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Romeo And Juliet Act 1 Passage Analysis

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Act 1 Passage Quiz
This passage has the structure of a sonnet since it is written in iambic pentameter, has the same rhyming scheme and the correct number of lines. For starter, the passage is written in iambic pentameter, which means that one syllable is unstressed, while the other is stressed. An example of this is in line 4, the word to, is unstressed, while smooth is stressed, and the pattern continues... In addition, the passage includes the correct rhyming pattern of a sonnet. This pattern is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, where each line rhymes with its matching letter. I have marked each line in the passage with this scheme, notice how the lines with the same letter rhyme, i.e (lines A, hand and stand). Furthermore, this passage from the play follows …show more content…

For instance, in the third quatrain or line 9-12 Juliet says, “Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.” Romeo replies, “O,then…lest faith turn to despair.” In a sonnet, there is a specific rhyming pattern, typically each character says enough that they complete the pattern, however in this part of the passage, Romeo ends the pattern with the word despair, rhyming what Juliet ended with earlier, prayer. This further shows how Romeo and Juliet are extremely connected through their love. Therefore, Shakespeare decided that a sonnet would best suit this passage in the play since he wanted to portray Romeo and Juliet’s powerful …show more content…

Shakespeare uses the form of a sonnet to set up the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet. The contrasting imagery in the sonnet suggests that even though Romeo and Juliet are physically attracted to each other Shakespeare implies that their love is pure and innocent in comparison to the previous views of love expressed by the Nurse and Mercutio. Firstly, the imagery in the sonnet is highly romantic and religious, yet often physical. For instance, in line 3-4 Romeo says “This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: / My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. ” In this passage, Romeo says many religious terms such as holy, shrine, gentle, sin, blushing, pilgrims, this portrays that Romeo and Juliet 's love is very innocent and pure as there are many religious allusion. Nevertheless, it is also very physical as this entire dialogue is about a kiss. Thus, Shakespeare shows that their love is purely physical attraction, yet it is also quite innocent. In addition, the Nurse and Mercutio believe love to be about sexual desire and thus temporary. For example, in scene 4 of Act 1, Mercutio tells Romeo about Queen Mab, “This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, /That presses them and learns them first to bear, / Making them women of good carriage.” In this speech, Mercutio describes love to be a delusion and very sexual. Similarly, the nurse often makes many sexual overtones when

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Young men’s love then lies / Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes… In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; / For this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2.3.65-92). The friar tells Romeo that he does not love Juliet, he only loves her appearance, but he marries them anyways to possibly end the feud. The friar makes impulsive decisions without giving the situation much thought. He also performs another act of impetuosity in Act IV.

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It pretty much covers this love throughout the entire story line. Although one example of this is when Romeo and Juliet first meet, Romeo quotes, “O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray; Grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.” (1.5.102-3). In this case Romeo is wanting Juliet to kiss him, which in this same conversation juliet wants the same thing.

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