Category: Falling in Love

Nevil Shute’s On The Beach is a thrilling story inspired by the possible outcome of nuclear war. Many changes are evident throughout the entire plot due to the situation; the end of the world. In addition to environmental changes, the lasting survivors go through profound mental, physical, and emotional changes. The character who goes through the most impactful change is Moira Davidson. From being a closed-minded victim of alcoholism to falling in love with a man she never thought she would think twice about, by the end, it is clear that Moira undergoes the most significant changes.

In the beginning, Peter Holmes, an Australian naval officer, and his wife, Mary Holmes, invite Peter’s new coworker, American captain, Dwight Towers, over to their home for dinner. Mary decides to invite her close friend Moira Davidson to join the gathering. The first impression to be made of Moira is that she is on the wilder side and finds life is better when she has a drink in her hand. Moira’s need for alcohol is evident right from the start. Her partying point of view on life is the reason why she is not very open to letting herself be vulnerable in new relationships. During a side conversation with Mary, Moira tells her that, “[she has] given up gin [because] … [she has] been having them each morning … [so] it’s brandy now” (On The Beach, 22-23). Moira’s overuse of alcohol displays how she is unable to obtain control of her addiction, which results in a feeling of helplessness. This helpless feeling goes on to make her feel as though there is no point in working on her addiction, so she continues to repeat her drinking patterns. Immediately, Shute emphasizes the amount of alcohol Moira consumes which creates a strong first impression of carelessness towards responsibilities, and instability. When Mary lets Moira know that she will not be the only guest attending the dinner, Moira does not give a very positive reaction. Mary informs Moira about Dwight’s job position and relationship status. In response, Moira expresses to Mary that he “sounds a bit dreary” and asks, “is he a fearful stick … will he … [weep] in my arms and [tell me I’m just like his late wife?” (22). The doubts Moira has about Dwight exhibits how narrow-minded she is when it comes to new relationships. Her reaction makes it clear that at this moment, she has no interest in Dwight and will never consider the possibility of a connection between them. Despite her doubt, Moira ends up slowly opening herself up to Dwight and lets loose; drinks until she is completely drunk. The next day, Moira and Dwight meet up to reflect on the previous night. Moira thinks to herself and realizes that her drunken actions were inappropriate and she must apologize to Dwight. After overcoming hesitation, Moira apologizes for the way she had been acting, “sorry I made such a fool of myself last night … [but] nothing’s a lesson to me, ever. I’ll probably do that again tomorrow night, and the night after” (44). Many assumptions can be taken from her apology. The first is that she recognizes that she has a problem but she does not do anything about it. She simply just continues to give into her bad habits which only digs her deeper into a downward spiral. In addition, because she gets so drunk when meeting Dwight for the first time proves her carelessness and lack of respect for her reputation. Ultimately, although she reveals that she does not have much self-respect, apologizing to Dwight for her actions shows that she does have respect for others. With consistent attempts to change her attitude, it is possible that with time, she will be able to grow to love herself. In summation, Moira’s initial actions grant her the reputation of a wild and helpless alcoholic with a lack of self-respect that is not so fond of the idea of being vulnerable with new people.

Fast forward six months, and by the end of their time, Moira displays evidence that her outlook on life has undergone a significant change in just a short amount of time. Conclusively, Moira is can say that she has fallen in love with a man she never thought she would ever consider. Falling in love with Dwight not only showcases that an individual can change in such a short period of time, but it also shows how over the past six months, she grows to be more open with new people in her life and not be so fearful of new opportunities. It is evident that falling in love with Dwight changes Moira for the good, and even helps reduce her dependence on alcohol. Midway into a deep conversation before their last moments, Moira lets Dwight know how important he has been to her over the past six months, “[y]ou’ve been very good for me, Dwight. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along” (227-228). Because she is being so truthful about her feelings towards Dwight, this displays that Moira has become much more open and is now able to be vulnerable without the constant worry of getting hurt. It is appropriate to relate her initial fear of getting hurt to the reason why she turns to alcohol when she does not want to face reality. Another apparent change in Moira is after falling in love with Dwight, her values change and she begins to think about her future, although it will never come, instead of always turning to a drink and living in the moment. It would have taken Dwight “[at least] five years … and he would have turned to her … she could have made him happy again” (246). As she analyzed this idea, “a tear trickled down … her nose … [and] she wiped it away irritably” (246). For a change, Moira is thinking about what her future could be like with Dwight in the picture. This is another verification that she is truly in love with him. Furthermore, although she will never make it to her future, focusing on the thought of getting married and starting a family is evidence that she has decreased her dependence on alcohol because it is no longer the only thing on her mind all the time. Besides, it is authentication that her outlook on life changes from a bachelor’s life lens to a family-driven lens. Before Dwight sets off on his journey back to the United States, he pays his last visit to Moira on the edge of a cliff. The two exchange meaningful words which move both parties to tears. Moira pours her heart out in her final words to Dwight, “I’ll be thinking of you … now go on … or I’ll be the one that starts crying … [now] there’s nothing … [to live] for” (276-277). Following Dwight’s departure, Moira stares off the edge of the cliff and whispers to herself, “Dwight if you’re on your way already, wait for me” (280). Moira expressing her emotions directly from her heart is a significant change from the fake emotions she was giving to those around her before, due to the wall she put up to protect herself. Moreover, because she will never see Dwight again, this makes her feel that she has nothing left to live for. This is significant progress in change because the previous version of herself would have drunk her feelings away and continued living life selfishly. Now that she commits so much of herself to Dwight, her morals on the meaning of life shift completely. Before Moira swallows the pill which will allow her to never wake again, she directs her last words personally to Dwight. This is a verification that she is truly in love with him because she dedicates her last words to him. In the end, Moira evolves into a whole new person by falling in love with Dwight which ultimately changes her morals and perspective on life for the better.

All in all, it is appropriate to say that Moira undergoes the greatest change, resulting in overcoming alcoholism and finding love. From being the wild alcoholic to finding a purpose in life, Moira’s renewal of values can be an inspiration for others who are trying to make changes in their life. Moira proves that anyone can evolve into a better version of themselves in just a short period of time if they try hard enough.

Love is a philosophy that can imply various things to different people, however, all concepts of love have one thing in common. People can love other people, animals, or material things now, but it is the same: love (Kaufman, 2013). Granting their desires and cognitive compulsions can lead them to fall in love. Love, in essence, combines all of these things (Kaufman, 2013). Love is not physical nor spiritual. It’s a partnership of the mind and heart, not one that you can’t put underneath your microscope and comprehension (Maguire, 2012). Loving is a mixture of thoughts and a collection of feelings (Maguire, 2012). Such feelings could be tremendously potent and beautiful. The concept of romantic love is an intense emotion that states one person encounters in comparison to the other. These kinds of feelings tend to be the most powerful some of us are susceptible to increasing rather than decreasing over time, at least to some extent (Maguire, 2012). One of the most inexplicable emotions a person can experience could be falling in love.

