ABSTRACT
The subject matter of a play can be described in terms of its action: ‘two young people in Verona defy their families and bring about their own deaths’ (Romeo and Juliet). The theme or themes are described in more abstract terms and deal with large universal concerns regarding our humanity: love, revenge, duty, tribal loyalties, etc. (Romeo and Juliet). They can also be contained in a large moral or social question, placed firmly at the heart of the narrative: What occurs when we place narrow family duty above the general health of the community? (Romeo and Juliet).
