Two big themes in the play Turandot by Giacomo Puccini is love and revenge. The prince, Calaf, was willing to risk his life to answer the three riddles to marry princess Turandot. Many princes died before him because of this challenge and Calaf, seeing the princess just once, was still up for the challenge. He was so in love with Turandot that even after many people warned him not to put his life at risk, he still disregarded what they said and went to the gong and pounded it symbolizing that he accepted the challenge. The theme revenge is seen by this challenge. Turandot believes because of these very complicated riddles no one will ever marry her. Turandot does not want to get married because she is convinced that her ancestor princess Lo-u-Ling lives in her and Lou-u-Ling wants to avenge the fact that she was raped and murdered by a prince. She then asks Calaf to withdraw, warning him you only have one life but you still have to answer three riddles one mistake and he will be beheaded, but he does not listen again. She then asks him the three riddles and Calaf gets all of them right. After he gets them right Turandot now realizes she has to marry him and she does not want to. Calaf, still believing love will trump all, gives her one escape, to find out his name. Turandot quickly sends many people to discover his name or she will kill them. She also ends up finding Liu (calaf’s slave) and Calaf’s father. Liu says she is the only one who knows Calaf’s name and ends up killing herself instead of the princess finding out, in spite of love for Calaf. After all of this, Calaf goes to visit Turandot, kisses her, and announces his name, so now his life sits in her hands. After the kiss, she softens and realized that she actually loves the prince. When it was time for Turandot to say his name she says his name is love. This show portrayed that love was triumph after all.
