How Does Shakespeare Use Light And Dark In Romeo And Juliet

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is arguably one of the most beautiful yet tragic love stories ever written. Romeo and Juliet, two lovers from feuding families, fall instantly in love when they first lay eyes on each other. Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to the bright torches as well as the sun, and he realizes that the only time they can see each other is at night when all is dark. Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery throughout the play, with each having a different meaning. He turns light and dark imagery on its head by showing darkness as a safe place for the lovers, and light as both harsh and a representation of beauty.

Shakespeare first uses light and dark imagery at the Capulet ball. While Romeo is at the party, he notices Juliet dancing with Paris and instantly falls in love with her beauty. As Romeo admires Juliet, he says “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear” (Shakespeare 1.5.51-52). He compares Juliet’s beauty to the torches’ light,

and how her radiance teaches the other torches to burn brighter. Romeo goes on to personify Juliet to a jewel on night’s cheek, and how her beauty will never die. He continues to express her physical qualities and says “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon” (2.2.3-4). Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, for the sun shines bright every day. When the sun shines, the moon is gone, and Juliet brightens up all darkness around her. In these comparisons, it seems like the light is a representation of Juliet’s beauty, and the dark represents the night.
Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to emphasize the contrasts between the safety of night and harshness of day. When Romeo is banished from Verona, the two lovers are given one more night to be with each other. In the morning, Romeo awakes to the sound of the lark and tells Juliet. Juliet refuses to believe him and Romeo responds “It was the lark, the herald of the morn, no nightingale. Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops” (3.5.6-10). The two lovers can see each other only when “nights cloak” (2.2.80) hides them from the people of Verona. In this scene, we see how the light it referred to the lark, bird of the morning, and the dark is referred to the nightingale, bird of the night. In this situation, the light and dark imagery shows how important the nighttime is to the lovers.
The pattern of the dark being a peaceful period for Romeo and Juliet continues throughout the play.

Due to the tension between the two houses, it isn’t uncommon for a fight to break out. Throughout the play, we see many fights occur. These skirmishes only happen during the day, while at night, we see more romantic and peaceful scenes from the play. Romeo emphasizes how the day time brings problems when he says “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes” (3.5.36) As the sun come up, we see many problems occur, such as constant fights, the separation of Romeo and Juliet, and the forced marriage with County Paris. An outcome of one of the fights resulted in Tybalt’s death, as well as Romeo being banished. This shows how throughout the day, many issues happen. The light is again shown as an obstacle for Romeo and Juliet, while the dark is a tranquil time. Shakespeare uses this contrast again to show light and dark

imagery.
In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers are separated due to their feuding families. Both Romeo and Juliet face the romantic, timeless feelings that love brings, as well as the hardships that come with it. Throughout the story, we see many scenes that involve romance and peace, as well as harshness and violence. Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to show the contrasts between the two, with each one having a different meaning.