Why does Shakespeare introduce romeo and juliet with the theme of hate?
In this scene, we see the hatred between the feuding houses, the Montagues and Capulets, which is something the audience needs to see early on in order to understand why Romeo and Juliet’s love is “star-crossed” and ultimately fatal. Also, keep in mind that “Romeo and Juliet” is a tragedy, not a romance, and it is both Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other as well as their households’ hatred for each other that prove to be tragic, so it is fitting that we see the first of these two key elements (hatred between the households) very early on, but without seeing either Romeo or Juliet being involved in it.
