Light Vs Dark In Romeo And Juliet

1399 Words3 Pages

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” ( Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). This exemplifies the true beauty that even in the most distressing hours of anyone's life, there is always light somewhere to restore. Many struggle with things that rests upon them throughout their life and never seem to possess a way to cope with whatever the challenge may be. Nevertheless, society should put forth effort to hunt for those concealing glimmers of hope that illuminates ones heart. Similarly, within Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” two family rivals, the Capulets and Montagues, clearly resemble this quote. However, in this case Juliet and Romeo’s relationship …show more content…

Competition, and jealousy between families can cause dispute, and darkness. Until the conflict is settled, the light can never shine through to rejuvenate. Uniquely, the Capulets and Montagues endless rivalry, is due to their arrogance, and the honoring of their family name. In result, street fights occur quite frequently for the purpose of making their name known. From time to time, there was no such thing as light between the Capulets and Montagues. Significantly, within the first act there is a street fight, which introduces not only the character’s personalities, but the altercation between the families. The fights that occur on the streets of Verona happen regularly, and are commonly terminated by the Prince himself. He announces, “Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word/By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,/ Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets/ And made Verona’s ancient citizens/ Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments/ To wield old partisans, in hands as old/ Cankered with peace, to part your cankered …show more content…

Juliet is unlike Romeo when it comes to the darkness of the two. For example, Romeo’s darkness was assembled when his profound love for Rosaline, was shattered when he acquired the news that she will never fall in love. However, Juliet was never fully in the dark before meeting Romeo. Her light and darkness was established after meeting Romeo at the party. Romeo added to Juliet’s light instantaneously at first sight, and yet added future darknesses too. At first, Romeo had absolutely no idea that Juliet was a Capulet, only till the Nurse revealed this appalling news. He responded with, “O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt” (I.iiiii.132). This indicates that Romeo’s life now belongs to his supposed to be enemies, the Capulets. Additionally, there names not only have an affect on Romeo but it also creates Juliet’s darkness, considering that she now adores a young man who she is supposed to greatly disown. She evidently convinces herself that a name is just a meaningless word, when she declares in her “What’s in a Name” soliloquy, “Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell so sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, take all

Open Document