Bird Imagery In Romeo And Juliet

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What does a bird like in its salad? Crowtons. In Romeo and Juliet, two lovers marry and die tragically by suicide, all within a time span of 4 days. These series of events are chronicled by William Shakespeare, who inserts numerous bird images and references throughout the play. These feathered creatures are affiliated with the two lovers Romeo and Juliet; from crows to swans, doves to falcons, nightingales to larks, birds play a crucial role in defining their character and relationship. While it may seem these bird references are put in simply because they are Romeo and Juliet’s pet names for each other, Shakespeare actually uses this imagery to symbolize more about Romeo and Juliet’s relationship than meets the eye. When considering that the birds show up in pairs, light and dark in some form or another, the stark contrast between Romeo and Juliet is exhibited while critiquing their relationship by subtly suggesting that the relationship would never work. …show more content…

During the Capulet dinner party, when Romeo first spots Juliet, he says, “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows” (I.V.20). Juliet’s external beauty is compared to a snowy dove, which is a symbol of peace and tranquility. This metaphor is contrasted with the image of multiple crows. Crows generally hold a negative connotation and symbolize death; a dove to be trooping amongst crows seems to be bait in a trap. It foreshadows the death of Romeo, as the dove he is so attracted to pulls him into a swarm of crows, or death. The unhealthy relationship that he craved with the dove, Juliet, brought him to his death; it is unnerving and unnatural for a dove to be amongst crows, but he decided to pursue the relationship anyway because of the dove’s beauty. It is seen that Romeo values beauty in a woman over his own safety and a healthy

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