Romeo and Juliet: Characters in the Dark Themes are observations about life that can be applied in everyday situations and literary works. Such is the quote by Dwight Lyman Moody, “Character is what you are in the dark.” This quote can be interpreted in several ways and applied to many circumstances. For instance, it can be read as “you are most sincere when no one is watching.” This theme is expressed in William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo and Juliet must hide their romance from their families with only Friar Laurence and the nurse to confide in, ultimately resulting in the tragedy of the couple taking their own lives.
Baz Luhrmann’s film developed a stronger interpretation of Shakespeare's text though imagery, symbolism, and with effective evidence to support the theme: perseverance is necessary for both love and hate and without it, death and despair seeks to overlook the outcome. Unlike Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 Romeo and Juliet, which demonstrates the situation through the actions that Shakespeare wrote, Luhrmann’s film of 1996 interprets what Shakespeare was trying to convey to the audience in a different way. Luhrmann’s depiction included more meaning, exaggerated the mood, and provided a different time era in which allowed a better understanding of the scenes. When Romeo was describing Juliet’s beauty, he states, “it is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon” (Shakespeare 2. 2).
The use of “dawn” in a moment of clarity refers to the instant one sees a situation in a new light. In a moment of clarity, a thought becomes clear and the thinker is able to view their conflict from a new position allowing new possibilities to be explored. In Romeo & Juliet Act III, Scene 5, Romeo “‘More light and light; more dark and dark our woes!”’ ( Romeo & Juliet 3.5.36). Romeo is using Juliet’s request for him to avoid the light of day to explain the reality of their circumstance, the reality being that the light of day can only shed darkness on their relationship.
Described through flowers, Juliet’s life and love are a privilege that she cannot keep. In his play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare utilizes, through the motif of flowers, that when Juliet was given
Like a candle within the darkness, the imagery of light in dark comes up plenty in Romeo and Juliet. Variations on this imagery are continual again and again—images of Juliet as a sun rising within the darkness, of Juliet's eyes shining in the sky, pictures of Romeo's body cut out in little stars, of Romeo and Juliet's love as a bright flash. At times, the scene of a flash of light disappearing into the twilight appears to symbolize each the sensible strength of Romeo and Juliet's love, in addition as its transience. The imagery of light and darkness additionally picks up the play's stress on the contrasts between love and hate, passion and death. Night is a pretty vital time within the play.
The two adaptations by Luhrmann and Zeffirelli of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet into film, both convey a similar theme of forbidden love by using various lighting techniques and camera angles/movements; although, Zeffirelli does a better job at displaying this theme by his use of camera angles. The adaptations of Romeo and Juliet by both Luhrmann and Zeffirelli use lowkey and highkey lighting to help prove a forbidden lovers theme. The low-key lighting which is present in the beginning of the scene from Luhrmann’s film when Romeo is hiding amongst the statues helps to show a theme of forbidden love: as Romeo had to sneak into Juliet’s backyard while maintaining complete silence (which he failed to do). Although, the low-key lighting does
This shows that the darkness is what hides Romeo and Juliet’s relationship from their families and the outside world. In this case, the idea of blindness is literal because one is indisputably unable to see in the dark, this being the reasoning as to why Romeo and Juliet can express their love during the night. The figurative idea being the Capulets and Montagues not choosing to see what is really occurring because of their stubbornness with the rivalry. The literal and figurative meaning of blindness relates to the darkness in contrast with choosing not to
In films and literature, darkness often represents fear and misery, whereas light portrays joy and cheerfulness. Shakespeare undoubtedly utilizes these connotations in his tragedy Romeo and Juliet, as light imagery is used in order to establish joyous atmospheres and display the elation of being in love, whereas dark imagery is used to create tension and portray the distress that love can inflict. Thus, through Shakespeare’s use of light and dark imagery in Romeo and Juliet, it is undeniable that he effectively creates atmosphere and reinforces the theme of love as a source of joy and pain. Firstly, light imagery is used in pursuance of establishing a romantic atmosphere, whereas dark imagery is employed in order to generate suspense.
Shakespeare’s’ Romeo and Juliet, religious imagery represents the romantic relationship of the two characters and to express the tragedy and inevitable calamity of this pair. Religious imagery is used by the characters in their discussions of each other, their relationship and it progression, and Shakespeare’s original audience would have understood the symbolism and its meaning. The Christian symbolism in Romeo and Juliet can appear to portray the relationship in a positive light, depicting young love as sacred and innocent, however this interpretation does not understand the deeper connotations and meaning behind these symbols and motifs. While Romeo and Juliet’s relationship can appear romantic, their first meeting, the infamous “balcony scene”, and the discussions of their deaths are laced with religious symbolism and discourse that allows for a more nuanced interpretation of their nefarious love. Religious motifs and symbols are usurped and corrupted to represent the couple’s relationship, indicating the corruption and negative aspects of the pair.
Romeo’s complaints give a sliver of insight into the duality of all things, which is a strong, central theme in the play “Romeo and Juliet”. At this moment, Romeo’s heart is heavy as he longs for Rosaline’s affection whilst knowing he cannot gain it. He asks his cousin, Benvolio, to let him hold the torch so that “Being but heavy, [he can] bear the light” (Shakespeare 1.4.12-14). The contrast of his dark, moody, and wallowing attitude against the bright burning light of the torch, suggests that some new and burning desire might enter into the scene soon. Fortunately for Romeo, this will present itself in the form of Juliet.
The word “dawn” is sometimes used as metaphor for a moment of awareness when reality becomes self-evident. When people reach a dawn in their life they don’t just only reach a moment of awareness but they also reach a mentality where they see things in a different way. In the story of Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt kills Mercutio and because of that Romeo steps in and fights him and then kills him which that then lead monstrosity over the Capulet’s and the Montague’s. So the Prince decides to banish Romeo and when Juliet hears about this she kind of felt a sense of betrayal with him. “ Kiss me hard before you go/Summertime sadness/
Shakespeare uses both artificial and natural light to convey life. For instance, as lady Macbeth slowly goes crazy, the nurse tells the doctor “Why, it stood by her. She has light by her/ continually. ' Tis her
Light and dark imagery is one of the most predominant motifs present in the play Romeo and Juliet. In Acts I and II, the connotation of light and dark imagery is traditional, where light is generally positive and dark is generally negative. At the beginning of Act III, the connotation of light and dark flips, and light becomes negative and dark becomes positive. This is because the beginning of Act III is where new, more serious conflicts are introduced to the plot, which results from Tybalt killing Mercutio. When Mercutio dies, his last words are a curse upon the Montagues and Capulets.
Roses will fade eventually, as the life of Romeo and Juliet will shade ultimately. The use of symbolisms which drives the plot development, creates conflict and exposes the major themes not only is used to determine the tragic ending, but also to unmask the social and historical drawbacks for example arranged marriages during the Elizabethan
“Dawn” is a metaphor especially used in literature for a moment of awareness of the reality surrounding a character. Also known as an epiphany, when the moment of awareness of reality becomes evident, one may crave to return to the “night”, or their ideal state. The scene opens with Juliet begging Romeo to remain in her presence just a bit longer, “Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day: It was the nightingale, and not the lark,” (Romeo And Juliet.
