them,  /  The good is oft interred with their bones;” Julius Caesar, 3.2.82 . Similar to alliosis , which presents contrasting ideas as alternatives or choices.

Comparison , Parallelism

Notes on antithesis, the architecture of sonnet and song.

Let’s begin by stipulating that Ira Gershwin is not William Shakespeare. However, despite the gulf that separates their talents, they share some writing techniques that are useful tools for aspiring writers. For example, Shakespeare’s sonnet, That Time of Year , and Gershwin’s song, They Can’t Take That Away from Me* , are variations on a common template, … continue reading this note

Seduction or Harassment?

Shakespeare delights in the seduction ceremonies of bright men with even brighter women. These dialogues, whether between adolescents like Romeo and Juliet, more mature characters like Henry V and Princess Katherine, or seasoned adults like the widow Lady Grey and the sexual harasser King Edward, in this scene ( 3HenryVI 3.2.36 ), give Shakespeare opportunities to employ dazzling webworks of rhetorical exchanges. … continue reading this note

Sexual Extortion

In Measure for Measure (2.4.95) , Angelo, the classic sexual harasser, adopts a method of sexual extortion similar to King Edward’s in Henry VI Part 3 (3.2.36) .  Both men begin with oblique insinuations about their desires, which can be innocently misread. When the women, Isabella in  Measure for Measure and Lady Grey in Henry VI, … continue reading this note

Quotes including the Figure of Speech Antithesis

Now is the winter of our discontent.

Now Hyperbaton is the winter of our discontent Metaphor Made glorious summer Metaphor by this son of York, Paronomasia And all the clouds that loured Metaphor upon our house Metonymy In the deep bosom of the ocean Metaphor buried Hyperbaton & Ellipsis . … continue reading this quote

Richard III

Deceit , deformity , false fronts , peace , war, alliteration , anaphora , anastrophe , antithesis , apostrophe , ellipsis , epistrophe , hyperbaton , metaphor , metonymy , paronomasia , personification.

Celia Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally. Personification Rosalind I would we could do so, for her benefits are mightily misplaced, and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women. Celia ‘Tis true, … continue reading this quote

As You Like It

Celia , rosalind, fools , fortune , nature , wisdom , wit, anadiplosis , antimetabole , antithesis , metaphor , paronomasia , personification.

Queen Katherine , to the King I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure.

When these so noble benefits shall prove Not well disposed, the mind growing once corrupt, They turn to vicious forms ten times more ugly Than ever they were fair.

King It grieves many. … continue reading this quote

Henry VIII , Queen Katherine

Fall from virtue, antithesis , hyperbaton , metaphor , parenthesis , simile, we must not make a scarecrow of the law.

Angelo We must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape till custom make it Antithesis Their perch and not their terror. Metaphor

Well, heaven forgive him and forgive us all. Some rise by sin and some by virtue fall. … continue reading this quote

Measure for Measure

Angelo , escalus , provost, justice , law, alliosis , anadiplosis , analogy , antithesis , metaphor , rhetorical question , synecdoche, not for that neither. here’s the pang that pinches.

Anne Not for that neither. Anapodoton Here’s the pang that pinches: His Highness having lived so long with her Alliteration , and she So good a lady that no tongue could ever Pronounce dishonor of her— Parentheses by my life, She never knew harm-doing!—O, now, … continue reading this quote

Anne Bullen , Old Lady

Falling from fortune , hypocrisy, adynaton , alliosis , alliteration , anapodoton , anastrophe , antanaclasis , anthimeria , antithesis , aporia , apposition , ellipsis , hyperbaton , metaphor , metonymy , oxymoron , parenthesis , personification , pysma , simile , synecdoche.

Duke , as Friar So then you hope of pardon from Lord Angelo? Claudio The miserable have no other medicine But only hope. I have hope to live and am prepared to die. Antithesis

To sue to live, I find I seek to die, And seeking death, … continue reading this quote

Claudio , Duke of Vienna

Antimetabole , antithesis , hyperbaton , metaphor , metonymy , paradox , personification , rhetorical question , simile, now, ursula, when beatrice doth come.

Hero Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick. When I do name him, let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit.

What fire is in mine ears?

My talk to thee must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice. … continue reading this quote

Much Ado About Nothing

Plays , sonnets, beatrice , hero , ursula, deceit , love, adynaton , allusion , anaphora , anapodoton , antithesis , apostrophe , diacope , epizeuxis , metaphor , metonymy , oxymoron , paradox , personification , simile , synecdoche.

