How Is Imagery Used In Romeo And Juliet

How could audiences tell what was happening in plays if there were no props, and playwrights weren't able to purchase expensive set tools? The imagery used in Romeo & Juliet is a major contributor to the setup and change of mood in the story. Shakespeare has intrigued a large audience by using imagery in his plays, there are many great examples in his most famous play, Romeo and Juliet.

Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech included many pieces of imagery which were used first to set a sweet mood that quickly turned dark and violent. Mercutio begins his Queen Mab speech by describing Queen Mab as a beautiful fairy. He says, “Sometimes she gallops ao’er a soldier’s neck, / And then dreams of smelling out a suit. / And sometimes she comes with a tithe-

Romeo is waiting below Juliet’s balcony hoping to see her. When she appears at the window he says, “But soft! What light through the yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun”(II.ii.1-2). He looks at her and begins to describe her beauty. He compares her to the sun meaning that she comes from the east, which is where the sun rises. While he sits and continues to speak of her beauty, he stares into her eyes and begins to describe how beautiful her eyes are. He does this by saying, “Two of the fairest stars in all of heaven, / Having some business, do entreat her eyes, / To twinkle in their spheres till they return”(II.ii.15-17). In this quote he describes the shine in her eyes and how he believes that they glow as if stars were to be glowing in them, creating a dreamy image of her. After waiting a while and describing her beauty, she makes a remark, and Romeo is excited and says, “O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art / As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, / As is a winged messenger of heaven”(II.ii.26-28). In this line, Romeo gives the image that Juliet is like an angel straight from heaven looking over him. Throughout Act 2 Scene 2, Romeo continuously uses imagery to compare Juliet to things of beauty. Specifically, things that are angelic and dreamy, letting the readers know that Romeo has

They spend their time knowing they won’t be able to see each other for a while knowing bad things are coming but not aware of what will and the conversations they have use imagery that sets a sad, longing mood. As night turns to day, Romeo fears being caught and killed by Juliete’s family. While noticing the time changes, he says that the “Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day / Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops”(III.v.9-10). Romeo here describes how the nighttime is leaving by comparing it to the candles of the night burning out, and says that a new day is coming by comparing the sunrise to a glorious day standing high up on tall mountain tops. As the daytime comes in faster, the two lovers begin to rush and say what is most important. While time is continuing, the two feel pressured by the daylight and explain that, “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!”(III.v.36). The faster daytime comes in, the harder it is for the two. They are stuck in the dilemma of dealing with strict parents which leads them to make the bad decisions that they do. Romeo and Juliet notice that they both looked very pale. He says that it is because “Dry sorrow drinks our blood”(III.v.59). The emotional distress they go through causes them to go pale in the face. This proves that there is an immense amount of stress on Romeo and Juliet. In Act 3 Scene 5, we understand the hardships of