This is an example of the dramatic irony Shakespeare uses in this play. Not knowing how Romeo will react when he finds out Juliet is a Capulet keeps the audience in suspense. There is a joyful atmosphere, which is only spoilt by a threat from Tybalt. There is also an atmosphere of love, but the audience knows that this happiness will only be short lived because it was mentioned in the prologue. Shakespeare uses rhyming couplets to show Romeo’s love, creating a unique atmosphere of love. “Like a rich jewel In an Ethiop’s ear;… for earth to dear.”
In act 2 scene 2, Romeo says ” I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far as that vast shore washed from the farthest sea, I should adventure for such merchandise” In Elizabethan England, sea-trade was a major everyday occurrence. Sea voyages were leading to discoveries of new lands and items. Elizabeth considered herself to be an empress and ruled a number of lands. It refers to Romeo and Juliet’s journey; its going to be very dangerous and will end in their deaths, this could also happen on a sea voyage.
In act 2, scene 3, Friar Lawrence is seen gathering plants. Although this doesn’t seem significant, it is an important part of the play. The main theme of this scene is love. Romeo reveals his true feelings for Juliet and Friar Lawrence chides Romeo for his former feelings for rosaline. The whole of Friar Lawrence’s first speech is a soliloquy. Shakespeare uses this to set the atmosphere by using a series of opposites to show that people can be both good and evil. He describes plants that if you smelt it does you good but if you swallow it, it will kill you. He also uses a simile to compare what Friar Lawrence is saying to something the audience can relate to. “Heckled darkness like a drunkard reels”. Shakespeare uses oxymoronic language to show that the plants symbolise love. As mentioned before some plants contain medicine while others contain poison just as love can bring happiness and sadness. This can be linked to the prologue, as we know Romeo’s love will eventually kill him. Shakespeare compares these to Romeo’s life and death. He uses metaphors to carry on this image of Romeo and the plants. “Nature’s mother is her tomb.”
Shakespeare heightens the dramatic impact in this scene by foreshadowing the conclusion between Romeo and Juliet being helped by the potion given to Juliet by Friar Lawrence and Romeo then thinking she is dead later on in the play. He also does this by Juliet first drinking the sleeping draught and then trying to drink from Romeo’s poison bottle, and again by Juliet drinking the draught, which is designed to help her and Romeo drinking the poison, designed to kill him. The scene is also emotionally intense as this scene begins the tragic sequences, the couple are desperate, and only friar Lawrence can help them. In addition, Romeo says that he is willing to take his own life for Juliet. Which, in a way, he does in the end.
In act 3, scene 3, Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt. To Romeo this is worse than a death sentence as he cannot see Juliet. Shakespeare shows this by using a simile comparing Romeo’s banishment with a death sentence. It is euphemism for death as he will not be able to live without Juliet so he might as well be dead: “Thous cut’st my head off with a golden axe.” He also uses personification to make Romeo’s banishment look like a person for the audience, thus drawing the audience into the action. “Howling attends it.” Friar Lawrence says to Romeo: “thou art wedded to calamity.” This is both a metaphor and it personifies calamity. Shakespeare uses it to heighten the drama by prefiguring death and sustain in the theme of Romeo and Juliet not being in control of their destinies “star crossed lovers.” This is further sustained by references to “doom”.
In this scene, the theme of family feuds is raised up again. Shakespeare uses this theme to show the audience how hard it is for them to love each other. Romeo says, “Heaven is where Juliet lives” which sustains the religious image from previous scenes. It also shows, like heaven, Juliet is hard to get to. Shakespeare creates this image of hell and torture to show the audience how Romeo’s banishment compares with death. This creates a dark atmosphere, “the damned use that word in hell.” Friar Lawrence suggests that Romeo can be consoled by philosophy, he says, “Armour to keep off that word Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy.” But of course he can’t.
In act 3, scene 5, Juliet is told of her marriage to Paris. Her parents tell her she is to be marrying Paris, while unknown to them she is already married. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to keep the audience in suspense. “Indeed I never shall be satisfied with Romeo, till I behold him-dead-is my poor hart”. From this, we can see the way Shakespeare uses a mix of metaphors and the double meanings to the words is yet another example of dramatic irony in this play. This also illuminates the love theme.
In this scene, Juliet changes a great deal. In the first act, she is portrayed as an obedient child, but in this scene, she defies her father’s wishes to marry Paris and does not tell them of her relationship with Romeo, and the fact she has lost her virginity. Capulet shout to Juliet “out you baggage”. In Shakespearean times, this would be calling someone a whore or a hussy. This is further irony because Capulet shouldn’t know that Juliet had lost her virginity. This creates a violent atmosphere.
Act 5, scene 3, is the final scene where Romeo and Juliet take their own lives. In this scene, Shakespeare uses a metaphor to, again show the journey image. It was popular in Elizabethan times to talk about ships and journeys and Shakespeare uses this to describe life. “The dashing rocks they sea-sick weary bark.” Shakespeare does this to compare Romeo and Juliet’s relationship to something the audience can relate with. This also builds up the suspense before they take their own lives.
These points show how Shakespeare masters the use of figurative language and how his use of imagery intensifies the drama, creates atmosphere and illuminates the central theme. He masters the use of imagery and manages to tie it in with Elizabethan obsession. His use of figurative language conveys character and plots faultlessly and grips the audience at all times.