Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Aspects of love in shakespeare
Romeo and juliet Figurative language notes and impressions
Aspects of love in shakespeare
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Aspects of love in shakespeare
Shakespeare shows both the excitement and the dangers of first love using a range of structure and language devices to show how each character feels. He uses a wide range of metaphors to describe Romeo’s thoughts of Juliet and structures the play full of opposites and contrasts to show the light of love and the darkness of death and violence.
In Act 1 Scene 5, Romeo and Juliet first meet each other in the party. This is a significant scene in the play as this is the start of the event that ultimately leads to their demise. When Romeo first see Juliet, his excitement shows through the imagery he uses to emphasise how much her beauty contrasts with the other people in the room. For example, he says ‘Oh she doth teach the torches to burn bright’. This metaphor emphasises the way in which she stands out in contrast to the rest of the guests and how brightly she seems to shine to him, with this contrast being further emphasised by the dimly lit room. ‘Burn bright’ could suggest both light and heat, as if she is the sun in the room. He also describes Juliet as ‘a snowy dove trooping with crows’. This simile tells us that he thinks that Juliet stands out above every person in the room and that she is more beautiful than any other girl. However, Tybalt hears Romeo and becomes a threat to the love between Romeo and Juliet. He says, ‘to strike him dead, I hold not a sin’. This phrase tells us that he will not hesitate to kill Romeo, which may be a way of Shakespeare foreshadowing a fight between Romeo and Tybalt.
The excitement is developed through their first meeting as Romeo and Juliet are shown to be lightly flirting with each other, using words of the vocabulary of religion, to represent words of the vocabulary of the body. When they m...
... middle of paper ...
...eparate them forever. Then Juliet says, ‘follow thee my lord throughout the world’, which foreshadows their death at the end of the play, causing the audience to wait in anticipation for the scene that will appear. The nurse’s inherent shouts also remind us that she might be getting suspicious, and this could mean danger to the plans of Romeo and Juliet so they decide to end their conversation with a goodbye.
In conclusion, Shakespeare shows both the excitement and dangers of first love by structuring the play to show us both the sweet moments between Romeo and Juliet, yet effectively adding in moments when the audience would feel a sense of danger, i.e. when Tybalt hears Romeo. The anticipation of the forthcoming of their marriage builds excitement and tension, and gives us the knowing feeling that something bad will happen that will separate them, if not briefly.
Juliet is brighter than the torches which light the whole room and that she teaches them to be as bright as she is. Romeo then goes on to talk of Juliet as "a snowy dove trooping with crows," saying that Juliet is a bright, white dove, a symbol of peace. walking among black crows; she stands out like a beacon of light in the dark. Romeo then asks. My heart loves it till now, forswear it.
Love is dependent upon the slightest change, but it can cause the utmost drastic consequences. This is the truth of two lovers in William Shakespeare’s furthermost celebrated play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. In the case of Romeo and Juliet, love is inimical. Romeo comes from the family of Montague while Juliet comes from the family of Capulet. For reasons unknown, these two families are sworn enemies. However, Romeo and Juliet are not. In fact, they are in a secret relationship that only two others know about. The only two that Romeo and Juliet trust, the Nurse and the Friar. While the Nurse, Friar, and Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, all have good intentions, they are all responsible for the suicides of Romeo and Juliet in the
On first seeing Juliet, Romeo exclaims, "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; … So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows" (Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 44-48) Romeo describes Juliet's beauty in terms of light and dark. "She doth teach the torches to burn bright" means both that her beauty is brighter than the light of any torch and that she makes the whole room light up. The brightness of Juliet's beauty is made even brighter by the contrasts with the blackness of the "Ethiope" and the blackness of crows. The use of antithesis with the "snowy doves" and the "crows" creates a powerful opposing force showing how she stands out from the others. Another interpretation of the dove is that it is a symbol of peace and sets in place an image of Romeo and Juliet's love creating peace between the two rival families. Another moment is when Juliet is waiting for Romeo to come to her bed. In her imagination, the night will bring her love. She goes on to say, "Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, / That runaways' eyes may wink and Romeo" (Act 3 Scene 2 Lines 5-6). Juliet is seeing things as though she is in bed, the curtains are closed, creating a dark atmosphere where they act their love. In the dark, the pair will create their own light, because "Lovers can see to do their amorous rites / By their own beauties" The use of courtly love is very common in theatres at the time of Romeo and Juliet because in those days people would dream and fantasize about courtly love and was an entertaining
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet tells the tragic story of two young star-crossed lovers whose fates are inevitable. This poetic play reaches a theatrical crescendo in Act 3 Scene 1, a pivotal turning point that leads to the ultimate tragedy of the play. This play incorporates plot, language devices and aesthetic features to explore themes on the forcefulness of love and the inevitability of fate. Shakespeare applies literary devices to portray the instinctive and strong attraction between Romeo and Juliet. Elements of aesthetic features are also included to further create a text that exquisitely expresses the heartbreak of forbidden love and devastating tragedy.
How Shakespeare Presents Love and the Problems of Love in Romeo and Juliet With particular focus on Act 1 Scene 5 and Act 2 Scene 2, show how. Shakespeare presents love and the problems of love in Romeo and Juliet. In the book Romeo and Juliet we look at the love and passion between Romeo of the Montague house and Juliet of the Capulet house as well. the feud between the two houses. Act 1 scene 1:
Shakespeare does well to create a connection between the reader and the characters of Romeo and Juliet so that the heartbreak is truly felt in the end. He uses strong words when describing Romeo and Juliet's connection. By doing this we feel deeply for the couple and hope that it all works out. He sets it up from the very beginning. He indirectly informs the readers that the relationship is set up for failure right at the very start of the love affair.
