Romeo and Juliet

Quotation | Analysis / links to elsewhere in the play | Presentation of character(s) | Links to relationship – why is it moving / important / different? | Themes / images of their language | Romeo:“It is the east, and Juliet is the sun./Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon...” | * Sun metaphor: Juliet breaths life, warmth and growth into Romeo’s life * The envious moon symbolising Rosaline who had “Dian’s wit” in 1.1 * Juliet embodies a new phase in Romeo’s life | * In love * Obsessed * Fickle – with the loss of one infatuation another is born | * Signifies a new chapter in Romeo’s life * Symbolises light being bought into his life * Moving as Romeo is rejuvenated by the love and light Juliet brings | * light metaphor * A new day dawning | Romeo:
“Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,/Having some business, do entreat her eyes/To twinkle in their spheres till they return.” | * Celestial metaphor – all of the most beautiful things in the heaven descending to life within her and create her beauty * Stars are marvelled at and unexplained – much like Romeo’s love * The sheer distance away from stars symbolises the unattainable essence of Juliet’s beauty and chastity * Romeo’s focus has shifted from 1.5 – he now obsessed with Juliet’s beauty and not the obtaining of her attention and kiss | * Adoring * In awe * Marvelling * Poetic * Courtly lover | * Romeo is now fixated upon Juliet * So moving because she literally dazzles him and he is so in love | * Light metaphor * Celestial beings | Romeo:“The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,/As daylight doth a lamp...” | * Marvelling at her beauty * The “brightness” alluding to her pure, white skin which imitates her chastity * Now beginning to place Juliet above natural beauty * That her natural beauty outshines anything artificial – perhaps painted faces of other women * Very similar to the language used in 1.5 where he speaks

Links: to relationship – why is it moving / important / different? | Themes / images of their language | Juliet:“Deny thy father and refuse thy name;/Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,/And I 'll no longer be a Capulet…” | * Discarding her family name / asking Romeo to do the same * Logical approach to being together * Merely asking for Romeo’s love and if he swears it, she shall be his * Contrast to the Juliet in 1.3 where she proclaims that marriage is an “honour [she] dream[s] not of...” | * Logical * Determined * Unconventional | * Important as they are equal in the feelings they hold for each other * This line offers an interesting contrast to the way they both view their relationship – Romeo in adoration and awe / Juliet determined to be one...Juliet’s logicality is far more tangible than Romeo’s poetic notions | * Casting off names * Becoming one | Juliet:“What 's in a name? that which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet;” | * Poetic language – likening Romeo to a symbol of love * Sensuality of her language – the smell of Romeo being so sweet * Can be linked to 1.5 where she is rather reserved at times and not allowing Romeo to know her true feelings immediately | * Poetic * In love * Changed | * Important as we see how Juliet unravels the predicament she has found herself in * Also important as we can see her character flourish - she begins to speak romantically as she now has a reason to | * Image of a rose, symbolic of love and passion | Juliet:“Romeo, doff thy name,/And for that name which is no part of thee/Take all myself.” | * She commands Romeo to “doff [his] name” - Juliet takes control of the situation much like 1.5 * She is determined to be with Romeo and this is seen through her repeating the notion that they must disregard their names and families * Juliet is very forward in her admittance that Romeo may “Take all” of herself – she is offering her chastity | * forward * Bold * Rather brazen in her offering of herself | * Important as we see how emboldened Juliet is by her love for Romeo * We see her determined character shine through once again * Important as she takes control | * Casting off of names / past * Theme of reincarnation for the both of them | Juliet:“Thou know 'st the mask of night is on my face,/Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek/For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night...” | * Aware of societal conventions and how she is going against them in being so bold with her confessions of love * She is perhaps worried about the fact that Romeo will judge her for being so forward * Even though Juliet is an unconventional young woman, she is still aware of a woman’s reputation and the importance of one’s chastity * Can be linked to 1.5 where she begins the broken sonnet by refusing Romeo’s advances with coy retorts | * Worried * Conscious of societal conventions * Wary of how men treat women | * This quotation is important as, even though we see Juliet as determined and beyond her year when it comes to being in control of her own destiny, we also see that she still abides by societal rules. She maintains the notion that a woman should remain respectable