One of the predominant themes in William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and
             Juliet, is that the passion of love can rarely exist without the pain of
             love. Shakespeare has captured realistic elements of life in this play as
             the young lovers experience the thrill of passion and the devastating
             effect of its loss. The characters of Romeo and Juliet reflect many
             characteristics that make them seem real to us. In their circumstance, we
             also see the hand of fate heavily influenced by character, which is one
             reasons why the play is so popular. In the end, we realize that the pain
             of love would not be so great if not for the passion that sparked the love.
             The play is real because it is not too terrible happy and too terribly
             sad. In fact, Henry Myers notes, "Here we see not a happy ending, as in a
             fairy story, and not an unhappy ending, as in some grim naturalistic tale .
             . . but a truly tragic ending, in which joy and sorrow are inevitably
             joined together--a victory in defeat, a victory of the human spirit
             accompanied by the inevitable defeat of finite human beings" (162). In
             addition, William Hazlitt asserts, "As are the desires and the hopes of
             youthful passion, such is the keenness of its disappointments, and their
             baleful effect. Such is the transition in this play from the highest bliss
             to the lowest despair, from the nuptial couch to an untimely grave"
             (Hazlitt). That Shakespeare decided to depict both sides of love is one
             element of the play that makes it realistic.
             The passion that these lovers experience is unmistakable and
             uncontrollable. One of Romeo's first reactions to Juliet is, "O she doth
             teach the torches to burn bright;/Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of
             night/Like a rich jewel in an 'thiop's ear" (Shakespeare I.v.41-6). Juliet
             is instantly attracted to Romeo and when she discovers that he is a
             My only love sprung from my only hate!
             Too early see ...