Romeo Flashcards
1.1 O brawling love, o loving hate
o Mainly speaks of feud, but transitions into speaking of Rosaline — unrequited love sounds more like hate than love — really infatuation
Showcases duality of love – unparalleled joys and emotional desolation of unrequited love – speaks in a disjointed, fragmented structure which do not conform to the norms of a Shakespearean sonnet, mirroring his inner turmoil. —Perhaps infatuated rather than in love.
Incessantly oxymoronic language represents internal bitterness. – dichotomy/ duplexity of love.
1.1 O heavy lightness, serious vanity
use of traditional, hackneyed poetry presents him as a young, inexperienced lover at the start of the play. Oxymoronic- inner bitterness + conflict of euphoria vs misery
More interested in being in love then actually loving someone - infatuation/ lust
1.1 With Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dian’s wit
Reference to the mythological goddess Diana —polymorphous goddess of chastity and innocence.
At this point in the play, Romeo is preoccupied by sexual desires — typically virile male, which changes upon meeting Juliet — a key part of his character development
1.4 He that hath the steerage of my course Direct my sail!
Throughout the play, Romeo vacillates between defying fate and giving into fate.
Reference to goddess Fortuna through referral to the ocean — hinting he has been guided by the Goddess of fate, - nautical imagery
3.1 Romeo steps between them … Tybalt under Romeo’s arm thrusts Mercutio in (SD)
in attempting to terminate the fight, with good intentions, he causes the worst happen – (virtue itself turns vice being misapplied )
– powerful twist if fate – FUNCTIONS AS A PERIPETEIA - dramatic reversal of fortune
1.5 O she doth teach the torch to burn bright
Alliteration creates a sense of euphony, highlighting the lyrical, almost music nature of Juliet.
BUT plosives ‘b’ reflects Romeo’s frustration at not possessing Juliet.
Personification depicts Juliet’s ability to instil fiery passion into inanimate objects, hinting that her love is a source of spiritual light (a leitmotif associated with Juliet), and her enlightening effect on others
2.2 (balcony) Bright angel
Previously, Romeo was lustful, but now, spiritual imagery demonstrates the repression of his previous lustful attitude
— Her appearance serves as a purification/purging of Romeo’s sin — central idea to Christianity.
Deification and celestial imagery presents Juliet as the epicentre of Romeo’s life,
BUT — considered negative — sacrilegious, should not be deifying Juliet — false idol – divine retribution.
Juliet’s superlative nature – sheer magnitude of her beauty
And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now
reveals his hamartia - volatile and impulsive. Romeo is led by his emotions rather than logic – prepared to die – foreboding
O I am fortunes fool
Romeo is to blame for Mercutio’s death
In attempting to cease the fight, with good intentions, Romeo causes the worst to happen.
powerful twist of fate (peripeteia)
However, Romeo is fate’s plaything — in attempting to deft fate he has allowed dark fate to occur.
Limited range of free will in Elizabethan era - perhaps deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt were collateral damage - not necessary
Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say ‘death’
banishment is worse than death’ — echoes words of Juliet in previous scene
- Emotional conflict of Romeo highlighted,
BUT he tempts fate, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy which will result in his death
- Romeos reaction is childish/ juvenile/ puerile /ungrateful / petulant = unmanly — he should be grateful for escaping execution.
Juxtaposes Juliet’s reaction, in which she comes to a rational solution
3.5 More light and light, more dark and dark our woes
- Syntactic parallelism
- Antithetical language, juxtaposition = recurring theme of light and dark
- Physical daylight and sunshine the enemy of the lovers, who’s meetings have all been under the cover of darkness characterising their love as taboo/ sacrilegious, but the leitmotif presents them as sources of light in each other’s lives
- Ominous atmosphere created – foreshadows the events about to unfold
- ALSO rhyming couplet presents reunification of the couple – return to harmony
Character statements
Transgressive character
impetuous, conflicted/ volatile, paradoxical character, Obsessive, infatuated, bitter
Typical virile chauvinist
Throughout the play, Romeo vacillates between defying fate and giving into fate
Auxiliary pious character (- this statement isnt right i dont think)