Isabella Can this be so? Did Angelo so leave her? Pysma Duke , as Friar Left her in her tears and dried not one of them with his comfort, swallowed his vows whole, Ellipsis & Metaphors pretending in her discoveries of dishonor; in few, bestowed her on her own lamentation, … continue reading this quote

Duke of Vienna , Isabella

Alliteration , anthimeria , antithesis , ellipsis , isocolon , metaphor , pysma, now tell me, madam, do you love your children.

King Edward Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? Lady Grey Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. Anadiplosis & Epistrophe King Edward And would you not do much to do them good? Lady Grey To do them good I would sustain some harm. … continue reading this quote

Henry VI Pt 3

Clarence , king edward , lady grey , richard iii, love , marriage , seduction, alliosis , alliteration , anadiplosis , anaphora , antanaclasis , antithesis , epistrophe , hyperbole , isocolon , metaphor , simile , stichomythia.

Antony Friends, Romans, countrymen Exordium , lend me your ears Synecdoche ! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Antithesis The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones Antithesis ; So let it be with Caesar. … continue reading this quote

Julius Caesar

Ambition , grief , honor, anadiplosis , antanaclasis , antithesis , aporia , aposiopesis , apostrophe , enthymeme , epistrophe , litotes , metaphor , pathos , personification , polysyndeton , prosopopoeia , rhetorical question , synecdoche.

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Article: Opposites

Jonathan Bate describes how Shakespeare emphasises the convergence of opposites in Romeo and Juliet: youth and age, day and night, poison and medicine, and of course: love and hate.

This article first appeared in the show programme for the our 2006 Romeo and Juliet .

The earth, that's nature's mother, is her tomb. What is her burying, grave that is her womb... Within the infant rind of this small flower Poison hath residence and medicine power.  (Friar Lawrence, Act 2 Scene 3)

Day and night, the earth as both womb and tomb, herbs and flowers that are simultaneously poisonous and medicinal, virtue and vice, God's grace and our own desires: 'such opposèd kings encamp them still In man as well as herbs.'

Give Shakespeare an idea and he is equally interested in its opposite. Opposition is indeed the key to  Romeo and Juliet : the lovers are doomed because they are from the two opposed houses of Capulet and Montague. In a violent world, violent delights have violent ends. Youthful passions boil over not only into poetry and embraces, but also into insult and sword-fight.

Friar Laurence's soliloquy cuts to the quick of the play's double vision. It is structured around the rhetorical figure of oxymoron, the paradox whereby opposites are held together. Versions of the figure recur throughout the play, from Romeo's 'heavy lightness, serious vanity' to the duet of nightingale and lark in the great scene of lovers parting at dawn.

At the beginning of the play, Romeo is in love with Rosaline. Or rather, he is in love with the  idea  of being in love. We never actually see Rosaline: she exists solely as the idealised love-object of Romeo. She is nothing more than a literary type, the beautiful but unavailable mistress of the sonnet tradition that goes back to the Italian Renaissance poet Petrarch. The Petrarchan lover thrives on artifice and paradox. The fire in his heart is dependent on his lady's icy maidenhood 'Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep that is not what it is!'

As the Friar recognies, this is mere 'doting', not true loving. And so long as Mercutio is around, the bubble of poetic language keeps on being pricked - is it not just a matter of rhyming 'love' with 'dove'? Romeo still poeticises on seeing Juliet, though he speaks in more richly textured imagery:  'It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear.'

When the lovers meet at the Capulet ball, they weave a verbal dance that answers to the motions of their bodies and hands: their initial dialogue is wrapped into the form of a sonnet. But over the next few scenes their language evolves into something more fluid and more natural. You can hear Shakespeare growing as a poet even as you see the love between Juliet and Romeo growing from infatuation at first sight to the conviction that each has found the other's soul-mate.

Love is a chemistry that begins from a physiological transformation - Romeo is 'bewitched by the charm of looks' - but it becomes a discovery of the very core of human being:  'Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out.'

What haunts the lover is the suspicion that it might all be a dream. Mercutio spins a tale of how love is but the mischief of Queen Mab, midwife of illusion. Romeo blesses the night, but then acknowledges his fear that: 'Being in night, all this is but a dream, Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.'

