Romeos romantic speech is extremely dramatic toning down the over jubilant mood created by Capulet. In this scene we realize the magnitude of Romeo’s love for Juliet because of his passionate and flattering language directed at Juliet. This is their first encounter. Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to add to the effect of the scene. The lovers are shielded by the dark of night. Romeo kissing Juliet hand something that he describes as a minor sin is testament of their passion because if it were not Juliet would not have allowed him to do so as it would have made her appear promiscuous.
The delivery of Capulet’s rather jovial speech is in stark contrast to that of the Capulet that we encountered at the beginning of the play. The audience feel that Capulet is happy because he is amongst his own kind (Capulet’s).this emphasizes the great tension between the two houses making it appear as though the families are only ever happy amongst their own kind. This scene has immense importance and is dramatically effective. Capulet speech lightens the mood giving way to joyous festivities something that greatly contrasts his violent behavior at the beginning of the play. Romeo’s soliloquy confessing his love for ‘fair’ Juliet intensifies the scene because we understand the grandeur of the hatred experienced by these to families. His soliloquy is very shocking because we the audience find it very hard to fathom how someone could possibly love their ‘foe’. However, belligerent Tybalt’s speech is used to revive the abhorrence and brutality between the families.
In act 2 scene 2 Romeo has clambered over the wall into the orchard of the Capulet family when he sees the candlelight appear in Juliet's bedroom window, which he immediately compares to the rising sun. Romeo thinks that “Juliet is the sun!” he stares at Juliet as if she were truly a source of light asking her “Arise” and “kill the envious moon”. Romeo is trying to say that Juliet should rise up and shun all the envious women who shine of her beauty.
Juliet confessing her love for him. He knows the dangers of his presence at the Capulet house, but is so overwhelmed with love that he doe not care. Juliet continues her diatribe until Romeo can no longer take it. He speaks out. He admits his love for Juliet. Juliet is taken aback when she hears his voice and stresses that there is great peril in him being there. They go on to make plans to wed-something that I personally think is too rash. Both are very reluctant to leave and it takes a long time until they finally part ways biding each other farewell once they have arranged to meet.
The most profound use of light and dark imagery occurs in Act 2 Scene 2.this scene illustrates the flourishing romance between the lovers. In the play we see their relationship flourish at night each of them providing an illuminate light for each other. The balcony scene is one of the most memorable scenes in the play because of its use romantic and poetic language. Romeo is no longer “sad” and miserable. He is now vibrant and full of life is new mood fueled by Juliet’s love. Expressing his feeling more powerfully.
Most of Romeo and Juliet’s speech are written in blank verse; consisting of ten lines and five beats. (This is iambic pentameter). As Juliet says, "deny thy father and refuse thy name / or if thou wilts not be but sworn my Love / and I’ll no Longer be a Capulet." The rhyme underlines what they are saying consequently making it more poetic. The rhyme makes the speech more refined and eloquent. Not everyone in the play speaks using blank verse. The people on the lower end of the socials scale-such as the servants-do not use blank verse. They merely talk… mainly in prose. The images of light and darkness also pick up the play’s emphasis on the contrasts between love and hate, passion and death.
Furthermore, when Juliet says “deny thy father and refuse thy name / or if thou wilts not be but sworn my Love / and I’ll no Longer be a Capulet.” The point that she is trying to convey is that why couldn’t Romeo have another name. Her language is very romantic. However, she is more pragmatic than Romeo and her passion is more reserved.
Romeo has obeyed the Friar’s commands and has consummated the marriage. The lovers are reluctant to leave each other but the nurse informs them that Juliet’s mother is fast approaching and that Romeo must leave! Lady Capulet is cold and unsympathetic does not understand her daughter’s grief and assumes that her tears are caused by the recent death of her cousin. Juliet addresses her mother very formally and politely as “Madam” and “your ladyship” she appears to be thankful for the promised “day of joy” but is outraged when her mother then informs her that she is to wed Paris. Her father then enters; furious that she has refused to marry Paris. Juliet has nothing to lose now that her father is “done with” her. We feel great sympathy for Juliet when the Nurse who she loved so dearly tells her to forget that “ditchcloth” Romeo and marry Paris. We are sympathetic towards Juliet as we can all relate to having felt alone in the world.
Juliet’s use of ambiguity when she swears “by St Peter’s church and peter too” her mother thinks that she is just making a strong oath however the audience know that St peter decides who goes to heaven or hell. So Juliet is swearing on the Saint that will disallow a bigamous marriage. Romeo and Juliet very brief encounter with love shocks the Elizabethan audience because won were not to be so easily won.
Romeo and Juliet are inseparable both in life and death. They would rather take there lives for fear of living with out each other than live with out there love. Even the title (Romeo&Juliet) shows that not even their names can never be separated. The scenes in witch both Romeo and Juliet speak are very powerful as it contradicts the animosity that there families have for each other and brings a warmer feeling to the play. We feel that Juliet has no other potion but to take the potion that friar Lawrence has given her. At the beginning of the play we thinks it a romantic comedy due to the Nurses jokes about sex but we quickly discover that it is a story about a forbidden love that ultimately ends in death.
Iranga Tcheko
