One of the play’s most consistent visual motifs is the contrast between light and dark, often in terms of night/day imagery. This contrast is not given a particular metaphoric meaning—light is not always good, and dark is not always evil. On the contrary, light and dark are generally used to provide a sensory contrast and to hint at opposed alternatives. One of the more important instances of this motif is Romeo’s lengthy meditation on the sun and the moon during the balcony scene, in which Juliet, metaphorically described as the sun, and is seen as banishing the “envious moon” and transforming the night into day. A similar blurring of night and day occurs in the early morning hours after the lovers’ only night together. Romeo, forced to leave for exile in the morning, and Juliet, not wanting him to leave her room, both try to pretend that it is still night, and that the light is actually darkness: “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes”.
Romeo and Juliet also contains many passages of poetry which are lyric rather than dramatic, and could be appreciated out of the context of the play. Shakespeare had used caesuras “It is my lady, O, it is my love!” throughout the play which disrupts the flow of the iambic pentameter. He also juxtaposed certain antitheses such as life and death and birth and death.
Before scene two; Romeo and Juliet are two very different people. Romeo was infatuated with an unknown Rosaline who the audiences never met. We do not know if Rosaline knew of Romeo’s love for her as Romeo became depressed and lonely, ‘alas that love whose view is muffled still should without eyes see pathways to his will’. Juliet was a pure, adolescent, obedient daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet who, initially, did not wish to marry her to someone she did not love. ‘I’ll look to like if looking liking move’ Juliet is later on threatened to be ‘cast out’ of her family by rejecting her chosen groom. Her parents not knowing she has already devoted her life and love to young Romeo. Subsequently she will chose death over marriage to Paris and life without Romeo.
During Act two, scenes two and three, Shakespeare uses love as a positive antithesis to hate. He wants to show us how much love and affection there is between ‘the two star crossed lovers’. This contrasts effectively with the hatred felt between the Capulets and the Montagues. The audience must understand how the love is passionate and all consuming, a love that moves mountains. We can see the overpowering excitement rising in Romeo as he first sets foot in Juliet’s orchard as he sees her at the window. He is set below Juliet, this may give the impression he is worshiping her. With the light from the window and the stars behind her, Juliet would have appeared as an angel to Romeo. “O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art” This dramatic imagery is an extremely romantic way of describing her. It is very important that when Juliet is speaking her innermost thoughts and secrets she does not know that Romeo is there. For the plot to progress quickly Romeo must know the love she holds for him even though he is a Montague. (There is no time within this drama for lengthy courtship.)
The audience is kept highly attentive at this point by the dramatic irony which is used. Juliet has subconsciously given herself to Romeo, ‘Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet.’ This gives Romeo an opportunity to show his equal love for her.
With Juliet discovering Romeo has overheard her deepest thoughts she feels embarrassed and tries to run, but she cannot bear to run from her love as Romeo admits his love for the naive Juliet. At this point Shakespeare reverts back to highly elevated euphuistic language so we are able to see their love for one another once true loves passion. Therefore pardon me,” This reflects the intensity of the emotion felt by Romeo as the normal patterns have ceased and disrupted Romeo’s heart.
During these two most famous scenes Shakespeare uses many different ways keep us so enthralled, by the use of his poetic language, the imagery and antithesis. Even the dramatic foreshadowing kept the audiences on the edge of their seats.
At the beginning of scene three we are now introduced to Romeo’s advisor and counsellor. Friar Lawrence’s position in the play helps progress the plot. He increases the impetuous situation which the lovers are in. Friar Lawrence uses different language to the other characters. He is poetic and often seen speaking his mind more than he talks to the others. This accelerates the play as we all know what he is planning and thinking in a much shorter time than what we would if he was less open with his feelings, thus serving as one of Shakespeare aims. The Friar’s opening soliloquy includes a number of antitheses and oxymorons. He talks about ‘eastern clouds with streaks of light’; as he also he later goes on to say ‘wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.’ which contradicts itself making the tragedy of the play seem even more powerful!
The friar seems to solve problems through the use of his own knowledge and the bible. It is said that Friar Lawrence is not holy through the belief in God but through his belief in love. From this belief the friar doesn’t stand in the way of the lovers and agrees to marry them in secret. He is eager that this marriage may stop the feuding between the two families and bring peace. ‘In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households rancour to pure love.’ This quotation is a further exemplar of an antithesis. With the friar accelerating the plot throughout the play at various points he is able to twist the plot and increase the need for swiftness on behalf of the lovers. Through his use of botany which is also an imperative part of the play as it is he who supplies the remedy that will give the notion of Juliet’s death.
The Friar remarks in his first appearance that every plant, herb and stone has its own special properties, and that nothing exists in nature that can not be use for both good and bad uses. They have both ‘grace’ and ‘rude will’. This is where Shakespeare is foreshadowing the concerns that the Friar has for Verona and the feud that is consuming from within. Thus, poison is not intrinsically evil, but instead a natural substance made lethal by human hands, with these words being proved truthful over the course of the play.
The passionate love between Romeo and Juliet is linked from the moment of its interception with death. Hatred seems to push the lovers closer to love as well as violence; not further from it. Both the two lovers are plagued with suicide notions and have the willingness to experience it: in Act III, scene iii, Romeo brandishes a knife in Friar Lawrence’s cell and threatens to kill himself after he has been banished. Juliet also pulls a knife in order to take her own life in Friar Lawrence’s presence just three scenes later. After Capulet decides that Juliet will marry Paris, Juliet says, “If all else fail, myself have power to die”. When Romeo rests his eyes upon Juliet’s lifeless body, the play climaxes as inevitability fate takes over and we are left with the conclusion of a double suicide.
This tragic choice is the highest, most compelling expression of love that Romeo and Juliet can make. It is only through death that they can preserve their love, and their love is so intense that they are willing to end their lives in its defence.
In the play, love emerges as a dishonourable thing, leading as much to destruction as to happiness. After all, unlike many of the other tragedies, this play does not have an evil villain, but rather people whose good qualities are turned to poison by the world in which they live.