Juliet`s beauty instantaneously mesmerizes Romeo, which ultimately diminishes his previous affection for Rosaline. In this scene, impulsive behavior and decision- making are greatly portrayed. During Romeo and Juliet`s first encounter, he asks for a kiss “[my] lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready to stand, / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” (I.v.95-96). On his initial reaction to seeing her, Romeo boldly approaches Juliet with the sudden desire to kiss her. Romeo`s coaxing portrays his persistent personality and the strong emotion he feels towards her to which is far beyond his control. Consequently, the overpowering feeling that has taken over Romeo, which causes him to ask for a kiss from someone he met moments ago. Ultimately, Romeo`s decision to ask for a kiss
The lover’s immediate connection is established at the Capulet feast, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Through doing this, it shows that Romeo is reckless and continues even though he recognizes that they come from different families, “o dear, my life is my foe’s debt”. Throughout the play, it establishes that Juliet allows herself to behave impulsively and be persuaded by Romeo into a impetuous and thoughtless marriage, “The exchange of thy love’s faithful vowel for mine” Juliet expresses her concern that it is too soon to promise to love Romeo when they have only just met, “It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden / Too like the lightning” This simile is used to convey Juliet’s thought on their sudden love. Although Juliet has recognized how spontaneous they are acting, it does not prevent her from continuing her relationship with Romeo, proving that Juliet is just as impulsive as Romeo. Thus, Shakespeare has skillfully utilized the lovers to demonstrate that their own reckless actions is a reason for their untimely
Through this tragic play, Shakespeare illustrates that love requires people to sacrifice many precious things, which can include family, friends, even life. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet depicts the nuances of human experience of love. Romeo and Juliet’s story is the greatest declaration of romantic love.
In Romeo and Juliet a significantly horrendous ending takes place, but with Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing he is able to keep the reader from being overly traumatized. For example, when Juliet and Romeo are discussing plans Juliet says, "O God, I have an ill-divining soul! / Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, / As one dead in the bottom of the tomb"(lll,v,14-56). Juliet has mixed feelings about the arrangement devised by the Friar so that the two of them can be together. Juliet thinks disaster will come of previous tactics developed to allow Romeo and her to be together. In addition, when Romeo is speaking of his love for Juliet he says, "And but thou love me, let them find me here. / My life were better ended by there hate / Then death prorogued, wanting of thy love"(ll,ii,75-77). Romeo's immense love for Juliet will eventually lead to the fall of himself. Death lingers throughout the play between Romeo and his love, Juliet. In conclusion, when Juliet is thinking about Romeo she says, "Give me Romeo; and when he shall die / Take him and cut him out in little stars, / And he will make the face of heaven so fine / That all the world will be in love with night," (lll,ii,21-25). This suggests that in the play Romeo will end up dying and Juliet will be there to see it. Juliet prophesizes over many topics in the play and in the end they become true. Foreshadowing is used in this play to help the audience trounce the dreadful outcome.
Love is ironic. It can take you anywhere in the world unexpectedly, and turn you into a person that you never were. However, love is also two-faced, having both a negative and positive view. It is what drives you to the point where you do not know who you are anymore. In Shakespeare's story, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare perceives love with the personalities and actions of the characters, Romeo and Juliet. Both Romeo and Juliet are characterized as immature and irrational due to their "love." In addition, both characters fail to realize the reality of life and go towards the path of adolescence. Even though Romeo and Juliet are doomed at the end of the journey of "love," their demise was caused by their rash and silly decisions because their belief of everlasting love blinds them from reality and shapes their lives into an unstoppable time bomb.
In the play of Romeo and Juliet the main characters are a young teenage boy named Romeo and the only daughter of his family’s enemies, named Juliet. These two teenagers fall in love with one another but their love is strictly forbidden by fate. There are two families in the story; the Montagues and the Capulets, who had been rivals for many years. As two servants of the Romeo’s household walk, they see two servants of Juliet’s household biting their thumbs towards them. The two argue in public then fight. After a public fight between two servants and one kinsman from each family, the Prince of Verona tells both heads of the families that whoever disturbs the peace because of the feud between the families, will be punished by death. After
Throughout the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, various types of love are portrayed. According to some of the students of Shakespeare, Shakespeare himself had accumulated wisdom beyond his years in matters pertaining to love (Bloom 89). Undoubtedly, he draws upon this wealth of experience in allowing the audience to see various types of love personified. Shakespeare argues that there are several different types of love, the interchangeable love, the painful love and the love based on appearances, but only true love is worth having.
The Phenomenon of Love at First Sight in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare One of the first things that make a reader believe in love at first sight is the way Shakespeare created two characters who should of hated each other in the form of Romeo and Juliet but who instantly fell in love the moment they first saw each other. This shows the reader that even though they were from feuding families and were each other enemies love at first sight was in itself was real enough force to make two people fall in love The first message in the play is where straight away Shakespeare makes his first reference to love "†A pair of star crossed lovers take their life†Doth with their death bury their parents' strife." though this does not refer to love at first sight directly, it does help the reader believe in love at first sight as it is showing what a powerful emotion love is. This is because at the beginning of the play The reader discovers the Montague's and the Capulet's (Romeo and Juliet's family hate each other so much that they have even killed her.
In the play “Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare shows that love has power to control one’s actions, feelings, and the relationship itself through the bond between a destined couple. The passion between the pair grew strong enough to have the capability to do these mighty things. The predestined newlyweds are brought down a rocky road of obstacles learning love’s strength and the meaning of love.