There are many indications of emotional shifts that correlated with the concept of lovemaking. As Thomas Lewis declares, sentimentality does more than just paint our visual landscape, it’s at the core of all we do, the inextinguishable roots of every behavior more convoluted than a reflection (Lewis, 2000, p.36). Emotions are in all contexts, the driving factor for mankind and its ubiquitous route (Lewis, 2000). This assertion endorses the idea that love, a feeling, can empower someone to do something they will not necessarily pursue (Lewis, 2000). This indicates that it’s the greatest sensation when people are in love that they construct all behavior. According to an article by Schalkwyk, Shakespeare believes that love was a powerful emotion, and falling in love can trigger the man’s mind to take precedence over all the other emotions as Romeo and Juliet did throughout the couples ‘disastrous story (Schalkwyk, 2011). Falling in love is the product of allowing the natural, right-minded person to override these emotions.

Love is composed of several emotions and thoughts, however, there are three components that are essential to have true love (Love). Sternberg, a psychologist, appears to agree that the love triangle necessitates three parts: A relationship can indeed be comprehended as a triangle in which each implication is among the three parts: commitment, intimacy, and passion (Love). The three essential components play a pivotal role in creating and sustaining love until someone’s fallen into it. They need to comprehend and carry different meanings in the minds of others, however, in order to truly encounter love, they have to use every cornerstone to function for their real love (Love).

A bunch of stuff can constitute a barrier to intimacy. Sternberg stated several indications about intimacy, like those of sharing joy with treasured ones, keeping the loved one in total contempt, closely engaging with the beloved one, and cherishing the valued one (Sternberg, 1986). Through cultivating intimacy, the loving person may widen the scope of the intensity of his or her unconditional love (Sternberg, 1986). In essence, this could lead someone to tumble into a deeper connection with someone they fall towards.

Passion seems to be a cornerstone of genuine love. Sternberg asserts that passion is predominantly a manifestation of needs and wants such as ego-esteem, companionship, association, superiority, obedience, and sexual gratification (Sternberg, 1986). This kind of desire develops affection; hence, displaying the second barricade expands on and is important for loving as a whole to develop (Sternberg, 1986). To give in to cognitive and emotional joy gives ego-gratitude to someone who has fallen out of love. They conclude that we offer unconditional love to the source of their devotion, which in all truth, they only fulfill their use for love themselves (Sternberg, 1986).

The final point of the love triangle is a compromise/decision. Commitment, depending entirely on the development associated with the partnership, may either be a long or short time (Sternberg, 1986). To get beyond the challenges of life this part is important for love (Sternberg, 1986). This is what the partnership keeps together in all, however, without love, devotion is merely a bond between the two lives (Sternberg, 1986). This commitment is perhaps a choice the individual who feels love makes (Sternberg, 1986). They just cannot decide on their friends and/or family, yet they do determine who they want to form a bond with and when (Sternberg, 1986). Consequently, affection and love are required for decision/commitment to building an atmosphere for people to fall in love with each other.

Even though it can be quite easy to grasp the dynamics associated with love when faced with them, choosing the right individual to form a relationship with is still a struggle. It is impossible to remain in love or to choose someone to fall in love with: no doubt couples rise far beyond the truth, whereas they realize they will never love someone else (Jhangiani, 2014). Individuals are remarkably malleable and human existence is somewhat lengthy; however, men and women are far more physiologically intricate than most animals, so innumerable are their demands and characteristics (Jhangiani, 2014). It could generally be challenging for many of them to meet someone with whom they may openly discuss a profound and sustaining fondness (Jhangiani, 2014). Whenever someone is spotted giving all into desires, as well as having a relationship, the person who falls in love is engaged, perhaps prolonged or brief-term, but will always be loyal to their significant other (Jhangiani, 2014).

Several romantic unbelievers claim if individuals truly fell in love they wouldn’t be battling or making an argument with each other. Buss published that this perplexing occurrence has one feature-testing the loving relationship (Buss, 2000, p.211). The two partners in the partnership continue to recognize what their mate is dedicated to (Buss, 2000, p.211). Evaluating how much the cherished one behaves when pushed into a corner may show to the seeker how often, or how less, the ones they love are willing to give up if pushed into a particular circumstance (Buss, 2000, p.211). Jealousy also takes a significant part, throughout this relationship check. Buss went on to claim, “Eliciting jealousy intentionally emerges as another assessment device to gauge the strength of the mate’s commitment” (Buss, 2000, p.211). This requires certain resentment to sustain the feeling if it was not valued, the passion could be lost eventually.

The romantic compulsions with an individual involve having a relationship with someone, as well. Individuals get impulses above the usual ordinary feelings when they’re in love with someone. Victor Karandashev indicated individuals know early on in life to suppress their sexual desires among people: The partners will not immediately proceed to sexual activity as it is marginalized and concealed, still kept back, locked up until the bells of an arrangement ring or till they confess unending affection for one another (Karandashev, 2015). This assertion illustrates how culture has created such desires to be thwarted, but when someone falls in love, they transcend the societal glare they can get, and place them on a path with their romantic urges.

Through instances of emotional changes and cognitive indulgences, falling in love effects from giving in to those desires they feel. If these impulses are too powerful for the individual to bear without emotions, they will either be compelled to battle or to even go down in flames, however, they may fall in love, and they do. However, though falling in love will occur to one individual multiple times in their life, every time it comprises all the above elements and allows them to cave into the free-flowing emotions to encounter the love they have had to offer their mate.

Sternberg utilizes the triangle to illustrate how we grow to fall in love. The portion of each part in comparison to the other two is depicted by each side of the triangle (Love). The triangle design used by Sternberg is meant to signify the contrast of intimacy, passion, and commitment, as it is balanced for all sides (Love). This is the kind of love that we all wish for at one moment in time. This is the type of affection that we prefer to equate with leading a life full of wonder and devotion (Love). Sternberg understands that only a few relationships will sustain this ideal equilibrium forever, but many relations are productive throughout the midst of tremendous challenges, since both sides respect love, pursue it, and strive hard to preserve it. (Sternberg, 1986).

When the intensity of love generated by two individuals is complete, so is the triangle of love zone, and vice versa. Additionally, the bigger the specific aspect of love is, like infatuation, the more the point from the center of the triangle would be that component (Sternberg, 1986). This is how the form of the love triangle depends on the strength of the numerous relationships (Love). Over time the form of the triangle could and will continue to evolve. We can preserve certain essential aspects of affection as consummate love, however, we all know that real love is challenging and sustaining throughout time as we have to cultivate it for all its pieces (Love). Further, the couple is centered on complementing and rejuvenating the three elements of consummate love, the further attraction that love could be in society today when someone mentions the word love, at least some people with you might shudder. Either it is through preconception or expertise, people are coming to comprehend that affection was hardly a stable state to reside in and include for such a problem; others tend to stay away (Kaufman, 2013). It’s bound to break hearts and resentment, and it’s not always pleasant thereafter, fully accept it or not (Kaufman, 2013). Indeed, love has its positives (Maguire, 2012). Love does have its positive ones, as well. Once you’re in love, it will be fun and pleasant, but occasionally it’s also catatonic and the problem isn’t really whether life is good or bad for you (Maguire, 2012). You should only allow the choice.

