The concept of light and dark is seen throughout the play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. Light typically represents goodness, whereas dark refers to evil. However in this play that is not entirely true. In some ways darkness is preferred to light. This shows that sometimes everything is not what it seems to be.
In Romeo and Juliet, the imagery of light is displayed consistently throughout the play. Light is a symbol for the daytime. Light represents happiness and love. Romeo says, “ But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?/ It is the east and Juliet the sun” (2.2. 2-3). He is comparing Juliet to the sun, saying she lights up the world. The relationship between Romeo and Juliet is one full of light. They make each other
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In Romeo and Juliet the darkness is not always bad and the light is not necessarily good. In the beginning of the play Romeo feels that he is dark, but he bears the light and will crash the party with his friends. By going to this party he overcomes his depression when he meets Juliet. He finds a new reason to be happy. Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is a secret because their families are enemies. The only time that the two of them can meet is under the cover of darkness. On the morning of the day that Romeo has to leave because of his banishment, Romeo and Juliet are arguing over whether is it morning or nighttime. Juliet does not want it to be morning because she knows that Romeo will have to leave. Romeo must leave because of he is caught in the daylight he will be killed. The darkness in both of their lives leads them to happiness, which is light. The light also causes them pain, which leads them to the dark. Romeo and Juliet is tragedy that involves the concept of light and dark. William Shakespeare used the most common perceptions of each term, but he also switched those perceptions. He displayed the positive and negative traits of both light and dark. The play revealed that what is good can be bad, but what is bad can also be