Intensity and Blind nature of Romeo and Juliet's love Flashcards
“O she doth teach the torches to burn bright”
First line of Romeo’s soliloquy upon seeing Juliet- He HYPERBOLICALLY uses FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE to describe her beauty like light compared to darkness in his soliloquy showing the intensity of his love upon first sight and how he is BLINDED BY THE LIGHT.
“If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed”
Juliet says this after meeting Romeo- INTENSITY of Juliet’s love is shown as she is proclaiming already that she will give her entire life to Romeo and marry no one else but him
The prologue to act 2 states that Romeo and Juliet are “alike bewitched by the charm of looks”
Shakespeare COULD be presenting their love as purely infatuation and ALSO showing how they are under a “charm” or SPELL that will cause them to go to great lengths for their love
“O she…
…doth teach the torches to burn bright”
“If he be…
…married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed”
“alike…
…bewitched by the charm of looks”
Romeo descries Juliet’s eyes as so bright that “birds would sing and think it were not night”
Romeo perpetually descries Juliet with imagery surrounding light presenting her as the best and only source of light- LINKS to how the lovers are so absorbed in their light they are oblivious to the dark direction their romance is heading to
“Juliet is the sun”
Romeo places Juliet on a pedestal METAPHORICALLY portraying her as the “sun” which he revolves around- Has fallen blindly and intensely in love(tragic flaw)
“for thy name which is no part of thee, take all myself”
Juliet says this while at her window- Willing to give up her family name and all of herself after only one conversation with Romeo- RECKLESS
“for thy…
…name which is no part of thee, take all myself”
“birds would…
… sing and think it were not night”
“Juliet is…
…the sun”
Juliet describes Romeo as, “the god of my idolatry”
Juliet has blind and intense love for Romeo to the point of worshipping him like a “god”
“the god…
…of my idolatry”
When do Romeo and Juliet marry?
Within 24 hours of meeting
“Blistered be thy tongue”
Juliet’s admonishing words towards the nurse when she criticises Romeo for slaying Tybalt- REFELECTS the ISOLATING nature, INTENSITY and BLIND nature of Romeo and Juliet’s love
Juliet is being estranged from the woman who the audience know raised her
She is stubbornly sticking by Romeo no matter his offence and blindly believes he is at no fault
N.B: She also admonishes herself for her shaken faith in him
“Blistered…
…be thy tongue”
Juliet declares that the grief of Romeo’s banishment outweighs the grief of Tyblat’s death and even compares it to the grief she would feel if her entire family were to be killed
Emphasizes the INTENSITY of her feelings towards Romeo and shows the audience how devoted she is to Him. However, it also raises questions as to what about their relationship has led to such a strong commitment to it from them.
Tries to kill himself while lamenting over his banishment
Shakespeare presents Romeo as extremely immature and impetuous.
ALSO creates psychological tension in Romeo and Juliet by consistently linking the intensity of young love with a suicidal impulse.
AND SO?- Showing that young love is an overwhelming force which must be accommodated with caution.
