Romeo And Juliet Light And Darkness Essay

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Light and darkness are present throughout the play Romeo refers Juliet to light. “the torches to burn bright”(I.v.43) and (II.ii.3), later in the scene Shakespeare says (II.ii.15). Romeo is also associated with the light who illuminates the dark (III.ii.22-25), reminding us that their love is brightest during the night, and is a special glow like the stars or torches not like the day which is fully bright. The day, in fact, works against them as the quote (III.v.36) tells that Romeo must flee before the day so he is not caught and killed. In addition, this brings us to our next symbol/motif, darkness. Light and dark may have a motif in Romeo and Juliet, but night time is an important motif in itself. The time of evening hold many important events in their story - they meet; they pledge to get married; …show more content…

They both have a boldness that appears at night because it shrouds them, giving privacy from prying eyes. This is when their love can bloom. The last symbol is Poison. Its lethality and ability to induce sleep make it the instrument of Romeo and Juliet’s death. Besides the fact that poison is a physical object in the play, it is also a symbol. It represents the feud between Capulet and Montague, which not only is it deadly itself - Mercutio’s death - but it is also a spark for the lovers’ deaths. In addition, Fate is a major theme, if not the most in this play. Their deaths were not a result of their own defects but as a result of fate, marking them for sorrow. For example, in Act, I scene ii, Capulet’s servant is searching for a soul whom can read, then enter Romeo and Benvolio, completely by chance. This accident emphasizes how important fate is in this play. In the same scene, Romeo says that it is his “fortune” to read - and his “fortune” in fact led Capulet’s servant to him. This scene is preparing us for the inevitable tragedy at the end of the