The Beatles were one of the most famous boy bands in the ’90s. Each member had a contribution to the band. Ringo Starr played drums, George Harrison played lead guitar, John Lennon played rhythm guitar and Paul Mccartney played bass. With the different instruments each of them plays, they still connected together to create a boy band no one will forget. Just like the Beatles, William Shakespeare does a wonderful job of incorporating all sorts all literary devices in his writing. However, the most important essential is the extras that leave people thinking. The Beatles did not stick to only one genre of music, they incorporated classical elements, older pop, pop ballads, and even Indian music into hard rock. And William Shakespeare uses allusion to reference several myths of Roman and Greek Gods in his play Romeo and Juliet. He refers to Aurora, goddess of dawn, Phaethon, god of the sun, Cupid, god of love, Echo, a beautiful nymph, and Venus, goddess of love. Each of these allusions helps support the themes that when one has a great loss, they will often feel depressed and do stupid things, youth is often impatient, youth is impetuous, one may feel a deep love for someone and often seek their attention and, love cannot be forced.

Cupid is the god of attraction, attraction, love, and affection. Carrying a bow and a quiver filled with golden arrows to cause desire and leaden arrows to extinguish the slightest chance of love, Cupid struck the hearts of several mortals and gods as well as played with their emotions. Apollo, the god of the sun, had just defeated a horrible dragon that lived in Delphi. Because of his victory, he had gotten so arrogant that he ruthlessly told Cupid to leave war-like weapons to powerful gods like himself. Cupid wanted revenge for what Apollo had said to him, so he struck a gold arrow at Apollo and made him fall in love with Daphne, a beautiful, young nymph. However, Cupid struck a leaden arrow at Daphne to make her have no love in her heart. Under the spell of the arrow, Apollo continued to follow Daphne, but she continued to reject him. She did not want to be married and especially touched by any man for the rest of her life. So Daphne cried out to her father, Peneus, god of the river, for help. Peneus transformed Daphne into a laurel tree with an excellent scent. Once Apollo found out, he was heartbroken. Apollo then made the tree sacred and vowed to wear it as clothing. The laurel then became a symbol of Apollo and poetry (Schumm).

In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses allusion to reference the myth of Cupid to convey the theme that youth is impetuous. In Act I, Romeo is lovesick, and he explains to Benvolio that he is in love with a woman who does not love him back. In Act I, Scene I, Romeo says, “Well in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit/With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit,/And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,/From Love’s weak childish bow she lives unharmed./She will not stay the siege of loving terms,/Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,/Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold./O, she’s rich in beauty; only poor/That, when she dies, with beauty, dies her store” (19). Romeo is stating that Rosaline will not be ‘hit’ with Cupid’s arrow, so she will not fall in love with him. Rosaline’s beauty is going to end with her because she does not want to be involved with a guy. Just like the myth of Apollo and Daphne, Rosaline wants to remain a virgin and untouched. However, Romeo continues to push and does not understand that Rosaline is not interested in him. He does not have a sense of maturity and blamed Rosaline’s vow of chastity for not being interested in him. Romeo is too childish to see that forcing love will make a person more distant. Finally, the theme that youth is impetuous is proven through the use of allusion to the myth of Cupid in Romeo and Juliet.

Phaethon is the god of the sun, light, knowledge, music, art, and poetry. When Phaethon was a child, his mother Clymene would point out to her husband, Phoebus, that rises the sun and his passing through the sky. One day, “Phaethon begged his father, Phoebus, to let him drive the chariot of the sun” (“Phaethon”). Patiently, Phoebus explained to Phaeton that the four fiery steeds would be beyond his control and that he would kill himself if he tried to drive the chariot. However, Phaeton continued to plead and beg. Since Phoebus made a promise to his son saying he will grant him any wish, Phoebus reluctantly agreed to the boy’s wishes. Phaeton knew that his friends would be there to see him so they can be convinced that Phoebus was his father. When the time came, Phaeton quickly became impatient and whipped the horses, losing control of them almost instantly. The sun-chariot veered out of control moving closer and closer to earth. Zeus, horrified by the destruction, attacked Phaethon with a thunderbolt, killing him (“Phaethon”).

The theme that youth is often impatient is proven through the use of allusion to the myth of Phaethon in Romeo and Juliet. In Act III, Juliet is anxiously waiting for nightfall to come so she can finally see Romeo and have their honeymoon. In Act III Scene II it states, “Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,/ Towards Phoebus lodging! Such a wagoner/ As Phaeton would whip you to the west/ And bring in cloudy night immediately” (61). Juliet wishes that Apollo would whip his fiery horses and make them move much faster to hurry and bring nightfall. Just like in the myth of Phaethon, Juliet is also impatient and wants things to go her way. The death of Phaethon was caused because he did not listen to his father and he carelessly rode the horses without listening to any advice given to him. Similar to Phaethon, Romeo persuades Juliet to get closer together even when their families are rivals. This rash decision caused several problems, for they would immediately commit suicide if they saw each other die. Conclusively, the myth of Phaethon is used to support the theme that youth is often impatient in Romeo and Juliet.

Venus is the goddess of love, sex, beauty, and fertility. She was in several love affairs with both gods and mortals. One of those affairs included an arranged marriage. She was forced to marry a person that she was not interested in to prevent a war of the gods fighting for her hand. Hera, the queen of gods, arranged for her son, Hephaestus, to marry the goddess of love. And willingly Zeus, Aphrodite’s adoptive father, agreed. However, the marriage between a beautiful/irresistible goddess and an ugly/lame god did not go well. Aphrodite did not love him and decided to have countless affairs between gods and mortals behind his back. One of these affairs was with Ares, the god of war. However, this affair did not remain secret for long, as the god of the sun, Helius, saw them in Ares’ palace. Once Helius told Hephaestus what he saw, Hephaestus decided to get payback. He secretly attached an unbreakable net to the side of his bed. Then he said goodbye to Aphrodite, saying he is going to go to Lemnos for the time being. As soon as Hephaestus left, Aphrodite sent for Ares, where they spent the night together. In the morning, Hephaestus walked in and saw Ares and Aphrodite trapped in the net. Upset, he gathered gods to witness the naked helpless couple. In the end, they got divorced and went their separate ways (“First of the Red-Hot Lovers: Aphrodite”).