and the only way to do so it to marry Romeo | * The two shrouded in darkness * Secrecy * Danger * Confessions | Juliet:“Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny/What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!” | Translation of quotation: Juliet would and has dwelled upon the rules set by society and yet her love for Romeo has provoked her to discount the rules of decorum * Juliet holds such opposing feelings and ideas * She wants to abide by the life and choices of a respectable young woman and yet love has corrupted her * She still remains determined to marry and yet she refuses to keep her feelings away from Romeo as she is scared he will view her as indifferent | * Contradictory * Opposing her steadfast character of 1.3 * Torn / divided * Ruled by love * Out of control | * Important as we see Juliet being rules and led by love as easily as Romeo is * They are both in love and she is now confessing all so that Romeo may realise how much she loves him * This section is important as we see the determined Juliet make her choice: she chooses Romeo and has realised that he is the man she will be with forever * So moving as they are both so in love and unable to control it / simultaneously anxious as they know what this means for them | * Image of Juliet turning her back to society and in turn her mother / family / her life as she knows it | Juliet:“If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:/Or if thou think 'st I am too quickly won,/I 'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,/So thou wilt woo...” | * Returning to marriage and ensuring that Romeo pronounces his love “faithfully” - she wishes Romeo to prove to her that he love her and this can only be proven through marriage – yet again a societal convention which Juliet is ruled by * Juliet is constantly worried about Romeo judging how easily she is “won”- she wishes to remain respectable and maintain her dignity * Ironic that she decides to push him away if he does think her too easily won as Romeo would be in the same traumatic situation of 1.1 – he describes Rosaline as “she’ll not be hit” | * Determined * Conscious of societal conventions * Nervous | * This is important as it demonstrates that Juliet is conscious of societal conventions and even though she is unconventional in her determined / head-strong nature, she is very much aware of how a woman should behave and win the adoration of a man * This is also important as again we see that she is in control of the relationship – if Romeo confesses that she has been too easily won then she will push him away and he must chase her * Juliet is also naive of love and unchaste women...she is bold in her actions and confessions but she is follows all the ‘rules’ society give her | * Common theme of marriage cropping up in her language * Common theme of convention and gender roles coming through her language | Juliet:“It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;/Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be/Ere one can say 'It lightens.’” | * Juliet feels overwhelmed by the feelings and confessions being made * She is scared that, although Romeo seems sincere, that this moment and these feelings are fleeting and will not be there is the morning | * Unconventional * Determined * Overwhelmed * Scared / worried / nervous | * They both speak of the same things representing their bond although we see that Juliet feels even more vulnerable now that she is in love. She is not empowered in every way by their love as she still recognises the danger that they are in * She is determined that they marry so that, although vulnerable, they are impervious to law and family | * Lightening symbolising how brief their love and relationship was * The light metaphor is brought in by Juliet but in contrast - she is aware of the danger and therefore worried about the perhaps ephemeral relationship | Juliet:“Do not swear at all;/Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,/Which is the god of my idolatry…” | * Juliet’s logical nature shining through – in total contrast to Romeo’s poetic language * Religious metaphor being used but now in a new and unashamed way * She creates Romeo into her own “god” being both blasphemous and far moiré intense / powerful than his “saint” / “winged messenger” metaphors of this scene and 1.5 * She is far more intense than Romeo in this instance * She couples this with one of her final lines in 2.2: “And all my fortunes at thy foot I 'll lay And follow thee my lord throughout the world.” She gives everything to her and, just as Romeo will, gives her life to following her love wherever it may go – to death if necessary | * Logical * Rejuvenated * Defined by love * Worshipping * Adoring | * This is important as we see that Juliet holds the same virtues as Romeo * She labels him with the same divine status he gives her in 1.5 and 2.2 * She perhaps goes even further than Romeo as she gives him the status as an Almighty power, she labels him “god” and thus in turn removes all who she has followed previously and makes him into her leader and “lord” | * Image of Romeo as above her * Religious metaphor |