Romeo & Juliet Essay

Love is all consuming, and can not be defined with one word. One of the most famous literary texts about the variations of love is William Shakespeare 's ‘Romeo and Juliet’. In the play Shakespeare utilizes language techniques, characterization and plot to provide the reader with a range of ideas about love. The fundamentals of the play lie within the protagonist, Romeo where the notions of love are held. This essay will explore the variations of love depicted in the play, and discuss what literary techniques are used by Shakespeare in defining love.

Shakespeare uses emotive language, hyperbole’s and juxtaposition to communicate to the reader the development in Romeo’s character. Romeo is obsessed with Rosaline; “...she is rich in beauty...”; and Shakespeare has used emotive language to portray this to the reader. A hyperbole is also used; “...I live dead...”, by Shakespeare to express how Romeo feels lust towards Rosalyn and exaggerates his feelings. Shakespeare then juxtaposes Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline with those for Juliet in the scenes which follow. “...Did my heart love till now...” Romeo’s characterization shows the reader the difference between love and lust and how he is now truly in love. This is emphasized by the use of metaphors, ‘...Like a rich jewl in an Ethiope’s ear;” when Romeo describes Juliet. This use of a metaphor accentuates the dramatic change in his feelings.

Shakespeare, being one of the most well known writers of love sonnets, incorporates a love sonnet into the play. The use of a love sonnet highlights the devotion Romeo and Juliet show towards one-another; “...My lips, two blushing pilgrims ready stand...” and is important for communicating the reader the feelings passing between the two. Their language is intertwined into this romantic love poem and the reader is able to better understand the extent of their feelings as well as the urge for them to touch one another “...let lips do what hands do...” In this line Romeo is expressing to Juliet that he wants to embrace his lips with hers in a ‘tender kiss’, and compliment his strong feelings for Juliet by making love to her, another level of love fulfillment. Again the use of emotive language within the sonnet draws the reader in and they are positioned to empathize with the characters, and better understand the emotions which the characters are expressing.

Shakespeare has used a extended metaphor throughout the play as a way showing Juliet 's significance to Romeo. In the balcony scene(p.g 50) Romeo declares his love for Juliet describing her as “the sun” . “...The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars...”. The use of the extended metaphor effectively depicts to the reader Romeo feelings are not exaggerated and Juliet is the love of his life. Romeo also describes Juliet as light, in the death scene(Act 5 Scene 3). “For here lies Juliet...a feasting presence of full light...” Again Romeo describes her as something incredible lighting up the whole tomb, and the reader can understand how much Juliet really means to Romeo.

Shakespeare has used death in the play as a another way of describing the extremes of love. Throughout the death scene Shakespeare uses metaphors and symbolism as a way to depict the emotions Romeo is experiencing. Shakespeare has used a metaphor in Romeo’s speech; “...Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath..” as a way of communicating that Juliet was once a rich flower, but the enemy “death” has taken the flower from Romeo. Shakespeare then shows Romeo’s loyalty; “...And never from this palace of dim night, Depart again. Here, here I will remain...” to Juliet, as he declares that he will stay in the tomb forever and defend Juliet from the enemy “death”. This emotive language again positions the viewer and they are able to understand Romeo’s emotions with depth and meaning. In Romeo’s last words Shakespeare uses symbolism; “...and lips, O you The doors of breath...” to express to the reader that Romeo is going to commit suicide and the last kiss he has with Juliet seal his lips. This shows his love for Juliet once more as his love has conquered his fear for death.

Throughout the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Shakespeare has used effective literary techniques and character development to portray the variations and extremes of love to the reader. His use of language is able to position the viewer to feel empathy for the characters, and therefore better understand the feelings they are experiencing. In the play we see the all romantic protagonist develop from being infatuated to being completely in love. We see that love conquers death. Shakespeare has effectively portrayed the variations of love to the reader and taught them what love is all about. Its no wonder this is such a famous and successful play.

Essay Word Count: 798

Bibliography

Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet

Bibliography: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet