Chiaroscuro is a technique used by many artists and playwrights to display the contrast of light and dark. William Shakespeare expertly uses light and dark imagery in his tragic play Romeo and Juliet to help the audience understand his play to a new depth. It is obvious that light and dark imagery is present throughout majority of the play thus; through the expert use of this literary device Shakespeare is able to give the audience a deeper understanding of certain characters and to show the significance of night for the two lovers.
Firstly, light and dark imagery is used in multiple scenes throughout the play to describe the physical and mental states of certain characters. During act 3 scene 2 Juliet is fantasizing about her lover Romeo …show more content…
The imagery is used to display the significance of nighttime in this play as it is the only time the lovers can meet. Since night is the safest time for both lovers they consider it as their ally. This is proven during a conversation between Romeo and Juliet, “I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes/ And but though love me, let them find me here.” (2.2.75-76) Romeo’s reference to his “night cloak” is important because he is saying the darkness is helping him hide from the Capulets. In the same scene Juliet says “Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face” (2.2.85). This quotation explains that Juliet’s “mask of night” is helping her hide her face from Romeo. She is hiding her face because she is blushing whilst talking to Romeo. Therefore, in this scenario both lovers find night as their ally as it helps them to keep themselves hidden. Another way light and dark imagery is used to conceal the love of Romeo and Juliet is during their honeymoon night. The audience is able to see how the time of day affects certain situations. “Look love what envious streaks/ Do lace the serving clouds in yonder cast/ Night’s candles are burnt out and jocund day/ stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops/ I must be gone and live, or stay and die.(3.5.7-10) This quotation mentions that night has ended and this means that Romeo can be easily spotted by the Capulets
Firstly, light and dark imagery is used in multiple scenes throughout the play to describe the physical and mental states of certain characters. During act 3 scene 2 Juliet is fantasizing about her lover Romeo …show more content…
The imagery is used to display the significance of nighttime in this play as it is the only time the lovers can meet. Since night is the safest time for both lovers they consider it as their ally. This is proven during a conversation between Romeo and Juliet, “I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes/ And but though love me, let them find me here.” (2.2.75-76) Romeo’s reference to his “night cloak” is important because he is saying the darkness is helping him hide from the Capulets. In the same scene Juliet says “Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face” (2.2.85). This quotation explains that Juliet’s “mask of night” is helping her hide her face from Romeo. She is hiding her face because she is blushing whilst talking to Romeo. Therefore, in this scenario both lovers find night as their ally as it helps them to keep themselves hidden. Another way light and dark imagery is used to conceal the love of Romeo and Juliet is during their honeymoon night. The audience is able to see how the time of day affects certain situations. “Look love what envious streaks/ Do lace the serving clouds in yonder cast/ Night’s candles are burnt out and jocund day/ stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops/ I must be gone and live, or stay and die.(3.5.7-10) This quotation mentions that night has ended and this means that Romeo can be easily spotted by the Capulets