Motifs In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

“And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain” (1 .1.28-30). Richard the third was a dangerous man and a self-proclaimed villain who was exploited through the dreams of his loved ones and peers. The dream motif goes on to illustrate how a hidden truth can dismantle and destroy a family. Each member of this family that had a dream faced their own unfortunate future demise not long after. Through the dreams Clarence quickly sees his fate, Stanley warns Hastings about his future, and finally Richard faces his truth and quickly meets his end. However, before we can understand how vital the dreams were, we must primarily understand why Shakespeare used the dreams to convey this hidden truth. Shakespeare included the dreams to illustrate an individual’s true intentions and a family’s discovery without ruining the story’s progression, allowing the story to manifest its true meanings without pausing to explain to the reader and the audience what was going to occur. It also allowed the reader to see this concealed reality that is Richards plan to power, as well as the execution of his plot without interrupting the development of this unfortunate tragedy. When Clarence dreams of Richard and himself walking on the ship deck, he dreams that his brother Richard pushes him overboard resulting in Clarence drowning and ultimately his death. Later two murders enter and kill him in a very untraditional way almost