Light and Dark Imagery in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

create a mood of love and attraction towards Juliet. This mood foreshadows a kindling passion between the young lovers. Juliet also thinks of Romeo as a bright light in contrast to the dark night. When Juliet dies, she wants Romeo to be “cut in little stars/ And he will make the face of heaven so fine/ That all the world will be in love with night, / And pay no worship to the garish sun” (III. ii. 22-25). Juliet loves Romeo’s passion, which is represented by the stars.

This passion shines most brightly in dark conditions, such as the vendetta between the Montague and Capulet families. The struggle only ignites the lovers desire to be together. Although the sun radiates in the brightest conditions, Juliet says that no one will pay attention to it if they see Romeo how she does. The sun is akin to Paris, a wealthy man who asks Juliet for her hand in marriage. Although he is an immaculate “man of wax”, Juliet is not attracted to him because the conditions are bright, and her family approves of their marriage (I. ii. 82). Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to show Juliet’s passion and attraction towards Romeo, which foretells the great extents which they will go to for their love. Shakespeare demonstrates Romeo and Juliet’s passion for each other through their actions of altering day and night. At Juliet’s balcony, Romeo describes her as the sun which wards off the “envious moon”, transforming night to day (II. i. 46). In this instance, the sun is looked upon with beauty and hope. The light and dark imagery shows the influence of Juliet’s beauty.

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is able to chase away the moon and its symbolism of chastity. This power gives her the ability to marry Romeo. When Romeo is forced to leave for exile in the morning, the lovers try to pretend that it is still night, and that the light is actually darkness. Romeo says to Juliet, “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes” (III. v. 36). Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery to show Romeo’s feelings for Juliet. He tries to turn the day into night so he can spend more time with his love. Shakespeare constantly employs light and dark imagery in “Romeo and Juliet”.

At times it creates a grave mood, which predicts their deaths at the end of the play. The darkness is embraced, fueling the lovers’ desire and ardor for each other. The light does not always represent happiness, and the dark does not always symbolize evil. Instead, light and dark imagery is used to show contrasts between two extremes such as comparing the day and night. The opposite colors of white and black are an appropriate way to represent Romeo and Juliet’s love because they are extreme shades, akin to the lovers’ extreme personalities.