Juliet has to deal with another fear. For a girl in Shakespeare's time, chastity was a priceless commodity. To lose her virtue without the prospect of marriage would be to lose herself. In the speech that begins 'Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face', Juliet reveals quite remarkable self-understanding. She is acutely aware that in love the stakes for a woman are far higher than those for a man. Here Shakespeare's poetic language becomes the vehicle of both argument and emotion. The artifice of rhyme is replaced by blank verse that moves with the suppleness of thought itself.

In the original production, the lines would have been spoken by a young male actor of perhaps around the same 13 years as the character of Juliet. By highlighting extreme youthfulness (in the source, Juliet is 16), Shakespeare makes a bold implicit claim for his poetic drama. Both actor and character are speaking with maturity far beyond their years: such, the dramatist implies, is the metamorphic potency of the mingled fire and powder of love and art.

Though younger than Romeo, Juliet is more knowing. She senses the danger in his talk of idolatry. In the soaring love-duet that is their final scene together before Romeo's exile, she wills the song to be that of the nightingale rather than the lark because she knows that the break of day will mean the end of their night of love and the dawn of a harsh reality in which she will be reduced to the status of a bargaining chip in the negotiations between Verona's powerful families.

According to the social code of the time, it is the duty of the young to obey the old. Marriage is a matter not of love, but of the consolidation and perpetuation of wealth and status. Arthur Brooke, author of the  Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet  which Shakespeare had before him as he wrote, told his readers that the moral of the story was that young lovers who submit to erotic desire, neglecting the authority and advice of parents and listening instead to drunken gossips and superstitious friars, will come to a deservedly sticky end.

Shakespeare's play, by contrast, glories in the energy of youth. It does not seek to advance a moral, but offers instead the tragic paradox that the heat in the blood that animates the star-crossed lovers is the same ardour that leads young men to scrap in the street and to kill out of loyalty to their friends.

The kinship of love and revenge, the perpetual war between the generations: Shakespeare will return to this territory in later plays such as  Hamlet  and  King Lear . The final scene takes place in an ancestral tomb, but those who lie dead are the flower of a city's youth - Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Juliet and her Romeo.

• Article: Civil Blood
• Article: Italian Connection

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Romeo And Juliet, Act I Prologue

By William Shakespeare

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth, with their death, bury their parents’ strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents’ rage — Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove — Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Summary of Romeo And Juliet, Act I Prologue

• Popularity of “Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue ”: Written by William Shakespeare, the “Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue” is a famous excerpt from one of his renowned plays, Romeo and Juliet. It was first published in 1597 in a quarto edition of the play , and later in the 1623 First Folio. The Prologue sets the stage for the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, introducing the audience to the ongoing feud between the Capulet and Montague families and foreshadowing the lovers’ doomed fate. The play’s popularity has endured for centuries, with countless adaptations, stage productions, and film adaptations.
• “Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue” As a Representative of Love : “Romeo And Juliet, Act I Prologue” is a representative example of Shakespeare’s mastery of poetic language and his ability to set the tone for a play with just a few lines. The use of iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme in the Prologue creates a musical and lyrical effect, drawing the audience into the world of the play. The Prologue also serves as an example of Shakespeare’s penchant for using prologues to provide exposition and context for his plays. Furthermore, the themes of love, conflict , and fate introduced in the Prologue are central to many of Shakespeare’s works, making it a representative example of his larger body of work. It stands as a testament to Shakespeare’s skill as a wordsmith.
• Major Themes in “Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue”: The “Romeo And Juliet, Act I Prologue” introduces several major themes central to the play. First, the theme of love is introduced, as the Prologue describes Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers” who are fated to fall in love despite the ongoing feud between their families. This sets up the idea that love can conquer all, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Second, the theme of conflict is highlighted, as the Prologue mentions the “ancient grudge” between the Capulet and Montague families that fuels the ongoing violence and strife in the play. This theme sets the stage for the larger conflict that will drive the action of the play. Finally, the theme of fate is introduced, as the Prologue suggests that the lovers’ tragic end is predestined by the stars. This theme of fate versus free will is a recurring motif in the play. It also sets up the tension between the characters ’ desires and the forces that seem to be working against them.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue

William Shakespeare used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem . Some of the major literary devices are analyzed below.

