Romeo And Juliet Literary Analysis

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In the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare illustrates the characters’ traits, not only through alluring language, but also through the names of the characters, for their names hold essential significance in the personalities of the individuals. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays Juliet, the adolescent daughter of Lord Capulet, as youthful and often compares her to astronomical entities. Her name originates from the Latin language in which Juliet means young and innocent. Also, her name derives from Jupiter: the Roman God of the sky. To start, Juliet happens to be extremely young, not even 14, but her arranged husband, Paris, already wants her for a wife. On the other hand, Lord Capulet initially considers Juliet…show more content…
However, through the duration of the play, Juliet deals with the adult pressures of love and marriage. As an immature teenager, Juliet does not realize the consequences of her decisions, and due to her reckless judgements, loses her lover and her life. Continuing on, Romeo represents the beauty of Juliet through astronomical metaphors related to the stars and the heavens. According to Romeo, Juliet’s allure relates to “two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes , to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night” (II.II, 15-22.) Through using metaphors of stars and heavens to describe Juliet, Romeo portrays how her charm and brightness are distractions to darkness and how Juliet can make his world light and content. By using beautifully enhanced language, Shakespeare shows the comparison between the beauty of the heavens, to Juliet and her…show more content…
The traits of Romeo also reflect his name which also means dreamy and whimsical. Through his character, Shakespeare describes the flaws of Romeo’s impulsiveness and how his devotion to love contributes to death of many. To begin, Romeo’s desire for love overpowers his pragmatic sense. Romeo falls in love twice in the play; he loves the fact of being in love more than the person he supposedly adores. According to him, “With love's light wings did [he] o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no threat to [him]” (II.II, 66-69.) He believes that love can empower him do anything he desires, and true love cannot be stopped. All throughout the play, Romeo fantasizes about the power of love and his deep need for adoration eclipses his common sense, causing much turmoil within Verona. Next, Romeo’s wandering for devotion’s sake is shown through his willingness to sacrifice anything for Juliet. Romeo describes this saying how “love, who first did prompt [him] to inquire; lent [him] counsel. [He is] no pilot; yet, wert thou as far As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea, [he] would adventure for such merchandise” (II.II, 80-84.) In other words, Romeo expresses how having affection can help guide him to making choices and how he would

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