In act 2 scene 2 Romeo praises Juliet many times. This is revealed when Romeo says ‘Juliet is the sun’, this could mean that he thinks she brightens everything up, also this could mean that everything evolves around her. Alternatively it could mean that where she is there is light, but there is always going to be darkness on the other side. This could give us a clue about what is going to happen at the end of the play.
After the two find out that they are from families which hate each other, Juliet wishes that Romeo was not a Montague. ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose would by any other word smell as sweet’, this means that it don’t matter about the name as if a rose were to be called something else it would still smell so sweet. In this occasion it means if Romeo were or was not a Montague, he would still have the same qualities.
A perfect example of foreshadowing in the play is shown in act two scene two where Juliet says ‘ And the dark place, considering though art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here’, and also where Juliet says ‘If they do see thee they will murder thee’. Both of these quotes have similar meanings which are that if any of Juliet’s relatives find Romeo there they will murder him. This is also an example of dramatic irony as the audience already know that Romeo is going to die at the end of the play.
Another similar example is said by Romeo where it says ‘My life is better ended by their hate than death prorogued, wanting your love’. Here Romeo says that he’d rather they kill him than him living without Juliet’s love. Once again this is foreshadowing the end of the play as at the end, he does die, as a result of not being able to have the love of Juliet.
Juliet asks Romeo to declare his love ‘faithfully’ and is worried that she is ‘too quickly won’. She says ‘pardon… this yielding to light love’ which means excuse me, because you made me love you so easily. She knows that she has given into his love easily and it is light love. Often light love does not turn out with a good ending; therefore we sense that this is also not going to end up with a satisfying ending.
Romeo says he will swear on the moon but Juliet feels the moon is to variable. ‘Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow, that tips with silver all these fruit tree tops’ Juliet replies ‘O swear not by the moon, the ‘inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circle orb less that thy love prove likewise variable’. This shows that Juliet feels her love should be constant.
‘Too like the lightning, which doth lease to be Ere one can say it lightens’. This could mean that their love will lighten up their lives however lightning only last a little time, this could mean their love will lighten up a lot but also finish all of a sudden. This is an example of foreshadowing as in the play their love does all end very quickly and leaves with darkness.
Similarly to how Juliet is worried that they have fallen in love to quick, Romeo is ‘afeard’ that this love is ‘but a dream’ and too ‘flattering sweet to be substantial.’ Here he also says that this love of theirs may not be real. This is giving the audience a clue that the ending of the play will not be positive.
Juliet promises to marry Romeo, however when the nurse calls Juliet, Romeo has no choice but to leave. Here he feels like a school boy going to school with ‘heavy books’. This gives us a clue that Romeo is carrying heavy thoughts over his shoulder.
Juliet clearly claims that she could ‘kill thee with such cherishing’, meaning she could love him to death. At the end of the play Romeo does die, and it is due to the love of Juliet.
Foreshadowing has been used for a long time to reveal horroriffic endings and scheming love, helping the reader from being to overly surprised by the outcomes. Shakespeare used this technique of writing to add much more meaning to his play. In this particular play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare utilises foreshadowing to keep the audience from becoming to upset by the tragic outcome. He also uses it to display Romeo's and Juliet's enduring love for one another.