William Shakespeare alluded to the myth of Venus in Romeo and Juliet to convey the theme that love can not be forced. At the beginning of Act IV, Paris is talking to Friar about Juliet and why the wedding is happening so soon. Paris states, “Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt’s death,/ And therefore have I little talked of love;/ For Venus smiles not in a house of tears” (79). Paris says that Juliet’s grief about Tybalt’s death has made her unbalanced. And that Capulet has determined they should get married soon so that Juliet can stop crying. Paris does not want Juliet’s crying to worsen by talking of love because he wants Venus to bless his and Juliet’s marriage. Venus is the goddess of love, who “smiles not” on a grieving family. So therefore, Paris is having a difficult time wooing Juliet because she is too busy crying about Romeo. Juliet does not want to marry Paris because she already has a person she loves dearly. This is comparable to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, because she did not want to marry someone she does not love, so instead, she would sneak out and be with Ares. Love is something very powerful and meaningful. When one loves someone, one will do whatever it takes to be with them. However, love can not be forced even if one thinks one can provide more for the other person. Finally, in Romeo and Juliet, the myth of Venus is used to support the theme that love can not be forced.

Aurora is the goddess of dawn. Every day, Aurora went through the skies to announce the arrival of dawn. She brings light from the far East to overcome the night. Just like other gods and goddesses, Aurora was in love. She was in love with a mortal named Tithonus, a prince of Troy. But before Tithonus, she fell in love with Ares, the god of war. Ares could not deny such a beautiful goddess. However, when Ares’s wife, Aphrodite, goddess of love, found out, she cast a spell on Aurora. Making the goddess of dawn never stop falling in love. Due to the curse, Aurora fell in love with Tithonus. The goddess of dawn wanted Tithonus to become just like her, immortal. So she went to Zeus, king of the gods, for a wish. The king of the gods granted her wish and they lived happily for a while. However, Aurora forgot to ask for his never-ending youth, so Tithonus started aging. In the end, Tithonus continue to grow old, and then finally, died. The sight of him filled her with such sadness that she could not bear to look at him. So she left him alone and traveled, falling in love with others (Friedman).

In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses allusion to reference the myth of Aurora to convey the theme that when one has a great loss, one will often feel depressed and do stupid things. In Act I Scene I, Lord Montague expresses his concern for his son Romeo stating that at dawn, he sees Romeo crying. Lord Montague says, “But all so soon as the all-cheering sun/ Should in the farthest East begin to draw/ The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed,/ Away from light steals home my heavy son/…(17)” Romeo’s lack of enthusiasm for live shows that something worries him and keeps him awake at night. He hides in his room because he is depressed that Rosaline left him. While Romeo is sleeping at dawn, the goddess Aurora awakes from her sleep and ascends to the sky. When Montague refers to her, he is acknowledging that Romeo prefers the darkness because of his sadness and tries to avoid the light of dawn. Just like Romeo, the goddess of the dawn was very upset that one of her lovers had left her. She was so sad that she ran away from her dying husband and fell in love with other mortals and gods. Both Romeo and Aurora suffered a great loss due to their past lovers. Romeo was so depressed that he would cry in bed and would not get out even if the sun was rising. Therefore, when one has a great loss, they will often feel depressed and do stupid things. The use of Aurora in Romeo and Juliet helps convey that theme.

Echo was a magical mountain nymph who had the most beautiful voice ever. Echo was very kind and possessed a good heart. However, Zeus took advantage of Echo’s kindness one day while messing around with different nymphs. Spotting Echo in the forest, he asked her to help him escape from his wife Hera, Queen of the Gods. One could not possibly turn down a request from Zeus, King of all Gods. Hera knew that Zeus has had several affairs, so she followed him to catch him. However, Echo would distract her by talking and gossiping to her in long-winded conversations, helping Zeus escape. After several times Echo helped Zeus, Hera finally figured out what was going on. Hera was so angry that she cast a curse on Echo, making her only able to repeat the last words/sounds she heard. After being cursed, Echo spotted a young beautiful man. For the first time, Echo fell madly in love with him. However, she was not able to talk to him, so she did what she can only do, follow him into the woods. The young man, Narcissus, knew that she was following him, so he called out to her, but all she could do was repeat the words that he said. Narcissus shouted to go away. Echo, sad, went inside a cave and stayed there forever, until becoming only an echo. Narcissus came across a stream and saw his reflection in the water. He fell in love with his reflection. Every day, he would lay by the stream, admiring himself. He was so distracted that he stopped eating, drinking, and even sleeping. Finally, he passed away (Donn).

William Shakespeare uses the myth of the Echo to support the theme that one may feel a deep love for someone and often seek their attention. In Act II Scene II, Juliet tries to call Romeo without making any noise and says, “Bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud;/ Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,/ And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine/ With repetition of my Romeo’s name./ Romeo!” (42). Juliet compares herself to Echo, who was cursed by the goddess, Hera, to forever repeat the words that were spoken to her. Juliet wishes that she can cry out Romeo’s name, yet she can not since she is forced to stay home. So instead, Juliet wants Echo to repeat Romeo’s name over and over again until Echo’s voice becomes discordant. In the myth, Echo fell completely in love with a person who only cares about himself. She tried so hard to get noticed by him, but eventually gave up. With sorrow, Echo faded away into a cave. As for Narcissus, he got so occupied with staring at his reflection, that he also died, only becoming a Narcissus flower. In the play, Romeo and Juliet are willing to do whatever it takes to see each other, even if it is disobedient children to their parents. They want to be together no matter what the results may be. They love each other so much that they endure so many problems just to be in the presence of each other.

Conclusively, William Shakespeare included several allusions to Greek and Roman mythology in Romeo and Juliet that help prove the themes that youth is impetuous, youth is often impatient, love cannot be forced, when one has a great loss, they will often feel depressed and, one may feel a deep love for someone and often seek their attention. The theme that youth is impetuous is proven through the use of Cupid. When Cupid struck Apollo with a golden arrow and Daphne with a leaden arrow, Apollo could not resist Daphne. But Daphne had no interest in him. Just like this myth, Romeo is helplessly in love with Rosaline, who does not love him back. Romeo is too immature to realize that Rosaline is not into him. The theme that Youth is often impatient is proven through the use of Apollo. Apollo was so impatient to ride the chariot, that when he carelessly rode it he got himself killed. This is comparable to Romeo and Juliet because Juliet wants Romeo to come to her place secretly, which causes several problems in the end. The theme, love cannot be forced is proven through the goddess Venus. Venus was in an arranged marriage with a guy she did not love, so she would sneak out of the house and have an affair with Ares. Just like the myth, Juliet is forced to marry Paris even though she is already married. Aurora help conveys the theme that when one has a great loss, one will often feel depressed and do stupid things. Aurora was in love with Tithonus who died of old age. Aurora was devastated when he died, so she ran away, falling in love with other gods/mortals. This is comparable to Romeo and Juliet because when Romeo and Rosaline broke up, Romeo cried all day and was so depressed. Lastly, one may feel a deep love for someone and often seek their attention is proven by the myth of the Echo. Echo was in love with Narcissus but when he turns her down, she died in a cave, only leaving behind her voice. And Narcissus was in love with himself, that he forgot to eat and drink, and then died. This connects to Romeo and Juliet because they both killed themselves for their strong, passionate love. William Shakespeare uses several Greek and Roman gods to help support several themes.