• Alliteration : The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in words that are close together. Example of “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes” (Line 5) shows the “f” sound that creates a sense of foreboding and emphasizes the fatal nature of the feud between the Capulet and Montague families.
• Allusion : A reference to a well-known person, event, or work of art, often used to help convey a particular idea or theme. An example of “The fearful passage of their death-marked love” (Line 9) alludes to the idea of fate or destiny.
• Assonance : The repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together. An example of “Doth, with their death, bury their parents’ strife” (Line 9) shows “e” sound creating a sense of finality and resolution .
• Consonance : The repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, especially at the end of words. An example of “Whose misadventured piteous overthrows” (Line 7) show the repetition of the “d” and “t” sounds, creating a sense of harshness and tragedy .
• Enjambment : The continuation of a sentence or clause from one line of poetry to the next, without a pause or break. An example of “Whose misadventured piteous overthrows / Doth, with their death, bury their parents’ strife” (Lines 7-8) shows the lack of a pause or break, emphasizing the idea of fate and inevitability.
• Hyperbole : Exaggeration or overstatement used for emphasis or effect. One such example is “Death-marked love” (Line 6). This hyperbole emphasizes the idea of fate and tragedy.
• Metaphor : A comparison between two unlike things, often used to create a vivid image or convey an idea. Its example is “star-crossed lovers” (Line 6). This metaphor emphasizes the idea of fate and the idea that the lovers are destined to be together.
• Oxymoron : A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms for effect. An example is “civil blood makes civil hands unclean” (Line 4). The oxymoron emphasizes the idea that even something as noble as fighting for one’s family can lead to dishonor and bloodshed.
• Symbolism : The use of symbols to represent or suggest ideas, qualities, or emotions. Its example is the “star-crossed lovers” (Line 6). The symbol of the stars emphasizes the idea of fate and the lovers being destined to be together.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Romeo And Juliet Act I Prologue

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

• Diction : The term “ diction ” refers to the choice and use of words in a literary work. In the prologue of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses formal and elevated language to set the tone and establish the tragic nature of the play. For example, the opening line, “Two households, both alike in dignity” (line 1) uses formal language to describe the social status of the feuding families.
• End Rhyme : The prologue of Romeo and Juliet is written in a sonnet form, which means it has a specific rhyme scheme and structure. The poem uses end rhyme , which is the repetition of the same sounds at the end of each line. For example, in the first quatrain , the end rhyme is “seen,” “unclean,” and “queen” (lines 3-5).
• Meter : The prologue is written in iambic pentameter , which is a type of poetic meter that consists of ten syllables per line, with emphasis on every other syllable. For example, in the opening line, “Two HOUSE-holds, BOTH a-LIKE in DIG-ni-TY” (line 1), the stressed syllables are capitalized.
• Rhyme Scheme : The prologue of Romeo and Juliet is written in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, which has a specific rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. This means that the first and third lines of each quatrain rhyme, as do the second and fourth lines. The final two lines called the couplet , also rhyme with each other. For example, the rhyme scheme of the first quatrain is ABAB (lines 1-4).
• Tone : The tone of the prologue is somber and tragic, foreshadowing the death and destruction that will occur in the play. The use of formal language, elevated diction, and the sonnet form contribute to the serious and solemn tone of the poem. For example, in the final couplet, the tone is ominous as it suggests that the love between Romeo and Juliet will lead to their downfall: “The fearful passage of their death-marked love, / And the continuance of their parents’ rage” (lines 9-10).

Quotes to be Used

This quote describes how love and passion give people the strength and courage to overcome obstacles and challenges in order to be together. It could be used in a wedding or anniversary speech to celebrate the power of love and the importance of overcoming challenges together as a couple.

But passion lends them power, time means, to meet, Temp’ring extremities with extreme sweet.”

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• Act I Scene 5 from Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo and Juliet Aside
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• Romeo and Juliet Oxymoron
• Romeo and Juliet Metaphor
• Romeo and Juliet Personification
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• Romeo and Juliet Soliloquy
• Romeo and Juliet Themes
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Romeo and Juliet

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Mr Salles Teaches English

How does Shakespeare present the theme of conflict in ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the theme of conflict’s pervasive and intoxicating nature first emerges in the prologue. 

Shakespeare's use of a fourteen-line sonnet in the prologue hints at the conflict to come in "Romeo and Juliet." Through violent language, he reveals the deep-rooted feud between the Montagues and Capulets, setting the stage for their bitter r…

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After ‘Bridgerton,’ Watch Shondaland's Shakespearean Romance Series

This adaptation of Shakespeare's famous romance is just as romantic and dramatic as 'Bridgerton.'

