Imagery is described as visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work. William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet is one of his most famous works, and it is no stranger to figurative language. Throughout the play, light and dark imagery are used prominently to show emotions, namely heartache and lust. Both in good times and bad, Shakespeare peppers his story with mentions of torch and fire, night and stars, each with its own hidden meaning.
Imagery is used prominently to elaborate major shifts in the play. While Romeo begins the play in mourning, he soon meets Juliet, and his rapid shift in mood is obvious in the figurative language that’s used. One of the first times we hear about Romeo is when his parents …show more content…
In act three, before she learns that Tybalt is dead and Romeo is banished, she’s just sitting in her orchard and talking about Romeo. In this whole soliloquy, she is constantly talking about the night and how good it is for her and Romeo, even though night is traditionally evil. One of the most important lines describes him as being cut into stars, and he will make the night sky so bright that everyone will start to love it.“Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night.” (IIIii 21-24) Later, when Romeo and Juliet are saying goodbye, Romeo is trying to leave, but she keeps insisting that it isn’t yet morning, and he can’t yet leave. “Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I: It is some meteor that the sun exhales, To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, And light thee on thy way to Mantua:” (IIIv 12-15) She’s trying to keep him near her because she loves him, and, once again, he’s literally the light of her life. It can be seen later, after Romeo is gone, how much Juliet needs him. While in the beginning it is the loss of Rosaline that makes Romeo so depressed, it is the loss of Romeo that drives Juliet to want to kill
Imagery is used prominently to elaborate major shifts in the play. While Romeo begins the play in mourning, he soon meets Juliet, and his rapid shift in mood is obvious in the figurative language that’s used. One of the first times we hear about Romeo is when his parents …show more content…
In act three, before she learns that Tybalt is dead and Romeo is banished, she’s just sitting in her orchard and talking about Romeo. In this whole soliloquy, she is constantly talking about the night and how good it is for her and Romeo, even though night is traditionally evil. One of the most important lines describes him as being cut into stars, and he will make the night sky so bright that everyone will start to love it.“Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night.” (IIIii 21-24) Later, when Romeo and Juliet are saying goodbye, Romeo is trying to leave, but she keeps insisting that it isn’t yet morning, and he can’t yet leave. “Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I: It is some meteor that the sun exhales, To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, And light thee on thy way to Mantua:” (IIIv 12-15) She’s trying to keep him near her because she loves him, and, once again, he’s literally the light of her life. It can be seen later, after Romeo is gone, how much Juliet needs him. While in the beginning it is the loss of Rosaline that makes Romeo so depressed, it is the loss of Romeo that drives Juliet to want to kill