In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet hatred was ceased by love. As star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet surrendered to love. Sophocles once said, "One word frees us from all the weight and pain of life: that word is love." What he meant by this was that love would cease all agony and feeling of captivity. This applies to the ancient grudge between the two families, and how it was only healed when the two children fell in love. Ironically, the love ended in pain, suicide. However, their deaths brought the Montague and Capulet families together.

In the prologue of the play, it was said that "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life." (Prologue line 6) This shows that it was in the stars for Romeo and Juliet to be together. It was fate for them to meet and fall in love, even though it goes against the noble families' wishes. The quarrel between them is an old one, an "ancient grudge." No one knew how to fix it, yet love made everything better. When the quarrel ended, all the limitations for the families ended. They were free to do what they wished with whom they wished, without worrying about their family name. During the marriage ceremony, friar Lawrence says �So smile the heaven, upon this holy act, / That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.� (Act 2, sc 6, lines 1-2) This meant that Heaven may look favorably upon the act of marriage between the two lovers, so that in the future, it does not bring them grief. If the message were to have been delivered in time, the marriage most likely would not have brought grief upon anyone, such as the families of the two lovers. The love between Romeo and Juliet would have ended the grudge, which brought great limitations. During the marriage, the Friar once again brings up how it was destiny for Romeo and Juliet to fall for each other, yet how it could all to quickly end if they rush into it. �These violent delights have violent ends, / And in their triumph die, like fire and powder.� (Act 2, sc 6, lines 9-10) And the Friar was correct, their love did end all to quickly, unfortunately, with two sudden deaths. The deaths occurred because of a love so strong. A love, that ended all sadness and problems between Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet first met without knowing whom the other was. Once they found out about their family names, problems occurred. �O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father, and refuse thy name� (Act 2, sc 2, lines 33-34) Juliet did not understand why Romeo had to be called Romeo. �Thou art thyself, thought not a Montague.� (Act 2, sc 2, line 39) She did not want his name to show that he was part of the Montague family. All she wished was for Romeo to refuse to acknowledge his name. Yet that was something that could not be done. She knew that he was the same man, whatever his name. Yet, having a different one would end all the limitations she must constrain to. It would completely change all the rules she had to follow. ��Tis but thy name that is my enemy.� (act 2, sc 2, line 37) Juliet was upset because she did not want to go against her parents� wishes. She was imprisoned by the family feud. She knew that what she was doing was wrong, even though it felt so right. When she finally realized that she loved Romeo, everything changed. She broke through all the restrictions and boundaries she was caged in.

In Greek mythology, Cupid is portrayed as a blind boy, with wings, who carries a bow and arrows. He shoots at humans, and as soon as that arrow wounds them they fall passionately in love. �Alas that love, whose view is muffled still, / Should without eyes see pathways to his will!� (Act 1, sc 1, lines 169-170) When Romeo and Juliet fell passionately into love, they were blinded to all of the things that were preventing them from being together. The hatred they felt for each others name was ceased by the love they felt for each other. �Here�s much to do with hate, but more with love; / Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate!� (Act 1, sc 1, line 173-174) Love freed them from all the pain and weight of life, of the restrictions they were living by. They surrendered to love and let it guide them. Juliet wishes to shout Romeo�s name so that everyone, everywhere, could hear it. She does not want his Montague name to affect any part of their love for one another. �Hist! Romeo, hist! O for a Falconer�s voice, / To lure this tassel-gentle back again!� (Act 2, sc 2, lines 158-159) The ancient grudge did not allow Juliet to be open with her relationship with Romeo. Once again this restriction grieved her. Once love between them made sparks, all the perimeters quickly disappeared.

Once Romeo and Juliet fell in love, all of the limits they had to abide to, rapidly vanished. The love between them broke all of the constraints. The love also broke the sadness they held within themselves. They were truly freed from all the weight and pain of life. The love taught them life lessons they never would forget. Ironically, that same love that freed them from everything also caused their deaths. However, their deaths eventually brought together the two families.