“It is often in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars”. (Richard Evans) In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is Romeo’s “brightest star”. During his time of depression and remorse, she arrives in his life and becomes his light in the darkness. While only being together for just a few mere days, their love rapidly develops, and they soon become infatuated with one another. Because Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other increases throughout the duration of the play, Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to express the meaning and effect of their love on the characters. Shakespeare ucses multiple references of light and dark to emphasize the powerful love of Romeo and Juliet antd the changing emotions they experience throughout their short lives. For example, when Romeo first sees Juliet at the party, he says, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright” (I, v, 49) , meaning Juliet’s beauty is so radiant, she must be the one who “teaches the torches how to burn”. This account of light is one of the first in which Romeo experiences …show more content…
A physical example is the frequent meetings of Romeo and Juliet during the nighttime, as to conceal their secret affair and prevent exposure. When Romeo and Juliet meet at night for the first time, they reveal their feelings for each other and use light and dark metaphors to convey their emotions. Romeo stares wonderously at Juliet and compares the brightness of her eyes to that of stars, “Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat in her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return.” (II, ii, 15-17) Shortly after Romeo marvels at her beauty, Juliet explains that if the “mask of night” were not upon her face, Romeo would see her blushing. The nighttime darkness is once again aiding in the obscurity of their
The increasing light represents the obstacles and conflicts they face, while the darkness represents the secrecy and forbidden nature of their love. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare flexes his diction skills to highlight the theme of love. Romeo and Juliet shape the play by expressing their emotions, thoughts, and conflicts between Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo first lays eyes on Juliet, he drops some poetic lines. In the novel Romeo and Juliet it says “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!”
Romeo’s soliloquy about Juliet says, “Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon”(2.2.4). This metaphor exemplifies the beauty that Romeo sees in Juliet. By saying that she is the “sun” he shows how much she stands out to him; shining brighter and higher than all others. This demonstrates Romeo’s deep connection to Juliet and no one else. At the first sight of Juliet, Romeo is very intrigued and he says, “The brightness in her cheeks would shame all those stars” (2.2.19-20). Romeo uses a metaphor to prove that she is shining, bright, high, and beautiful. He feels that she would “shame those stars” with her profound beauty, the thing that stands out most to him. Even when Romeo and Juliet know that things may become difficult between them Romeo says: “For stony limits cannot hold love out”(2.2.72). This personification shows how Romeo's desire for Juliet will not be stopped by anything. If “stoney limits” will not stop Romeo’s love for Juliet, he believes he will never let anything get between them. Through Shakespeare's use of figurative language, Romeo’s feelings for Juliet are
Other words that are being compared, are the words Earth and Heaven that are basically opposite of a spectrum, where Earth represents mortals and Heaven represents God. Thus, It is clear that the light vs dark is there, and there is a reason why it is in the play. The night of the party, the party that Capulet was describing as a marvellous event with the best people of the city, is the occasion where Romeo and Juliet meet, fall in love and kiss for the first time. It is a really crucial evening for the story because is where everything starts. The light vs dark archetype has been used in this quote to foreshadow the greatness of the party and how it is going to be important for the course of the story. It has been used to enhance the significance of the night and the conflicts that the party is going to bring. The last example, is in Romeo’s line, right after he met, fell in love and kissed Juliet: “Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon”(2.2.4). Before explaining the light vs dark element in this quote, is better analyse the quote itself to learn the meaning behind it. Romeo compares Juliet, to the sun and its infinite
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories ever told. This is evident in today’s society, with the story being retold again and again in theatre productions, books, and movie spinoffs. The story is of two lovers, whose love was doomed from the start due to their disputing families, the Capulets and Montagues, who would never see a marriage between the two. Romeo and Juliet eventually take their own lives, ceasing their families’ fighting. William Shakespeare, the playwright who wrote Romeo and Juliet and likely the most famous playwright ever, uses light and dark imagery within the story to highlight the lovers’ affection for one another against the backdrop of their lives. The motif of light and dark is used, with
There are many metaphors in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare relates Romeo to the theme of light and darkness. He first states, “Under love’s heavy burden do I sink. A torch for me. Let wantons lights of heart tickle the senses rushes with their heels.” When Shakespeare writes this he shows how depressed Romeo is. Romeo is sorrowful, because he loves Rosaline, but she does not love him. He is telling his friends to go have fun, and he will hold the torch to light their happiness. He believes he cannot be happy without her, so he is willing to illuminate other’s happiness. Shakespeare also shows the aspect of light connected to Romeo by saying, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.” Shakespeare portrays
In the beginning of the play, the motif of light vs. dark is displayed through imagery. “But all so soon as the all-cheering sun should in the farthest east begin to draw… away from light steals home my heavy son... and makes himself an artificial night.” (Montague, 1.2.127-128 130&133). This quote shows that the happy sun does not affect Romeo and the sad night is how he feels because of the darkness of the night. The quote also reveals that his depressed state is represented by darkness. This reveals a central idea that love will overpower all feelings, because he is sad that his love did not work out and caused him to be depressed.
