Silver vs Gold
“Too many people miss the silver lining because they 're expecting gold.” Quoth. The themes of gold and silver play a prominent role in the symbolism of the flaws and strengths in humans in Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare wrote the play Romeo and Juliet in 1597 about two star crossed lovers, who eventually end up taking their own lives due to their feuding families preventing their love. Shakespeare implies that the meaning of silver shows truth, purity and the good inside of humans. On the other hand, he portrays gold as the root of all evil, showing the evil present inside all humans. Throughout the play of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses gold to represent greed, conversely, he uses silver to stand for true love or …show more content…
The reader can also tell how Shakespeare uses gold to show desire in Act Five when Romeo decides to kill himself and goes to a poor Apothecary for poison. Romeo put forth,” There is thy gold / worse poison to men’s souls.” (5.1.84) Romeo is giving all his gold and money to this man because he realizes money or gold is the root his family’s feud, or the root to all evil. Romeo gives all of his gold away before he dies because he does not want to die a selfish death. Gold is shown as acquisitiveness and Shakespeare shows that when Romeo gives his money away to die and be with Juliet. This represents him leaving his family’s feud to be with Juliet. He would rather take his own life than be greedy and live without Juliet. Shakespeare has successfully let the readers know that the purpose of gold in Romeo and Juliet is to show that gold may look intriguing but the overpowering feeling of gold can take people over with greed. Romeo understands how much his family’s desire to be better than each other and Shakespeare uses gold to symbolize him leaving the overwhelming cravings of his family for pure love with …show more content…
Romeo expresses “How silver-sweet sound lovers ' tongues by night”. (2.2.168) Romeo says this quote after he and Juliet share the balcony scene. He is talking about how different his experience with Juliet is. He is examining how pure being with Juliet is and how much beauty she has compared to Rosaline whom he was previously “in love” with. Romeo is describing how innocent and beautiful Juliet’s voice and presence is. In Act Two is where most of the references to silver occur symbolizing the pure love that Romeo feels for Juliet. This is the most romantic act. In this act Romeo and Juliet meet, kiss, and confess their love for each other often comparing it to sweet like silver. When Romeo who is around seventeen years of age meets Juliet she is not yet fourteen. Juliet is young, beautiful, and considered pure because she is not yet married or lost her virginity. Juliet represents the perfect girl in the Elizabethan era until she meets Romeo. This is why Shakespeare has Romeo describe her as silver. Shakespeare also shows symbolism with silver in other ways yet it represent the same idea. Peter says “Then music with her silver sound—”. (4.5.117) to a musician because Juliet just drank poison to kill herself as part of Friar Lawrence’s plan. He wants to hear sweet and beautiful music, because his heart is sad that Juliet is dead. A musician
“Too many people miss the silver lining because they 're expecting gold.” Quoth. The themes of gold and silver play a prominent role in the symbolism of the flaws and strengths in humans in Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare wrote the play Romeo and Juliet in 1597 about two star crossed lovers, who eventually end up taking their own lives due to their feuding families preventing their love. Shakespeare implies that the meaning of silver shows truth, purity and the good inside of humans. On the other hand, he portrays gold as the root of all evil, showing the evil present inside all humans. Throughout the play of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses gold to represent greed, conversely, he uses silver to stand for true love or …show more content…
The reader can also tell how Shakespeare uses gold to show desire in Act Five when Romeo decides to kill himself and goes to a poor Apothecary for poison. Romeo put forth,” There is thy gold / worse poison to men’s souls.” (5.1.84) Romeo is giving all his gold and money to this man because he realizes money or gold is the root his family’s feud, or the root to all evil. Romeo gives all of his gold away before he dies because he does not want to die a selfish death. Gold is shown as acquisitiveness and Shakespeare shows that when Romeo gives his money away to die and be with Juliet. This represents him leaving his family’s feud to be with Juliet. He would rather take his own life than be greedy and live without Juliet. Shakespeare has successfully let the readers know that the purpose of gold in Romeo and Juliet is to show that gold may look intriguing but the overpowering feeling of gold can take people over with greed. Romeo understands how much his family’s desire to be better than each other and Shakespeare uses gold to symbolize him leaving the overwhelming cravings of his family for pure love with …show more content…
Romeo expresses “How silver-sweet sound lovers ' tongues by night”. (2.2.168) Romeo says this quote after he and Juliet share the balcony scene. He is talking about how different his experience with Juliet is. He is examining how pure being with Juliet is and how much beauty she has compared to Rosaline whom he was previously “in love” with. Romeo is describing how innocent and beautiful Juliet’s voice and presence is. In Act Two is where most of the references to silver occur symbolizing the pure love that Romeo feels for Juliet. This is the most romantic act. In this act Romeo and Juliet meet, kiss, and confess their love for each other often comparing it to sweet like silver. When Romeo who is around seventeen years of age meets Juliet she is not yet fourteen. Juliet is young, beautiful, and considered pure because she is not yet married or lost her virginity. Juliet represents the perfect girl in the Elizabethan era until she meets Romeo. This is why Shakespeare has Romeo describe her as silver. Shakespeare also shows symbolism with silver in other ways yet it represent the same idea. Peter says “Then music with her silver sound—”. (4.5.117) to a musician because Juliet just drank poison to kill herself as part of Friar Lawrence’s plan. He wants to hear sweet and beautiful music, because his heart is sad that Juliet is dead. A musician