Romeo and Juliet Light Means Life
Romeo and Juliet - Light Means LifeLight Means Life
The beautiful song of the yellow-breasted lark is a signal that dawn has finally arrived after a lengthy period of darkess. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, light and dark imagery is used quite frequently. Darkness is seen as favourable to some characters in the play, as during the day, a raging feud between two opposing families in merciless. Night is a time when lovers can be together and meet in secret. Occasionally, characters will debate over the existence of night or day, because it means the difference between love and hatred. Shakespeare uses images of light during darkness as symbols of the love of Romeo and Juliet in a world filled with hatred and depression.
Hatred and depression often cause arguments. Because there is such a difference between light and dark, characters argue over the existence of night and day.
At one point in the play, Romeo and Juliet are arguing over whether they heard the song of the lark or the nightingale. For if it is the lark, it is day and Romeo must leave for Mantua, but if it the nightingale, it is night and Romeo can be with Juliet.
“JULIET: Wilt though be gone? It is not yet near day.
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear;”
(Act III, Scene v, 1-3)
This quote demonstrates the great difference between day and night, and how much the existence of day means to characters. Romeo and Juliet can only see eachother during the night, and therefore they see night as a time of love and peace. Romeo knows that he must leave however, or else he will be put to death and never see his love again.
“ROMEO: It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale. Look love, what envious streaks
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.
Night’s candles are burntout, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.”
(Act III, Scene v, 6-11)
Light is seen as a good thing by almost everyone. Many times, Shakespeare uses light as a symbol to represent the love of Romeo and Juliet. If is contrasted with the dark image of the city of Verona, and the raging feud that goes on by day. Romeo is described by Juliet in a way in which this sort of imagery is used.
“Come gentle night, come loving black-browed night,
Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out into little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine”
-Juliet, (Act III, Scene ii, 20-24)
Juliet describes night as gentle and loving becasue it is when she can safely rendezvous with her husband, Romeo. The usual images of light and dark are reversed, with night being seen as ‘good’ and peaceful and day being seen as ‘bad’ and violent because of the harsh feud. Again, Juliet uses a a symbolic description of Romeo:
“JULIET: Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus’ lodging; such a wagoner
As Phaeton would whip you to the west,
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That runaway’s eyes may wink, and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen.”
(Act III, Scene ii, 1-9)
Darkness is often associated with death, and sadness. In the final scene of the play, when Romeo and Juliet commit suicide in the tomb, a torch is burning. This is an extremely powerful image because it symbolizes the love of Romeo and Juliet, even though they are surrounded by death and darkness. The torch that remains shows how strong their love was. The darkness around it symbolizes the Capulet/Montague feud and all the death it caused.
“PAGE: This is the place; there where the torch doth burn.
FIRST WATCH: The ground is bloody, search about the churchyard.”
(Act V, Scene iii, 170-171)
Romeo and Juliet are surrounded by death, and were forced to commit suicide themselves because of the feud and their strong love for one another. After their deaths, Capulet and Montague join hands and settle the feud for good. The feud is ended during the day, the time when it ususally raged on. Although, on this morning, the sun was not shining. Again, this is symbolizing the tragic death of the two star-crossed lovers.
“PRINCE: A glooming peace this morning with it brings;
The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
Go hence to have more talk of these sad things;
Some shall be pardoned, and some punished.
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
(Act V, Scene iii, 304-309)
Shakespeare uses images of light during darkness as symbols of the love of Romeo and Juliet in a world filled with hatred and depression. Characters argue over the existence of day or night, characters are described using light/dark imagery, and in the final scene Romeo and Juliet are overcome by darkness, representing death. This play shows that night should not always be seen as ‘bad’, and day as ‘good’, for good things come in the night such as the song of the nightingale and the secret meetings of two fateful lovers.