‘Sometimes you have to forget what you feel, and remember what you deserve.’. I’m not sure who said or wrote it, but after reading Simone’s book, The Woman Destroyed, her fiction has the ability to deeply and powerfully influence my emotions, views, and opinions. The Woman Destroyed, a collection of three novellas by Simone, explores the complexity of womanhood in a collection of three women, all past their early youth, all confronting unanticipated crises and bound by circumstance. Each story is narrated by a woman who suffers different struggles with success, loss, thoughts, emotions, freedom, and relationship with another. Well, see here how Simoun focuses on rare insight into the inequalities and complexities of women’s lives that are unsurpassable.

The ‘ Age of Discretion’ is a narrative that relates to our feelings about the aging process in some way. The protagonist is relatable in the sense that we constantly question ourselves about the thoughts we have in our heads. These second novellas, written in the first person, are about aging, insecurities, disappointments, and everyday thoughts. The protagonist’s wife is always thinking of a question for her husband that she is unable to answer, and her insecurities occasionally exacerbate the situation. She also overthinks things, which results in misunderstandings. Her son’s rejection of the career path she chose for him, as well as the rejection of her most recent scholarly work, make her fear that she will be unable to produce anything. This narrative makes me upset and disgusted with the protagonist because of her selfishness toward her son. She should encourage him in whatever he does as a mother, rather than telling him what she believes is best for him. He is now his own person, and she should strive to comprehend the situation better now that his kid is an adult and accept his decisions. As a result, she must be aware that this is not at all greedy. It’s all about pursuing goals, just like theirs. To summarize, this narrative is primarily about what goes on in our heads, all of the assumptions we make, and the things we refuse to accept to ourselves. As a result, it is critical to remember that change, like our age, is unavoidable. People change, and we change as well. What we need to do is learn to adapt to all changes.

‘The monologue’ is clearly out of my taste. It’s difficult to read and understand. It depicts a woman’s self-imprisonment. As a result of her daughter’s suicide, a mom displays pain and bitterness. The novel is told from the perspective of a single woman named Murielle, and it deals with age and grief. Sylvie, her first marriage’s daughter, has died. She appears to have divorced from her second husband, with custody of their kid. As a result, she’s left with nothing but herself. Murielle’s vision has been clouded by envy and anguish, making it difficult for her to notice her own independence. She still seeks emotional support from her husband. But no one else was interested in her.

The ‘Woman Destroyed’, the final story and the title of the collection, is a long series of diary entries by Monique. Monique’s husband, Maurice, has confessed to having an affair and asks that she be okay with it. With the recommendation of her friends, she concurs to permit him to retain it. That grew to become out to be a mistake. It’s because he never changes. Inescapably, Monique seems fed up with the loss of freedom, jealousy, loss, self-doubt, and fear is clear how De Beauvoir makes the woman experience emotional repression. And to me personally, it assaults me how a female can be given all of the wrongdoings of her husband simply due to the fact she thinks he’s going to change. And the truth that De Beauvoir indicates how guys behave badly and the way women get upset, it’s far certainly now no longer some distance from reality. I also question myself, ‘How far women can go?’, because it clearly shows how Monique slowly losing herself in her situation and it saddens me. I think at the end of the story, there may be no intended meaning through the message, but Simone clearly sympathizes with the men.

The author, Simone De Beauvoir, offers a mission to us readers on how we ought to criticize and how can we interpret her stories. After reading ‘The Woman Destroyed’, she presents her tales in the usage of impenetrable language, where the story offers an emotional struggle and powerful depiction of any one hardships with a period time of their life. Also, it examines the psychological response of a woman who feels betrayed by whom she trusted the most. And I personally admire how she controls our emotions towards the character and the story itself, and it was done in a creative way. Additionally, Simone’s work makes us appreciate the value of being a woman in a relationship and in our lives. This book gives me the idea that De Beauvoir has captured my feelings and perspectives on life. This book gave me a lot of pleasure and taught me a lot about my emotions. It was one of the most fantastic pieces I’ve ever read, and it was so pleasant in the way it threw me off till the very end.

There are three stories in ‘The Woman Destroyed,’ but my favorites are ‘The Age of Descrition’ and ‘The Woman Destroyed.’ They essentially drew my attention. Simoun’s understanding of their thoughts is astounding. Despite my dislike for each character and their characteristics throughout the novel. It is a wonderful book that portrays several ladies and their terrible experiences. The purpose and meaning of marriage, relationships, love, and life are all questioned in each story. As a result, Simoun’s art serves as a cautionary tale about living a meaningful life. This novel, on the other hand, provides one of the best depictions of emotions I’ve ever read. It caused me to suffer alongside them, to share their goals and dreams, and to feel their despair. This book is ideal for women who should place a higher priority on themselves. Furthermore, Simone’s account appeared plausible to me. It’s because many women have gone through what Monique has gone through. Also, I’ve heard a similar story about the woman’s situation in the ‘Age of Discretion,’ and what I’ve learned is that we can all avoid those things from happening.

To sum up, I’d want to underline the above-mentioned quotation. ‘Sometimes you have to forget what you feel and remember what you deserve,’ Simone writes in her book, which serves as a wake-up call to any woman out there to not settle for less in a relationship. That you should value yourself even if you are in a relationship. Like the movie I saw a week ago that says, ‘Love should not hurt, love should not be supposed to hurt you, if it hurts you, it’s not love,’ we must understand our limits and how to walk away from a relationship since it will make you question your value, just like Monique did. Therefore, this work of De Beauvoir was an incredible piece.

“If all else perished and she remained, I should still continue to be. And if all else remains and she were annihilated, the universe will turn into a mighty stranger. I should not seem a part of it.” This line quoted by Slavoj Zizek in his talk about “Love as a Political Category” is a clear expression of love, as we know it. That there is someone who is the most special among others. That if this someone will be lost, the other will lose also its sense of meaning i.e. the beloved’s existence brought colors to the world of the lover. And it seems that the universe conspires to make its existence precedes essence. However, is this really love? Is this really the essence of love? When one talks about love, one can provide numerous meanings about it. The English word ‘love’ is derived from Germanic forms of the Sanskrit lube (desire), is broadly defined and hence imprecise. It only generates different problems of definition and meaning. When we ask someone about the meaning of love, the natural attitude would conclude that love is something that is romantic, a happy ending story. Nevertheless, if one would look at love through the lens of a phenomenological attitude, the Cinderella or even the Snow White story might be a wrong standard of what love is. And sometimes it seems useless to use the term. When a teacher loves his student, it can create confusion. The teacher might be put to prison or promoted. The point is one could not really grasp the totality of the meaning of the sweet word love.

