How does Shakespeare introduce Romeo and Juliet's relationship?
How does Shakespeare introduce Romeo and Juliet’s relationship?
(Act 1, Scene 5)
Shakespeare introduces Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as unconventional. The first fourteen lines of the lovers meeting are written in sonnet form; this implies that the couple are in love already despite only just meeting. This is strange enough but then as you read on you realise that the sonnet is not spoken by just one individual from the couple but both of them share it together. The sharing of the sonnet strengthens Romeo and Juliet’s love at first sight because they seem to be unusually unified and ordered when they are sharing the poem together. The structured organisation of Romeo and Juliet’s conversation is in contrast with Romeo’s earlier lust for Rosaline; throughout talking about Rosaline he seems to be constantly confused by his feelings. For instance: earlier in the play Shakespeare has Romeo exclaim; ‘O brawling love, O loving hate,’ using repetition and an oxymoron together to amplify Romeo’s unsure feelings about Rosaline. These feelings towards Rosaline at the start of the play would be seen as more accurate for a young boy in Shakespeare’s times, than Romeo’s love for Juliet because in Shakespearean culture it was expected of boys Romeo’s age to act with an exaggerated love for a girl even if they had not spoken to before. This fact makes Romeo and Juliet’s relationship even more unorthodox.
Furthermore, Shakespeare has Romeo compare Juliet to a ‘holy shrine’ which is a unique way of metaphorically describing a lover- he could have said she was an angel or another item of beauty but instead Shakespeare has Romeo say Juliet is something to be worshipped; she is more than just something to look at. This ties in with the point that the lovers have only just met and are already devoted to each other. Shakespeare carries on this religion-love conflict by having Romeo say; ‘my lips, two brushing pilgrims.’ Here Romeo is talking about his lips ‘ready standing’-
(Act 1, Scene 5)
Shakespeare introduces Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as unconventional. The first fourteen lines of the lovers meeting are written in sonnet form; this implies that the couple are in love already despite only just meeting. This is strange enough but then as you read on you realise that the sonnet is not spoken by just one individual from the couple but both of them share it together. The sharing of the sonnet strengthens Romeo and Juliet’s love at first sight because they seem to be unusually unified and ordered when they are sharing the poem together. The structured organisation of Romeo and Juliet’s conversation is in contrast with Romeo’s earlier lust for Rosaline; throughout talking about Rosaline he seems to be constantly confused by his feelings. For instance: earlier in the play Shakespeare has Romeo exclaim; ‘O brawling love, O loving hate,’ using repetition and an oxymoron together to amplify Romeo’s unsure feelings about Rosaline. These feelings towards Rosaline at the start of the play would be seen as more accurate for a young boy in Shakespeare’s times, than Romeo’s love for Juliet because in Shakespearean culture it was expected of boys Romeo’s age to act with an exaggerated love for a girl even if they had not spoken to before. This fact makes Romeo and Juliet’s relationship even more unorthodox.
Furthermore, Shakespeare has Romeo compare Juliet to a ‘holy shrine’ which is a unique way of metaphorically describing a lover- he could have said she was an angel or another item of beauty but instead Shakespeare has Romeo say Juliet is something to be worshipped; she is more than just something to look at. This ties in with the point that the lovers have only just met and are already devoted to each other. Shakespeare carries on this religion-love conflict by having Romeo say; ‘my lips, two brushing pilgrims.’ Here Romeo is talking about his lips ‘ready standing’-