One of the most well-known passages in “Romeo and Juliet” in Act 2, Scene 2, is Romeo’s soliloquy from lines 2-25, which discloses certain aspects about the plot, characterization, and the themes of love; community conflict; and duality via light imagery. In the play, Romeo’s soliloquy reveals his affections for Juliet, making it an integral piece in the plot of “Romeo and Juliet” By confessing his admiration for Juliet, Romeo creates an internal and external conflict, central to the play. Romeo has fallen in love with his enemy, the Capulets, one with little hope of being realized. His wistful words, “Oh that she knew she were!”, in line 11 displays the conflicting emotions he has for her. On one hand, she is the object of his affection;
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If he does tell Juliet, he puts himself in a vulnerable position. Should Juliet choose to return his sentiments, then all is well; if she does not, then she can use it against him. Externally, he is at odds with the feuding families. Their violence threatens his love for Juliet, tearing him away from her. Romeo 's conflict establishes a tragic, romantic tone that pervades throughout the play. His commendation builds the passion of a secret meeting under the stars. This tone is created when Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to the sun and stars using light imagery. He uses metaphor in the second line, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun”, to say that she is his sun in the violence of Verona. The romantic tone of the piece continues to the end of the Act, where Romeo and Juliet marry. He admits his feelings love, which are returned by Juliet. The union of their love and the pleasure of their union concludes Act 2, setting the stage for the impending tragedy to follow in the climax and resolution. Driven by his love for Juliet, Romeo drinks the apothecary 's poison in an attempt to to join her in death, leading to a double suicide when Juliet stabs herself in …show more content…
The ones depicted in the soliloquy are the last two. By associating Juliet with celestial bodies, Romeo shows that his love for her extends to a spiritual level as well, since his references to the heavens can have a religious interpretation. The word “heaven” itself appears twice to refer to the stars in the sky (line 16) and to describe the effect her eyes would have as a star (line 21). According to this, it is clear that he views Juliet from an ethereal, angelic point of view. In spite of that, his feelings for her are not limited to spiritual love. Romeo hints at physical love in his words, to “cast… off” (line 10) her “vestal livery” Once again, the moon’s connection to chastity is utilized, this time to imply that he wishes to sleep with her, showing his underlying passion for Juliet. The use of “vestal livery” indicates that he wants Juliet to discard her maidenhood, which she wears like her clothes, betraying that Romeo would also like to undress her. Yet, the different types of love are surrounded by community conflict, specifically the enmity between the Montague and Capulet families in Verona. The family dispute begins to bleed into the lives of individuals who, though related,
If he does tell Juliet, he puts himself in a vulnerable position. Should Juliet choose to return his sentiments, then all is well; if she does not, then she can use it against him. Externally, he is at odds with the feuding families. Their violence threatens his love for Juliet, tearing him away from her. Romeo 's conflict establishes a tragic, romantic tone that pervades throughout the play. His commendation builds the passion of a secret meeting under the stars. This tone is created when Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to the sun and stars using light imagery. He uses metaphor in the second line, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun”, to say that she is his sun in the violence of Verona. The romantic tone of the piece continues to the end of the Act, where Romeo and Juliet marry. He admits his feelings love, which are returned by Juliet. The union of their love and the pleasure of their union concludes Act 2, setting the stage for the impending tragedy to follow in the climax and resolution. Driven by his love for Juliet, Romeo drinks the apothecary 's poison in an attempt to to join her in death, leading to a double suicide when Juliet stabs herself in …show more content…
The ones depicted in the soliloquy are the last two. By associating Juliet with celestial bodies, Romeo shows that his love for her extends to a spiritual level as well, since his references to the heavens can have a religious interpretation. The word “heaven” itself appears twice to refer to the stars in the sky (line 16) and to describe the effect her eyes would have as a star (line 21). According to this, it is clear that he views Juliet from an ethereal, angelic point of view. In spite of that, his feelings for her are not limited to spiritual love. Romeo hints at physical love in his words, to “cast… off” (line 10) her “vestal livery” Once again, the moon’s connection to chastity is utilized, this time to imply that he wishes to sleep with her, showing his underlying passion for Juliet. The use of “vestal livery” indicates that he wants Juliet to discard her maidenhood, which she wears like her clothes, betraying that Romeo would also like to undress her. Yet, the different types of love are surrounded by community conflict, specifically the enmity between the Montague and Capulet families in Verona. The family dispute begins to bleed into the lives of individuals who, though related,