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Juliet's Gushing Speech in Romeo and Juliet Essay

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The Gallop Apace speech is set in Romeo and Juliet just after Romeo has killed Tybalt. This has resulted in him being banished from Verona. This is dramatic irony because we as the audience know this but Juliet does not and continues to gush about their happy future together as she waits for him to return to her to consummate their marriage. This builds up the suspense as we wander what might happen when Juliet finds out that her newly wed husband has killed her dear cousin Tybalt. We know that everything in this speech is unlikely to materlise and therefore it foreshadows their impending death.

This speech is a soliloquy which a speech made by one person is talking to themselves and/or the audience to analyse their own feelings. This …show more content…

Phoebus was the sun god and Phaeton was his son. Phaeton wanted to drive his father’s magnificent sun carriage across the sky. Phoebus forbade this because he deemed it too dangerous, but his unruly son ignored and did it anyway. Phaeton loses control of “the fiery footed steeds” and crashed tragically killing himself and scorching the earth. This foreshadows the lover’s death and hints that when they do die it will affect many people in many ways. The contemporary Shakespearean audience is a lot more likely to understand this reference then a audience today so they would understand this and what it implies.

Throughout the speech there are constant references to night. Night is normally associated with a negative conations because especially in the Tudor times but Juliet is referring to it in a positive manner. She sees it as the “love-performing night”. This juxtaposition is due to her strong passionate feelings for Romeo and her want (or as she would see it, need) to consummate their marriage. This need is emphasized with the constant use of imperatives. “Come” “Give me” and “Bring” are all examples of these. They show the urgency Juliet feels to see Romeo.

Many metaphors are also used. Juliet talks about “cutting Romeo out in little stars” so she can keep him forever. There is also a lot of falconry and ethereal imagery used. The falconry refers to Juliet’s need to control and be able to summon Romeo at will. “Hood my unmann’d

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