However, the problem was resolved to some extent by the reference to the Greek terms, eros, agape, and philia. The eros is used to refer to that part of love constituting a passionate or intense desire for something. It is often referred to as sexual desire but for the ancient Greeks, eros is more than that. The agape is love based on caring. One cares for the other and sees that part of one’s happiness is the happiness of the other. Furthermore, if both agape and eros will be balanced and sustain their balance, it eventually paves the way to philia. Philia is often incorporated as friendship. The philia is the basis for a positive long-term relationship. When eros overrides agape it’s an exploitation. The lover just took advantage of the weakness of the beloved. On the other hand, agape without eros is arrogance. The lover just provides everything to the beloved because of the notion that the beloved cannot do something in return.

To achieve this friendship or the philia, one must have an elementary experience of what we presume as love. One must experience the fall in love. A fall is an important event in love. Love is the relationship between the lover and the beloved. And before the advent of the love relationship, the fall must take place. Quoting Zizek he said, ‘Love without the fall is like drinking a beer without alcohol, a coffee without caffeine, and so on and so on.’ The fall is not an ordinary fall but a mysterious way of falling. That all of a sudden, in a totally contingent manner, the peaceful life was disturbed. If prior to falling in love, one’s usual routine is to eat and read and eat and read. After the fall, the balance was destroyed. Instead of doing the usual routine which is to eat and read-only, now the one already set aside time intended only for thinking about the other. Additionally, to love without the experience of the fall is to embrace illusion as another version of the truth. And instead of finding salvation, one finds eternal damnation.

Finally, as to the real and true meaning of love, it does not exist yet until you experienced it. It is just a word until someone comes and gives its meaning.

In the past years, I lived a life with no directions to follow. My heart was chained with emotional numbness and rejected the attempts of falling in love with the wrong person. I was scared of giving appreciation to others without even being appreciated in the very first place. I thought that I was living a happy, kind, exciting, and fascinating life, but it was nothing when I compared it with life when I was in love. The day I realized that my life was black and white and my only love was embellishing it with striking colors. What is more, every new day brings new colors, surprising me with their multiformity. It’s like I found myself in a new world, the world of just two persons, where we will live eternally.

As time passed, I got engaged, and my cold perception of love eventually changed because of him. As I met him for the first time, he was a pure reflection of God’s creation. His beautiful soul was heavenly and exceptional, provided that his voice was like a perfect melody to our love song. I couldn’t provide a perfect adjective that would perfectly describe his perfect kindness in this imperfect world. It was like a huge puzzle to me. His eyes were the ocean of secrets.

But the moment I met him for the first time, He stared at me, and my world became a paradise. It seemed that his angel’s face stuck in my brain and his innocent voice was intimate as the rustle of the sheet. The scent of her hair was truly remarkable and the way she smiled at me was closer to perfection. She was classified as the goddess of admiration and did not belong to humankind. She was the best one of the best ones. Her unique and prevailing beauty caught my attention and the cheerfulness of her personality captured my entire affection towards her. She was immaculately the complete package of awesomeness and her charismatic approach gave life to my dying heart.

Every night, confusion invaded my mind. All of the questions bothered me about whether this feeling was true or not. I couldn’t believe that my useless and boring life before was converted into a happy, enjoyable, and meaningful one. My world was fantasized and the feeling was so incredible. All these things happened because of that man that I never dream of. Because of this special kind of twisted experience, I can now confidently say that love is a holistic value that gives meaning to everyone’s life. The absence of it is closely related to the tasteless manipulation of one’s perception. To be in love is actually a direct indicator that your acting like a kid, who wants to be loved.

On 1 January, I got a message that changed my whole life with the reality that he wrote about himself. That day my heart broke in a piece, I could not even believe how he played with my feelings and emotions. That last message woke me up with that wrong feeling that I connected to a part of you others never feel. I saw a part of your soul you never wanted to let out of the bag. I touched you and saw your reaction, beautiful and raw. For those moments you were more real than the blood in my own veins, and I felt you like the beating of my own heart. The bond we forged was still molten when you pulled away, too nascent to resist your urge to hide once more. I called for you, held out my hands, and let my face become wet with untold tears; but you would not or could not return to my love. And so my world has become blacker than it ever was before, darker for your absence, loneliness crippling my every thought. My lungs struggled for breath against ribs of stone and my feet have lost their wanderlust. Before I met you my heart was soft, with you it became strong and vibrant, now it is simply broken.

Still, I miss him. How I believe he was not in my life, his voice in my head calling my name, his hands touching my hair, the way he was in love with his brown eyes. It’s hard to believe that he is not any more mine, and he is the father of somebody else kid. How I live my life with his memory, his memories become a treasure in my life. He left me with depression, and in a world where everybody was pointing me out for not being with you.

In the lecture by Doctor Helen Fisher titled, “Why People Fall in Love”, she explores precisely that- explaining what emotional, biological, and physical drives lead human beings to fall in love with another person. Though we have always had an innate drive for reproduction, humans did not initially evolve as monogamous beings. Fisher believes that initial romantic attraction stemmed from mammal mating rituals and sexual competition within the animal kingdom. This phenomenon is even noted by Charles Darwin as, “what has become known as ‘mate choice’, as a central aspect of intersexual selection, the type of sexual selection by which individuals of one sex evolve traits that attract members of the opposite sex.” This phenomenon is akin to what is familiarly known today as natural selection. Though modern humans no longer resort to flashy displays of feathers or intricate dances, the way we attract and find attraction in other humans has only further developed, as seen in Fisher’s aforementioned lecture.

First, Fisher separates the idea of love into three unique categories. The first base level of attraction is the “sex drive”, the need for sexual gratification. It can be as instantaneous as seeing someone that you find physically attractive standing at a party or a bar. The sex drive is connected to the hormone testosterone, and in turn, is our most animalistic sense of love and attraction. The sex drive is focused on one singular goal in a person’s life and can be temporarily satiated, but like cracked glass, it will not stay full forever. For humans, our levels of androgens (male sex hormones, like testosterone) decline with age, meaning that to form meaningful and lasting relationships with another human being, it must extend beyond the boundaries of sexual desire and into the realm of romantic attraction and attachment.

The second category of love is “romantic attraction”, arguably the most complex of the three. Romantic attraction, also called courtship attraction, is what determines whether one’s feelings for someone extend beyond just sexual chemistry. It involves three hormones: dopamine, norephedrine, and serotonin, and they all play an important part in determining how and why we fall in love. We can see in animals the connection of hormone responses to emotional feelings, and humans are no exception. The brain produces dopamine, which is responsible for positive rewards when we do things that please us. Certain actions or even certain people create different levels of dopamine reactions. Dopamine’s effect on the brain can explain why some people feel romantic attraction for a partner after casual sex, orgasms flood the brain with dopamine and which in turn can be interpreted as, or even spark, romantic attraction. This influence of hormones is why we feel “butterflies” or our palms become sweaty when we are around someone we find romantically attractive. However, romantic attraction is more than just the influence of chemicals on the brain. As Fisher describes, “It’s like a fever. It comes and goes quite independently from the will.”

