What Is the Climax in Romeo and Juliet?

The climax in the play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare occurs with the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet inside of the Capulet tomb. The climax happens in Act 5, Scene 3, and it is in the same scene that the prince and the parents find the bodies.

“Romeo and Juliet” has several themes, which primarily center on love and family. The play’s themes include love as a cause of violence, the strength and sheer force of love, the society versus the individual person and fate as an unavoidable part of life. Shakespeare foreshadows the events of the play in the first speech of the Chorus, which states that the two lovers are “star-crossed” and doomed. The play expresses opposite points of view using the feuding Capulet and Montague families. There is also plenty of light and dark imagery throughout the play.

“Romeo and Juliet” was first published in 1597 in the First Quarto. This edition is considered to have most likely been an unauthorized edition that was incomplete. In 1599, the Second Quarto was published with an authorized copy of “Romeo and Juliet.” The play is classified as a tragic drama, and its setting is Mantua and Verona in Italy.