The Big Picture

• Still Star-Crossed delves into rival families, forced marriage, and political intrigue in post- Romeo and Juliet Verona.
• The show's dark, moody atmosphere contrasts Bridgerton 's vibrancy, capturing a more Shakespearean essence.
• Enemies-to-lovers romance in the series emulates Bridgerton 's romantic intricacies, featuring powerful women in a political backdrop.

In the world of Regency-era luxury touched with modern glam, nothing thrills us more than the alluring petty drama between aristocrats and the tearing of clothes in steamy rendezvouses. Bridgerton strikes the perfect balance between frivolity and depth and leaves every fan yearning for more. If you're not quite ready to step away from the realm of lavish wardrobes, steamy drama, and larger-than-life emotions after Season 3 of Bridgerton finishes, Still Star-Crossed is another one of Shonda Rhimes ' period pieces that is inspired by the love story of Romeo and Juliet . Ditching the pastel vibrancy of the Regency era for the darker tones of a Shakespearean tragedy, Rhimes created a 7-episode series that picks up where Romeo and Juliet left off . Still Star-Crossed features a similar tantalizing romance and deceptively powerful women that we have come to know and love in Bridgerton , all while keeping the tragic essence of a classic epic romance.

Still Star-Crossed

Set in the aftermath of the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet, the show delves into the escalating conflict between the Montague and Capulet families in Verona. With the city on the brink of chaos, Prince Escalus struggles to restore peace by arranging a politically advantageous marriage between Rosaline Capulet and Benvolio Montague. Their reluctant union is fraught with tension and mistrust, but they must navigate the treacherous waters of family loyalty, romantic entanglements, and a myriad of conspiracies threatening to upend the fragile peace. Rich in drama and intrigue, the series masterfully intertwines themes of love, power, and betrayal against a backdrop of historical and Shakespearean elements.

What Is 'Still Star-Crossed' About?

Still Star-Crossed takes us back to Verona, Italy, where the Montague and Capulet houses' old vendetta is still resulting in bloodshed on the streets, and the monarch is forced to respond through a blanket law of executions without trial for anyone who is accused of committing murder. The bare bones of the famed Shakespearean story is hurried through in the first 20 minutes of Still Star-Crossed, and we continue the series with Juliet’s ( Clara Rugaard ) cousin and maiden, Rosaline Capulet ( Lashana Lynch ). Rosaline is a mix of two characters in Shakespeare's play, holding the name of the woman that Romeo ( Lucien Laviscount ) had initially loved but the role of Juliet's nurse who arranged her secret wedding. The other major departure from the original play is that the warring houses' bloodshed does not stop after Romeo and Juliet's death and is actually further aggravated .

Unlike in Romeo and Juliet ’s love story, Still Star-Crossed gives us a forced marriage, a love triangle, and an enemies-to-lovers plot , as a Montague and Capulet are forced to marry by the monarch to unite the houses and settle the civil unrest in Verona. The only thing Rosaline Capulet and Benvolio Montague ( Wade Briggs ) share is their mutual disgust with the marriage, leading them to work together to find a way to unite the houses without their wedding . The beginnings of this inevitable enemies-to-lovers arc are complicated by Rosaline's romantic past with Escalus ( Sterling Sulieman ), the charming, albeit infuriating, King of Verona who is worried about the potential enemies in bordering cities. As the series progresses, there is deception, death, and tragedy around every corner, but is brightened with hints of quiet romance and fairytale sets.

'Still Star-Crossed' Has a Darker Atmosphere Than 'Bridgerton'

While Bridgerton does delve into serious themes and features dark emotions, this is through a brightly lit, pastel kaleidoscope of rolling green fields, majestic architecture, and intricately embroidered dresses. The Regency era show dazzles us so vibrantly we eagerly feast our eyes on every delicate detail placed on the scene. In comparison, Still Star-Crossed has a more mature and moody feel , with its choices of deeper and darker tones, and a prolific use of shadows. These visual choices make it feel like the show is trying to recreate a BBC series, but with the smaller budget, it doesn't quite hit the mark.

That being said, what Still Star-Crossed manages to do with its dusky tones is emulate the essence of a Shakespearean tragedy . The contrast between the exuberant households and peasant streets is particularly pertinent to this tone, as Shakespeare often used the lower class as a refreshing point of comparison and a vehicle for his comedy. It's the ridiculousness of the shiny swords and armor worn by the two rich families as they brawl on the dirty streets, as well as the drunken remarks of the peasant class, where the classic Shakespearean wit and tone comes through. However, with the emphasis on the aristocrats and the monarch's political relations, it almost feels like we are watching a Bridgerton tragedy .

