Romeo is presented as an overly confident, impulsive love drunk young man. He is very passionate towards Juliet and declares his love. Romeo’s behaviour shows he doesn’t think about the consequences ‘Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye. Than twenty of their swords’. This says that Juliet’s eyes are so beautiful; it would get him into more trouble than twenty swords would. Romeo also shows his use of exaggeration by saying ‘with love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls’. Here Romeo is saying, if he has love he feels as though he can do anything. It makes him feel as though he can fly. When Romeo says ‘Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me’ Romeo is telling Juliet he is not scared of anyone, no matter what may happen to him. This shows Romeo behaves in a very immature and unrealistic manner.
Romeo was energetic and headstrong whilst Juliet was more cautious and realistic. ‘If they do see thee, they will murder thee’ showing Juliet was warning Romeo about the danger as Romeo was not bothered. Juliet’s behaviour might surprise the audience because she is only 13 and she is acting more mature and being more realistic than Romeo. ‘I would not for the world they saw thee here’ even though she wants to be with him she is being sensible and mature by warning him of the dangers and it would be best for him to leave. Similarly to Romeo, Juliet uses lots of language techniques to get her point across in this scene, for example she uses personification when she says ‘my ears have yet drunk a hundred words of thy tongue’s uttering’ this shows she is aware of his voice even though she hasn’t heard him speak much. This shows Juliet behaves in a very cautious and realistic manner.
Shakespeare uses different groups of imagery throughout this scene, including nature. One reason for this could have been the fact that everyone at the time the play was written was so reliant on nature. The other reason is to remind audiences that this scene is set in the Capulet’s orchard. Romeo uses nature imagery by ‘It is the east, and Juliet is the sun’ he is using a metaphor to represent that he thinks Juliet is the centre of his universe and his world revolves around her. Another example of nature imagery is used by Juliet ‘by summer’s ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet’ this means that they only have a little bit of love now but over the summer there love will bloom. Juliet again uses another example of nature imagery ‘It is to rash, too unadvised, to sudden too like lightning, which doth cease to be’ this means that Romeo and Juliet’s love is moving fast just like lightning and she wants him to slow down. Romeo shows another example of nature imagery ‘two of the fairest stars in all the heaven’ Romeo is saying her beautiful eyes are brighter than stars.
Another group of imagery Shakespeare used was religious. Again, this reflects the period of when the play was written, as religion was such an important part of people’s lives. Romeo uses an example of religious imagery in Act 2 Scene 2 by the following line ‘call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised’ this means if Juliet promises she loves Romeo he is prepared to change his name, so he will no longer be a Montague. Another example of religious imagery is used by Romeo ‘As is a winged messenger of heaven’ Romeo is referring to Juliet as an angel. A final example of religious imagery is used by Juliet ‘which is the god of my idolatry’ meaning Juliet will worship Romeo like her new god.
The final main group of imagery Shakespeare uses in this scene which relates to love and death. This is because the whole play is about love and death imagery hints at the tragic events that follow later. One example of this imagery is used by Romeo ‘Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love’ Romeo is saying here that he would rather die quickly than live without Juliet’s love. Another example of death imagery is used by Juliet ‘and the place death, considering who thou art’ Juliet is warning Romeo that he will be killed if he is seen here because of who he is. Another example of love imagery is when Juliet says ‘O gentle Romeo, If thou dost love, pronounces it faithfully’ here Juliet is saying if Romeo says he loves her to say it truthfully and to stand by her and not to leave her.
Shakespeare presents Romeo and Juliet as two young lovers that will die for each other. Juliet is young but very realistic for her age and Romeo has only just met Juliet and is willing to marry her already which I found unusual. I think that the love and death imagery is most effective because that is what the whole play is based on and also love and death touches everyone’s lives. I think that a Shakespearian audience would prefer religious imagery because people were more religious then and being religious meant a lot more to people in them days than it does people now.
Georgina Moorley 10JRO
