Imagery

Lightness vs. Darkness

Shakespeare uses lightness and darkness imagery multiple times throughout the play Romeo and Juliet. He uses this to develop the mood and setting in the play. Seen as a good thing, darkness in this play sybomlises a time when Romeo and Juliet can be together without being caught by either of their families. This means that the light is seen as a bad thing, it is the time when they have to part because they have to hide their love. Shakespeare is using lightness and darkness imagery when he says "It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks, Do lace the serving clouds in yonder east: Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day, Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die." (Shakespeare.III.iv.6-11). This is used to develop setting. It develops setting because it is explaining how it is changing from night to day, also meaning Romeo must leave. Lightness being bad and darkness being good is also shown when Romeo says, "More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!".(Shakespeare III.v.36). Romeo is talking about how the sun is rising meaning he has to leave Juliet until the darkness comes again. This develops mood because it is showing how it makes them upset when the light comes because they want to be together all the time.

Death
Shakespeare uses death imagery in Romeo and Juliet to develop things like mood and plot. One example of this is when Juliet says, "O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Methinks I see the now, thou art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale" (Shakespeare III.v.55-57). This is used to develop mood because Juliet is saying that it upsets her how Romeo seems so far away when he is not with her and it's like he's dead because she cannot see him. This also develops plot because it shows the reader how much Juliet truly loves Romeo. Another example of death imagery is when Juliet says,"Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I'll to the Friar to know his remedy; If all else fail, myself have power to die"(Shakespeare III.v.240-242). This develops the plot by forshadowing Juliet's death by saying that she will be able to kill herself if her plan with Friar Lawrence fails.