We are swept away in a world of ruffles, tassels, and embroidery, especially during the magnificent ball in the first episode. Unlike Bridgerton , which dazzles us, Still Star-Crossed almost seduces us into their world before we are ambushed by the iconic poisoning, the potential supernatural spirit of Juliet, and a confronting guillotine execution that feels strangely unjust. The show seemingly mixes the Shakespearean era with more Gothic tones, especially considering the more gloomy and sinister scenes revolving around Friar Lawrence ( Dan Hildebrand ). By harmoniously weaving in elements of Gothic and of tragedy in a regal atmosphere, the series ends up being the antithesis of the light and sugary Bridgerton .

'Still Star-Crossed' Features an Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

Despite the distinct difference in overall tone, both shows give us an indulgent dose of stomach-churning romance, proving Rhimes' mastery over steamy period dramas. In the universe of Bridgerton , including Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story , we are introduced to many couples to swoon over. Daphne Bridgerton ( Phoebe Dynevor ) and Duke Simon ( Rege-Jean Page ) kicked off the romance with a swirling drama of hate and love, that we see later in a more explicitly constructed enemies-to-lovers arc with Kate Sharma ( Simoe Ashley ) and Anthony Bridgerton ( Johnathan Bailey ) in Season 2. Even Queen Charlotte's ( Golda Rosheuvel and India Amarteifio ) relationship with King George ( Corey Mylchreest ) is, although not strictly traditionally Bridgerton -esque , but still beautiful in its own right. Still Star-Crossed 's main couple feels like it takes inspiration from all three major Bridgerton relationships but in a more quiet and unanticipated way .

Although every moment of the drama displays larger-than-life emotions, Rosaline and Benvolio's budding romance is deliciously unexpected, especially considering Rosaline's past with Escalus. Blind hate turns to respect, hesitant fondness, crime-fighting, then love, all really progressing in the tender moments of Episode 5. From the enemies-to-lovers plot, to the forced marriage for political motives, it is clear where the Bridgerton aspects are in this romance. However, this is all wrought with constant deceptions, violence and a kidnapping. On the surface, it is a more tragic and darker romance than in Bridgerton, but, each tentative glimpse at one another and, of course, when they need to cuddle for warmth, leaves us screaming silently at this gentle culmination.

Powerful Women Rule the Worlds of 'Bridgerton' and 'Still Star-Crossed'

Apart from the romance and petty drama, what is really compelling about the two shows is how women are able to achieve their goals through manipulation and subtlety, despite the public restrictions placed on them. Princess Isabelle ( Medalion Rahimi ) is particularly like Queen Charlotte in this way. Both are limited by the male on the throne who almost acts like a figurehead while they uphold the political structure in the background. With the eyes of the public constantly trained on them , watching out for any failures of traditional femininity, they both cannot allow their strengths in politics to overshadow their regal and fashion-driven demeanor.

However, while Queen Charlotte was thrown into the royal courtroom and ordered to seamlessly fit in, Princess Isabelle had been raised in royalty, always learning from the sidelines despite being trapped within Verona. While Escalus, the world-traveled Prince and now King, seems almost paranoid about the potential enemies that could come crashing through the gates of Verona, Princess Isabelle is far more concerned about the health of the city. Recognizing that the feud between the Montagues and Capulets was causing civil unrest , she convinces Escalus to solve this matter before focusing on the outside. She is as ruthless and politically-minded as her late father was, yet has to hide this behind closed doors in order to keep appearances. As such, while Escalus rambles on about outside threats and seethes in jealousy over Rosaline and Benvolio's marriage that he ordered, the underestimated Princess deftly moves around the monarchy chessboard to ensure Verona’s peace.

Raking in low numbers, unfortunately, Still Star-Crossed 's potential second season was cancelled , leaving us with only seven episodes of quiet romance and steamy drama. Rhimes' Shakespearean-inspired series may not have succeeded in maintaining a future, but its tribute to a well-loved and beautiful love story in a similar tragic tone is a journey well worth taking.

Still Star-Crossed is available to rent on Amazon in the U.S.

