Romeo & Juliet Act II, scene ii Analysis To what does Romeo compare Juliet in the opening lines of this scene? How does this comparision hearken back to ancient religious ideas? What about Romeo is Shakespeare suggesting? In the beginning of Act 2, Scene 2, Romeo says, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” Even though it is late night, Juliet’s extravagant beauty makes Romeo picture her as the sun. Romeo also personifies the moon, saying it is “already sick and pale with grief,” because the sun, Juliet, is brighter and more beautiful than the moon. Romeo used to compare Rosaline to the moon, but now his love for Juliet outshone the moon. The sun makes “...birds [sing] and think it [is] not night” Romeo also compares Juliet’s eyes to the twinkle of the stars, by saying, “to twinkle in their spheres till they return.” In ancient times, people used to worship the sun and gaze in awe. This is exactly …show more content…
Juliet is alluding to the feud between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, Juliet’s family and Romeo’s family. Juliet is asking why Romeo has to be a Montague, wishing that he could be from another family, so that they could marry peacefully without any conflict. When Juliet says “Deny thy father and refuse thy name,” she is telling Romeo to reject the idea that names define who people are and the choices that they make.“It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man!” Juliet insists that names are separarable from the things/people they name. Juliet compares Romeo to a rose, saying if the rose had a different name, it would still be a rose. Likewise, Romeo would still be Romeo if he abandoned his family’s name for Juliet. This line brings out the emotional agony that Romeo and Juliet are going through, allowing the reader to understand how they feel. Shakespeare’s use of soliloquy and apostrophe deepen the effect of this line for the