How Does Shakespeare Present Depression In Romeo And Juliet

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The play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare in 1594, this story takes place in a city called Verona. Romeo and Juliet, two teenagers, have many obstacles preventing their love. Those include family feuds and other love interests. This all becomes too much for the couple so they kill themselves to be together. The result of this is the end of the family feud. In Act IV, scene i, Friar Lawrence and Juliet are conversing about the death-like potion she’s going to drink. This potion is to trick her whole family so she doesn’t have to marry Paris, but Romeo instead. In this scene, Shakespeare uses metaphor, personification, and imagery in order to set the tone as loving, desperation, and depression. The first way Shakespeare shows the tone of depression is by using foreshadowing in Juliet and Friar Lawrence’s conversation. When they’re talking it gets dark very fast. “And with this knife, I’ll help it presently” (IV.i.46). Juliet is saying how she will kill herself with the knife that she is holding. Shakespeare uses this to show that Juliet is upset. “O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, from off the battlements of any tower” (IV.i.73) She would rather kill herself than marry Paris. This predicts that she's going to kill herself and adds suspense to the rest of the book. …show more content…

Juliet states: “God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands” (IV.i.48); Juliet’s statement says that fate connected Romeo and Juliet’s hearts. By using the metaphor of Romeo and Juliet’s hearts connecting by hands, Shakespeare represents how in love Romeo and Juliet are. “And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo’s sealed, shall be the label to another deed” (IV.i.50-51). This explains that her hands and heart are bound to Romeo. Friar Lawrence is using the metaphor of her heart being bound to Romeo to magnify her desperation for Romeo’s love. Shakespeare explores love and desperation using