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‘Romeo & Juliet’ Play Starring Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Faces ‘Barrage of Racial Abuse,’ Producer Says ‘This Must Stop’

By Naman Ramachandran

Naman Ramachandran

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The Jamie Lloyd Company has hit back after its production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” has been the subject of what they call a “barrage of deplorable racial abuse” aimed at an unnamed cast member.

The play, directed by Jamie Lloyd (“Sunset Boulevard”), stars “Spider-Man: No Way Home” star Tom Holland as Romeo and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (“Bad Education”) as Juliet.

On Friday, the Jamie Lloyd Company issued a statement , saying: “Following the announcement of our ‘Romeo & Juliet’ cast, there has been a barrage of deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company. This must stop.”

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“Romeo & Juliet” is due to play at London’s Duke of York’s Theatre May 23 through Aug. 3. The run is already sold out.

In 2021, a landmark survey titled “Race Between the Lines: Actors’ Experience of Race and Racism in Britain’s Audition and Casting Process and on Set” found that 64% of respondents experienced racist stereotyping in an audition and 55% experienced racist behavior in the workplace.

In March this year, two proposed “Black Out” London West End performances of Jeremy O. Harris‘ “Slave Play” came under fire from U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s office.

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Tom Holland Is 'Beyond Proud' of New Romeo & Juliet Production After First Preview Performance

The new London production of 'Romeo & Juliet' starring Tom Holland is running through Aug. 3

Marc Brenner

Tom Holland is celebrating a successful debut performance of his new play.

The actor, 27, shared a photo of himself posing with his Romeo & Juliet costar Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and their cast and crew on Instagram May 13 after the London-based production's first preview performance.

"Tonight was the start of something so special. I’m beyond proud of our cast and crew who have gone above and beyond in every way," the actor wrote.

"I can’t wait for the rest of the run. Tonight was truly a highlight of my career and I’m so glad I get to share it with these incredible people. Love you all and see you tomorrow!"

Holland previously shared an additional image of himself onstage with costars Amewudah-Rivers and Michael Balogun, whom the production credits as playing the Friar. "But, soft! What light… it’s preview night," he wrote in a caption to that photo, referencing one of Romeo's famous lines from the William Shakespeare play.

Holland first announced in February he would return to the stage for a limited run with Romeo & Juliet in London. The Spider-Man star started his acting career in a West End production of  Billy Elliot The Musical  in 2008 at age 12 , years before he broke out as a movie star playing Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Tom Holland is one of the greatest, most exciting young actors in the world," the production's director Jamie Lloyd said in a statement shared by  Playbill at the time. "It is an honor to welcome him back to the West End."

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The production's opening comes just over a month after more than 800 actors signed an open letter condemning racist backlash against Amewudah-Rivers, who costars with Holland as Juliet.

The Jamie Lloyd Company, which is producing the play, released a  statement April 5 decrying "deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company" after it released a full cast list.

"This must stop," that statement, which did not name Amewudah-Rivers, read. "We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment." 

Holland's Romeo & Juliet is running at the Duke of Yorks' Theatre in London through Aug. 3. According to production's website, the run is currently sold out.

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A ‘Romeo and Juliet’ for people who think they know ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Saskia Martínez’s Barbie-pink, terraced set for “Romeo and Juliet” is the first clue that director Marianna Bassham is not interested in a traditional production of this oft-told tale. Her Actors’ Shakespeare Project ensemble emerges in Lisa Coleman’s contemporary outfits — hoodies and sunglasses, torn jeans, crop tops and T-shirts — all in muted shades of black and white, and they move with a fluid grace and groove (choreographed by Ilya Vidrin) that celebrates life even as the specter of death looms over the proceedings.

This expressionistic vibe strips away any expectations in a production that feels extraordinarily fresh and vibrant. It also captures a lot of humor and playfulness among these characters, who are, in so many ways, just trying to get by in a world that seems determined to thwart their simple attempts at happiness.

In the Roberts Studio Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion, Bassham assembles an outstanding group of novices and veterans who tap directly into the raw emotions that drive the action. That mixing of experienced Shakespearean actors with newcomers ups everyone’s game, and the result is performances that are absolutely transparent, driving the familiar plot twists with new awareness of our continued weakness for petty squabbles that perpetuate shocking violence.

Bassham’s dispensing of the literal interpretation of the tragedy never sacrifices Shakespeare’s poetry; instead it frees the actors to infuse their characters with an immediacy that makes them instantly recognizable. This ensemble’s ease with their characters and the language eliminates the usual need to take a few minutes to tune into Shakespeare’s “blank verse” channel. More than four centuries after this play was first performed, these characters converse without a hint of artifice, and with a sincerity and conviction that sounds uneasily like our neighbors or ourselves.

