Romeo then enters, speaking in rhyming verse – another contrast of language. He spots Juliet straight away and time for him seems to stop and he appears to be in his own world, his sight focused on Juliet, everything else around him a blur. This could be shown on stage by a spotlight on Juliet and the music slowing down. It is a large contrast to the hustle and bustle of before. His romantic, courtly language is full of imagery – “it seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear” This means that Romeo sees Juliet as a brightness contrasted with and standing out from her surroundings as a bright gem stands out against the darkness of a black person’s skin. He makes many comparisons between light and dark, black and white; “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright…So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows”. This conflict between light and dark occurs throughout the play, contrasting with the conflict between the two feuding families and the clash of love and hate.
Romeo’s poetry when he sees Juliet is vastly superior and contrasts to his language when he believes himself to be in love with Rosaline:
“love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs, being purged, a fire sparkling in lover’s eyes, being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears.”
This example is taken from Act 1 Scene 1, when Romeo is playing at being in love with Rosaline, the imagery here all clashes and makes no sense, while the language he uses when speaking of Juliet is clearer and more profound. This superior language shows the audience that his feelings for Rosaline were not real, and it is now Juliet whom he truly loves. Romeo also shows this with the line “Did my heart love till now?” which is the audience’s anchorage that his feelings for Rosaline were false but his feelings for Juliet are not.
This talk of love is then contrasted by Tybalt’s hatred for Romeo and all Montagues and his talk of death and killing: “To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.” This language is typical of Tybalt, who is always talking of death, violence and hatred: “What, Drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. Have at thee, coward.” Taken from Act 1 Scene 1. As soon as Tybalt hears Romeo he says “This, by his voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy.” This shows Tybalt’s character, he is a man of fewer words and more action, which is a contrast to Romeo who does not join in with the feuding of his family but prefers to talk of love. Romeo admires Juliet at a distance when he first sees her but as soon as Tybalt discovers Romeo he immediately asks for his sword. Tybalt also speaks in blank verse, another contrast with Romeo.
Tybalt’s anger on discovering a Montague at the party is surprisingly contrasted to Capulet’s cool manner towards it: “ I would not for the wealth of all this town here in my house do him disparagement; therefore be patient, take no note of him;…” Capulet doesn’t want to spoil the feast, but it should be noted that he never says anything bad about Romeo, in fact quite the opposite: “And to say the truth, Verona brags of him to be a virtuous and well-governed youth.” This shows another contrast with the character of Tybalt, who Capulet then goes on to call a ‘saucy boy’. Here Capulet is obviously angered and impatient with Tybalt, and this shows contrast to his good humour at the start. Tybalt then says “I withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall.” As Romeo and Juliets love builds up in this scene, Tybalt’s anger and wish for revenge also builds up. This is important as Tybalt’s need for revenge shapes the play later on.
Romeo and Juliet’s first exchange is written in the form of a sonnet shared by the both of them. This sonnet is similar in style to Petrarch who was a popular sonnet writer in Elizabethan times. He wrote about courtly love, but this was usually unrequited. Here, the love Shakespeare writes of is returned.
The language used in this sonnet is of a very high quality and the fact that it is shared between them strengthens the idea of them being inseparable. They use the word ‘pilgrim’ several times, this could be because a pilgrim is someone who goes on a spiritual journey. This shows that Romeo and Juliet’s love is spiritual as well as physical. “For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.” There is also a play on words here as they are talking of holding hands and kissing, but a palmer can also mean a pilgrim. This could be emphasized on stage by them holding their hands up to each other and touching. When this sonnet takes place time for the couple seems to stop and they are completely separate and ignorant to their surroundings. But then the moment they kiss they are interrupted by the ‘real world’, the world outside of their little bubble.
After they kiss Juliet says “You kiss by th’book.” Which could mean that Romeo kisses expertly, a contrast to her age and innocence as she has probably never kissed a boy before. When this has happened they are interrupted by the nurse and time changes again. The nurse tells Romeo that whoever marries Juliet will have ‘the chinks’, meaning they will be a rich bachelor. This talk of having money is contrasted immediately afterwards when Romeo discovers that Juliet is a Capulet and says “my life is my foe’s debt.” Benvolio then leads Romeo away.
Near the end of the scene when there is only the nurse and Juliet left on stage, Juliet shows how cunning she can be by pointing out and inquiring after the names of many gentlemen when she is trying to find out who Romeo is. She displays how clever she is by concealing the fact that it is only Romeo she is interested in by not mentioning him first. This contrasts to the former displays of her youth and innocence and assumed naivety. The line “if he be married, by grave is likely to be my wedding bed.” Makes use of dramatic irony as this is very close to the truth. It is also a contrast to her former feelings before the scene when she told the nurse and her mother that she did not wish to marry.
After Juliet discovers that Romeo is a Montague she says “My only love sprung from my only hate!” here she recognises that she loves Romeo and the ominous feelings of horror and dread experienced by both Romeo and Juliet on discovering each others names is another contrast to the feelings of happiness and bustle communicated of the feast earlier.