The last category is “attachment”. Fisher says that “partner attachment, or pair-bonding, in birds and mammals, is characterized by mutual territory defense and/or nest building, mutual feeding and grooming, maintenance of close proximity, separation anxiety, shared parental chores and affiliative behaviors.” Once past the stage of initial sexual chemistry, and upon the decision of deciding to become partners, “attachment” determines whether partners can bond with each other and pursue long term relationships. Attachment affects a part of the brain also linked to physical pain. Fisher explains that it is the same area that is affected by a toothache. Humans can become addicted to anything that brings them pleasure, and love is no exception. If a couple separates, they both are not receiving their usual doses of dopamine, which in turn may lead to a string of casual relationships or casual sex. Attachment is far more than just a commitment between two people, it is an exchange of neurotransmitters and hormones that can become addictive.

After assessing and reading about Doctor Helen Fisher’s claims, I do find them to be convincing. From a simple biological standpoint, her information seems credible and I also held onto this conclusion even after reading research from others. Her presentation was backed by research from other scientists, basic biological data as well as her own clinical trials and experimentation. It was presented in a way that was easy to comprehend and she offered definitions and explanations for almost every aspect of her presentation. All in all, I found her work in the video lecture to be convincing and seemingly accurate.

To be sure that what she claimed was factual, I checked with other scientific journals and articles written by credible individuals. An especially interesting scientific journal I found was written by Helen Fisher herself, Arthur Aron, and Lucy Brown, titled: “Romantic Love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice”. This text dives much deeper into the physical and biological changes that the body endures when falling in love and explains why certain neurotransmitters and hormones affect us the way that they do. Touching on ideas from Charles Darwin, this article explains how hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine determine the way we love one another. Another researcher who I looked into was Psychologist Rick Hanson who was a Senior Fellow at UC Berkley. In his article titled, “The Evolution of Love” he explains how humans evolved to have the capacity for love, and why. His theory that humans developed a complex emotional capacity over time to better care for their young, is consistent with what Fisher explained in her research.

Chapter 3 of “Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding” is heavily intertwined with the topic of how humans feel love and attraction. In Fisher’s presentation, she showed brain scans of couples who have been in love for long periods, and the scans showed an increase of activity in the ventral tegmental area, the area responsible for the production of dopamine. The feelings of love and attraction are also heavily linked to the endocrine system, as hormones such as dopamine and serotonin factor in majorly to our feelings of love and attraction. Love itself is a large chemical process that relies on many factors of the body to function in its entirety.

The documentary titled Brainsex: Why We Fall in Love was an interesting approach to the scientific reasons why we fall in love. They explain evolutionary factors as to why we are attracted to others, for example, men are more attracted to women they perceive as youthful and fertile, who make good candidates for childbearing, and women are attracted to the faces of men whom they find friendly and approachable, making for easy mating. Many of the facts mentioned in this documentary were general, surface-level explanations for human attraction, which I believe to be a bit outdated in today’s culture. Some claims even felt a bit pseudo-scientific. Another fact mentioned in the documentary was that women are most attracted by men with money and power, which will, in turn, lead to a more prosperous life for their children. I do not believe this to be entirely false, but in my opinion, I felt that many deeper and more emotional reasons for the attraction were omitted. Some things I did find interesting, however, were that women and men have the same hormonal changes as when exposed to pornography and that when women ovulate, their senses of smell are heightened to male pheromones. I think an interesting perspective in this documentary would have covered same-sex attraction, because when the evolutionary desire of procreation is removed from a couple, how is their attraction to each other changed or altered?

Attraction or even the act of falling in love are things that almost everyone experiences in their life. Even in our subconscious, beauty is factored into almost everything we consume. Television and movies tend to cast attractive actors and actresses, models on the runway, or plastered on magazine covers in a career that exists solely because they are aesthetically pleasing, we are even shilled products with empty promises to make us thinner or feel more beautiful. Attraction cannot be escaped. Part of this is ingrained in us through evolution, by way of “survival of the fittest”, trying to find the most physically superior mate, and part of it is through the media and culture of humanity pushing this idyllic idea of beauty. But, we know that attraction isn’t everything, as is evident in the United States’ divorce rate. If the success of long-term relationships was based solely on looks, the rate of divorces would be virtually non-existent. I found the topic of attractiveness and why exactly we fall in love to be fascinating. For so long I believed love and attraction to be some kind of metaphysical feelings that came and went as they pleased. It was interesting to look into the scientific and biological reasoning as to why we feel love, and especially just how much our hormones affect these feelings.

After watching Doctor Helen Fisher’s presentation titled “Why People Fall in Love”, reading through scientific journals and independent research, and watching Brainsex: Why We Fall in Love, I believe that I have a much deeper understanding of just why humans fall in love with each other. The initial stages begin with baseline physical attraction and our sex drives, this is the most primal element of love and is based on our evolutionary desire for reproduction. The next stages of romantic (or courtship) attraction are based on trying to win over this prospective partner, we become giddy and nervous, and our hormones are responsible for these feelings such as “butterflies” in our stomachs. The last stage is attachment, where we hold onto our partners and try to form long-term bonds with the. We grow accustomed to the rushes of dopamine that we get from spending time with them, we feel anxious when we are apart from them, and can even feel real physical pain when broken up or separated. As this is just a summary of what I learned, the language of love and attraction is far more intricate than the three simple stages of a relationship. However, overall, I feel that the research I learned from Doctor Helen Fisher’s presentation and the Brainsex Documentary helped me to better understand all of the components that make up the most complex aspect of human behavior: love.

Love, at first sight, is an oxymoronic statement. The concepts don’t go together at all, they might work in Hollywood but they don’t work in a scientific sense. They may work in theory but they don’t work in reality. The theme is conveyed throughout many romantic films and plays from the classic ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to the contemporary ‘Twilight’ and even Prince Harry said that he knew Megan was ‘the one’ the very first time they met. But science proves otherwise, though it certainly doesn’t guarantee that the strong connection you have with someone isn’t real, it’s simply just not true love, which to create takes time, not just a few seconds.

Now, am I denying the legitimacy of Prince Harry’s love for Megan Markle? No, of course not – but as they now both have deep and genuine love towards each other, looking back at their relationship timeline they may confuse that strong initial connection they had with what they share now. Usually, the real feeling behind a relationship which people use the phrase ‘love at first sight’ to cover up is a strong attraction, compensation for loneliness, fear of aging, or the frustration of dating. Prominently it’s just a strong initial attraction people like to label love at first sight.

Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet is famously known for its theme of love at first sight. Romeo and Juliet first meet in Act I, scene 5 as Romeo simply glimpses at Juliet and is instantly in love. So we can conclude that Romeo fell in love strictly with Juliet’s beauty. And, if you hadn’t known already, love is based on many more values than appearance, so it is not love but the only attraction Romeo feels towards Juliet.

On the topic of attraction, according to a team of scientists led by Dr. Helen Fisher, romantic love can be broken down into three categories: lust, attraction, and attachment. Each category is characterized by its own set of hormones stemming from the brain. These hormones are triggered instantly and are what people sometimes confuse with love.

Flow into time and effort

We are exposed so often to these unrealistic ideas of romance and love, that it deceives us into thinking that maybe we can achieve such a whirlwind of romance when it’s just not achievable. The film industry wants to give us something impractical to fantasize about so they fabricate an improbable and unnatural theme so we can do so. But when this theme is repeated constantly, we can easily be fooled into thinking that something like ‘love at first sight’ is attainable. We are then left to dream about how we can meet our prince charming and instantly fall in love — when we need to snap out of this illusionistic mindset and learn that, yet love cannot be formed in such a way, it doesn’t mean that when you fall in love it won’t make up for the same exciting journey.

It may appear a bit of a contradiction since at my age I haven’t gotten the chance to experience love yet, but even I can fathom that something like love, at first sight, isn’t real and can never be, real.

Due to the long-standing rivalry between their two families, the pair cannot be together. This feud resulted in a tragic consequence. The main theme is loyalty because of the love in the conflict. Romeo and Juliet both struggle to be loyal to their families.

At the beginning of the play Romeo claims to be in love with Rosaline. “devout religion of my eye” Romeo defines his love for Rosaline in religious terms to exaggerate his love for her. By emphasizing his words this suggests the love is overwhelming, not deep or true and he is trying to overcompensate for this. When Romeo expresses his love for Rosaline, he discovers that they cannot be together as she is a Capulet and he is a Montague. Romeo is engulfed in his miry of rejection this is evident when he says: “O brawling love, O loving hate”. This shows Romeo’s internal struggle as the ‘love’ he feels makes him happy but also sad. His statement conveys how Romeo finds love confusing as it is a new experience for him. This causes the audience to question whether love is true or merely an infatuation. It is significant that Romeo believes he loves Rosaline as she is from a rival family. This makes the audience question whether Romeo is finding an excuse to grow apart from his parents because he is at an age where he has to become independent. His disloyalty to the family might be to make the growing up process easier for himself.

Romeo attends the Capulet ball to try and get over his affection for Rosaline. As soon as he sees Juliet, Romeo admits he was mistaken: “for I have ne’er saw true beauty till this night”. This is ironic as Benvolio told Romeo this would happen. Romeo’s presence at the Capulet party doesn’t display loyalty to his family: his family would feel betrayed if they knew where he was. Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting is made romantic by the mystery of identity created by the masks. However, Romeo is aware on some level that Juliet could be a Capulet as she is at a Capulet’s party, therefore displaying the theme of divided loyalty. Another romantic feature of their first meeting is the sonnet in which they speak which shows their isolation as this speech differs from the other guests. Romeo uses religious imagery when talking to Juliet: “Dear saint” This conveys the purity of Juliet and their love. It also underlines how Romeo feels devoted to Juliet as she is godlike. The contrast between light and dark – “fair sun and kill the envious moon” underlines how Romeo feels Juliet is different from the rest. She is the light and everyone else is the dark. The simplicity of his words contrasts with the elaborate description of his ‘love’ for Rosaline. This conveys that his love is genuine. Due to this, Romeo is able to sacrifice his loyalty to his family. He believes love is more important than hatred.

In twelfth night, Shakespeare presents love as a type of madness through the character of Orsino and Olivia when he writes ‘If I am as mad as he, then sadness and merry madness equal be’ In these lines, Olivia suggests she is as mad as Malvolio, who has been different after reading the letter from ‘Olivia’. However, Olivia makes a clear observation here. Her ‘madness’ functions as an announcement of her feelings for Cesario, which still are not returned, thus sinking her deeper into despair. This line is key as it links the theme of madness to lovesickness and implies that desire has the power to prevent rational choice-making. In this way, the many antics of Twelfth Night led to the enormous influence of this play. If music is the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting that appetite may sicken and die.’ In this extract, Orsino suggests he is sick of his love for Olivia, as his love is unreturned and is just making him more melancholy. The theme of madness links here as he is implying if he is rejected enough, his love for Olivia may die, and that it is suggesting that love is a madness that takes over us, that we cannot control. Olivia has never been one to initiate anything, being a woman and so she finds herself unknowing as to what to do and is caught up in the madness of being in love with someone. Orsino is used to the attention of women, so he finds rejection hard as he is so madly in love with Olivia.

In twelfth night, Shakespeare presents love as causing suffering through the characters of Orsino and Olivia when he writes ‘I have said too much unto a heart of stone and laid my honor to unchary on’t’ In this extract, Olivia mourns that her feeling for Cesario is firmly unreturned and voices her pain that a woman like her cannot openly voice her feelings due to societal standards at the time. For an esteemed lady like Olivia, she would have waited for her father to choose a suitable husband for her, however, her confessing her love for Cesario leads to the rejection and resultant suffering of her stuck with her emotions inside. ‘My desires, like fell and cruel hounds E’er since pursue me’ In this piece, Orsino tells of how he fell in love with Olivia. Here he makes a comparison between himself to a deer being pursued by a hound to emphasize the stress he is experiencing as a result of his one-sided love for Olivia. The line demonstrates his suffering because of love. women were ruled by strict societal standards that influenced every decision they made- which was few as their lives were primarily directed by men. Sermons and books written during the Elizabethan era encouraged women to be silent and obedient to male authority, and among the aristocracy, the marriages were more about politics than actual love, which shows the lack of control women had in the era.

In twelfth night, Shakespeare presents love as deceiving through the characters of Malvolio and Olivia. Malvolio is contentedly reflecting on how his plan of pursuing Olivia seems to be working, but he is completely unaware of the plot against him. Malvolio is unaware of the plot revolving around him, thus demonstrating the deceit of love. ‘Methinks, I feel this youth’s perfections, with invisible and subtle stealth, to creep in at mine eyes’ Olivia is extremely surprised and even slightly distressed at realizing that she feels attracted to Cesario, but she cannot express these feelings for him. The quote is ironic, because while Olivia is astonished to find herself romantically invested in another man, she is really interested in another woman pretending to be a man, thus demonstrating the deceit of love. In Shakespearean, women were expected to do housework and look after the children and the men were expected to go out and earn money. This highlights Viola’s need for a disguise, so she could be employed, as women were highly unlikely to be taken on by men. Thus, the deceit was essential for her survival in Ilyria.