Watch Esme Allen (Lady Capulet) play the part of the spoiled rich wife whose overbright smile never reaches her eyes and whose boozy enthusiasm for her daughter Juliet’s impending marriage rings hollow. Michael Broadhurst (Mercutio) slinks and shimmies across the stage, teasing and taunting his friend Romeo. His Mercutio is appealingly complex, a man torn by a trauma he only hints at, who laughs to keep his own despair at bay. Sandra Seoane-Serí, as Tybalt, seethes with so much anger, the air fairly crackles every time her character appears on stage. This Tybalt is so driven by hatred and revenge, he simply can’t exist without it.

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But the play, of course, belongs to the young lovers, played by Evan Taylor (Romeo) and Chloe McFarlane (Juliet). Their confidence with Shakespeare’s poetry is matched only by their open, relaxed responses to each other. They imbue that sweet first kiss with a childlike innocence that instantly creates empathy even as we worry about how vulnerable they are. They have a chemistry that makes us unsurprised at their sudden attraction for each other and an excitement about what the future could hold that is contagious.

The true beauty of this production is that every member of the company makes us feel they are living this experience in real time, even though Bassham and her production team keep reminding us that the Verona of Shakespeare’s story could be anywhere, at any time. As if to keep that thought front and center, Jesse Hinson sits at a small table upstage center throughout the performance, his electric guitar and array of effects knobs and pedals providing the enchanting atmospheric soundscape as the drama unfolds.

Although we may know this will not end well, these characters do not (despite a few well-placed bits of foreshadowing), and they sweep us up in their rush of newfound love and possibility. Bassham’s contemporary, hopeful take on the ending makes the action that came before even more heart-wrenching. This “Romeo and Juliet” takes us on a ride that is never less than thrilling.

Terry Byrne can be reached at [email protected] .

ROMEO AND JULIET

By William Shakespeare. Directed by Marianna Bassham. Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project. At Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts. Through June 2. actorsshakespeareproject.org

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Briarcliff Entertainment, Hero Entertainment Acquire Pop Musical ‘Verona’s Romeo & Juliet’

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

Senior Film Reporter

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EXCLUSIVE : Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to new musical franchise Verona’s Romeo & Juliet , in partnership with Hero Entertainment and Rainmaker Films . A modern reimagining of one of the most beloved love stories of all time, the first of the films will unspool wide on Valentine’s Day 2025, in one of Briarcliff’s biggest releases to date.

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With Clara Rugaard ( Love Gets a Room ) and Jamie Ward ( His Dark Materials ) in the lead as Romeo & Juliet, the film also stars Rebel Wilson ( Pitch Perfect franchise), Rupert Everett ( My Policeman ), Jason Isaacs ( Harry Potter franchise) and Derek Jacobi ( Cinderella ), as well as Ferdia Walsh-Peelo ( CODA ), Rupert Graves ( Sherlock ), Dan Fogler ( Fantastic Beasts franchise), Nicholas Podany ( Hello Tomorrow! ) and Grammy winner Tayla Parx. Written and directed by Timothy Scott Bogart , it features a soundtrack co-created and overseen by Grammy-winning songwriter Evan Kidd Bogart.

Producers of the Verona’s Romeo & Juliet films include Bogart, Jessica Martins and Chris Torto. Executive producers include Laurence Mark ( The Greatest Showman , Dreamgirls ), Gary A. Randall ( Spinning Gold ), Tom Ortenberg, Clay Pecorin and Russell Geyser. Voltage Pictures ( After franchise) is overseeing the global rollout and representing international rights.

Continued Ortenberg, “Fans of true movie events continue to crave that electric, collective experience they can only find in a theater. And we are beyond thrilled to be bringing this Franchise to those audiences where it belongs!”

Added Voltage Pictures’ Nicolas Chartier & Jonathan Deckter, “As we’ve said from the moment we committed to come on board, ‘Verona’s Romeo & Juliet’ is truly the OG of YA – and sharing the completed first film of the Franchise is beyond a thrill for us, as it’s already been placed at the top of buyer’s priorities for its Cannes screenings.”

The deal was negotiated by WME Independent on behalf of Hero Entertainment and by Ortenberg, Jessica Rose and Danielle Goodman Strong on behalf of Briarcliff Entertainment.

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