A lantern, slaughtered youth, for here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.” Light and dark imagery is used to describe Juliet as she acts as a source of light in the darkness of the tomb. The idea of light and dark imagery suggests a spiritual light that may surround the couple beyond death and deepens the dramatic impact. The audience is further positioned to see through the use of a metaphor, how Juliet’s beauty lights up the tomb. Clearly, Shakespeare wants Romeo to feel struck by the way Juliet’s beauty appears to defy death, as she still looks alive.
Upon seeing Juliet Romeo exclaims, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!” Romeo compared her to a torch because seeing her made everything come into focus. Juliet also compares Romeo not only to the sun but calls him even more mighty than the sun when she says, “Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die,Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine. That all the world will be in love with night, And pay no worship to the garish sun.” So with Romeo and Juliet one goes on a rollercoaster full of references to the light and dark of a situation, but the very last line of the play the Prince says darkness has returned and everything will return to what it once was. The Prince addresses the whole community when he says, “A glooming peace this morning with it brings.The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things.Some shall be pardoned, and some punishèd.For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare makes it bluntly undeniable that fate was in control and whether the light or dark would
Romeo uses his words to give us an image of how he uses love as a form of light in a time of rage as it is forbidden by the feud that consumes peace between the families. As his love for Juliet becomes stronger, he begins using more forms of imagery describing Juliet as the sun or a jewel sparkling in the night. This allows us to establish how Shakespeare wants us to imagine how strong their love really is. He uses character dialogue to express this portion of the many themes in a way such as “whiter than snow upon a raven’s
Another utilization of light symbolism utilized by Romeo is, "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as sunlight doth a lamp." (2.2.19-20) This line implies
Shakespeare presents Dark imagery as Hate, Death and all the bad things in the world. As an opposite to Juliet, Romeo is represented as a symbol of Darkness throughout the play. Romeo’s darkness becomes evident during the very first time that he is presented; as it is shown that Romeo is reeling from the tough breakup of his first love, Rosaline. It is very plain to see that Romeo is depressed and dark, on account of the fact that he is shown sleeping in the darkness of his room during the day and going out to weep at night. It is also evident that Romeo feels trapped by his emotions because he admits to Benvolio that “Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, he’s some other where. “(1.1.191-192). In the play, poison is used
Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the motif light and darkness to have a deeper connection with the idea of love. Love is often looked at as a power that two can share that will never be broken or a darkness that will engulf their minds. Shakespeare uses Romeo and juliet to show readers that what may be true love must have a balance of light and darkness. Without darkness their love could not of had the light that it did. Romeo often looks at Juliet as a light no matter the circumstance of the situation.
Love plays a crucial role in telling the story of Romeo and Juliet, clearly shown in the appropriated Luhrmann film. Using film as a new medium, cinematic techniques explore the love between Romeo and Juliet. The balcony scene is a clear example of how Luhrmann expresses this. To show his love for Juliet, Romeo decides to sneak into the Capulet mansion to confess his love for her. When Romeo sees Juliet through his window, light shines around her and he describes it as, “ the sun.” This suggests that Romeo is calling Juliet the brightness in his life. Luhrmann decided to portray Romeo
The use of a metaphor to compare Juliet to the sun demonstrates what Romeo sees Juliet as. He loves her beauty and seems to only fall for her because of it. Romeo’s love is deep for his friends but seems to only be skin deep when it comes to
William Shakespeare, one of the best known writers of all time, is renowned for writing numerous plays and sonnets. Often, he laced his flowing writing with allusions and comparisons to nature and beauty. What is more exquisite than the celestial figures that grace our sky? Shakespeare juxtaposed stars to beautiful people many times, such as in the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and in his other work “Sonnet XIV.” In both pieces, two lovebirds connect the physical appeal of each other to the dazzling stars. Shakespeare conveys the theme that nature is superior to any secular beauty through the motif of stars.