How Is Love Presented by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet?
In this essay I will be looking at how Shakespeare presents love in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet from lines 18 through to 127. After reading the majority of act 2 scene 2 we are now able to understand and interpret Shakespeare’s language and language devices further. Act 2 Scene two is set in the shadow beneath Juliet’s bedroom window, with Romeo hiding in the darkness. Romeo listens on as Juliet speaks of her love for Romeo to what she thought was the darkness however as we as the audience know Romeo is able to hear everything she is saying. Once Romeo has revealed he is below Juliet in the garden the two begin to exchange expressions of devotion for one another, this is what we will be unravelling in this essay to understand and interpret Shakespeare’s presentation of love.
I will first look at lines 18-22. Shakespeare writes “What if her eyes were there, they in her head?” By Shakespeare again speaking of Juliet’s eyes as he did earlier in Scene 2 Act 2 he is continuing to refer to them as the stars, as when the stars shine they are thought of as the most beautiful thing in the sky suggesting Romeo is thinking the same of Juliet. By Shakespeare continuously referring to eyes he is creating the sense that Romeo is getting lost in Juliet’s eyes as that is all he can think about. Shakespeare then goes on to write (In line 19) “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars” Here Romeo is reiterating how beautiful he truly feels Juliet is, by constantly talking about Juliet’s beauty compared to when he spoke of Rosaline it shows the depth of Romeos love for Juliet because he claimed to love Rosaline however he never spoke of her as lovingly as he now does of Juliet.
Moving on through to line 26, Shakespeare writes “O speak again, bright angel, for thou art...” this is read by Romeo once Juliet steps out onto the balcony unknowingly about to speak from her heart while Romeo is in the mist. Romeo refers here to Juliet as “Bright angel.” An angel is
I will first look at lines 18-22. Shakespeare writes “What if her eyes were there, they in her head?” By Shakespeare again speaking of Juliet’s eyes as he did earlier in Scene 2 Act 2 he is continuing to refer to them as the stars, as when the stars shine they are thought of as the most beautiful thing in the sky suggesting Romeo is thinking the same of Juliet. By Shakespeare continuously referring to eyes he is creating the sense that Romeo is getting lost in Juliet’s eyes as that is all he can think about. Shakespeare then goes on to write (In line 19) “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars” Here Romeo is reiterating how beautiful he truly feels Juliet is, by constantly talking about Juliet’s beauty compared to when he spoke of Rosaline it shows the depth of Romeos love for Juliet because he claimed to love Rosaline however he never spoke of her as lovingly as he now does of Juliet.
Moving on through to line 26, Shakespeare writes “O speak again, bright angel, for thou art...” this is read by Romeo once Juliet steps out onto the balcony unknowingly about to speak from her heart while Romeo is in the mist. Romeo refers here to Juliet as “Bright angel.” An angel is