Romeo And Juliet Light Essay

Light is one of the most repeated themes throughout Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The novel in general is linked to light, one way or another. When Romeo avoids the light, it shows that he has turned to depression. Actions meant to be steady are sped up. Objects such as the sun, stars, and torches can be related as well. Light can be the speed of actions becoming faster, as a sudden death falls upon the people. Light can be a woman who is the brightest in the world; a woman whose beauty shines the most. Light can be an emotion with people of lively personalities can be compared to, but then comes darkness where those who hide can be compared to depression. Light is utilized in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to mirror the actions throughout

the novel, show women’s purity, and to showcase one’s emotions.
Light is used to speed up one’s actions. Shakespeare has exploited light as speeding up what occurs during broad daylight in comparison to the night. In Act 1, Scene 1, Sampson declares his hatred towards the Montagues. As Sampson catches a glimpse of Abram, he bites his thumb—which is seen as an offensive gesture. The movement then leads into a fight. Benvolio, who is a kinsman to the Montagues, draws his sword which attracts the attention from Tybalt, a kinsman from the Capulets. Tybalt explains that Benvolio should be ashamed for drawing his sword since the men who are fighting are nothing more than worthless peasants. Benvolio requests that Tybalt shall keep the peace, where Tybalt draws his own sword and attacks. The brawl expands and citizens take hold of their own weapons. Prince Escalus then enters and demands the fighting to stop. Both Capulets and Montagues drop their weapons and the Prince proclaims a death sentence on anyone who disturbs the peace again. Within one scene of the book, the reader is already being set up by the action occurring during daytime. Another example is the death of Mercutio and Tybalt, which obviously is set in the day. Benvolio and Mercutio walk in the street under the sun when Tybalt enters with his partners. Romeo then enters which shifts Tybalt’s attention to him. Romeo is called a villain and is commanded to draw his sword, but refuses. An angered Mercutio draws his sword and begins to fight Tybalt. Romeo throws himself in front of Mercutio. In an attempt to stab Romeo, Tybalt ends up stabbing Mercutio. As Mercutio dies, he curses both the Montagues and Capulets. “A plague o’ both your houses.” In conclusion, Romeo attacks Tybalt, killing him. Romeo then flees. This demonstrates how actions are sped up in the daylight. Everything happens rapidly, from one death to another within one scene. When Romeo is exiled from Verona, he is deeply saddened. Romeo explains that banishment is much worse than death since he will be without Juliet. “There is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world, and world’s exile is death,” and “Tis torture and not mercy. Heaven is here, where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog and little mouse, every unworthy thing, live here in heaven and may look on her, but Romeo may not,” (Act 3, Scene 3). Many mistakes are also created in the daylight, where civilians eventually regret what they have done. Light is seen as a time where actions are being pushed and violence suddenly occurs.
Light is utilized to portray women’s pure character.

During Capulet’s feast, Capulet says to Paris, "At my poor house look to behold this night. Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light.” The “Earth-treading stars” refer to the beautiful women who will be at the feast. The ladies shine so bright that they will light up the night. Again, feminine beauty in reference to light reoccurs at the end of the scene. Benvolio tries to persuade Romeo to get over Rosaline. He compares her to other ladies. Benvolio explains that he will show Romeo “shining maidens” that will eventually allow Romeo consider Rosaline as an ordinary woman. Another repeated image throughout the play involves Romeo comparing Juliet to light. In Act 2, Scene 2, when Romeo first sees Juliet, he exclaims, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night. Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.” Romeo says that Juliet’s beauty becomes brighter from the contrast of the blackness of crows. Later, he also explains that her eyes are like “two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,” also comparing Juliet to light. Juliet also connects Romeo with a light that brightens the dark. She states that if she dies, she wants Romeo “cut in little stars / and he will make the face of heaven so fine / that all the world will be in love with night, / and pay no worship to the garnish sun.” Romeo has also compared Rosaline to light. An example is in Act 1, Scene 2, where Romeo states that Rosaline is “the all-seeing sun.” Sounds similar, doesn’t it? Light can be used to explain the brightness of eyes, or even greater, the beauty of a

woman.
Light can be used to contrast one’s emotions from another’s. In Act 1, Scene 1, Montague and Lady Montague speak with Benvolio. They say how they are glad that Romeo didn’t take place in the brawl and question Benvolio if he has seen Romeo. Montague states that Romeo has been avoiding the light, showing a sign of depression. Romeo is also said to create an artificial night and as soon as the sun rises, he comes home to escape it. “The shady curtains from Aurora's bed, away from the light steals home my heavy son, and private in his chamber pens himself, shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out and makes himself an artificial night.” (Act 1, Scene 1). Benvolio and Montague both consider the light as holy, while Romeo’s preference for the dark can be seen as a sign of sadness. In Act 1, Scene 4, Romeo states that being in light, or holding a torch, is a burden. Another example is in the balcony scene, where Romeo says, “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief. That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. . . .The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars. As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heave would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night.” Even though it is late at night, Juliet’s beauty makes Romeo imagine that she is the sun, turning light into darkness. Romeo personifies the moon, saying that is it “sick and pale with grief,” and that Juliet is much brighter. Juliet is very frequently compared to light. This can be due to the fact that she is very lively and has a much lighter emotion than Romeo. Romeo can be compared to the dark. In the beginning of the play, Romeo is depressed. Darkness can resemble depression, while optimism can resemble light. Light can showcase different emotions from happiness, to joy, to depression.
From the actions speeding up throughout Romeo and Juliet, to the purity of a women’s soul, to the emotions of the characters, light can be seen from different perspectives. The play in general is overflowing with evidence on how light affects the total population. If it weren’t for the light, deaths wouldn’t occur, Juliet would have not been shining brightly, and emotions would hide in the darkness. Romeo and Juliet have many themes, but light can be the main focus. As Juliet is seen as the sun, Romeo is seen as the darkness. Their love contrasts against one another, using light and darkness to describe it. Shakespeare has thus managed to portray light as an action, a quality, and an emotion all at once.