Romeo and Juliet Passage Analysis and Reflection The purpose of this assignment is to help you think carefully about the play by focusing on its language. We are moving through the play relatively fast so as not to lose the momentum and unity of the plot. There is, however, value in slowing down and reading passages closely in order to better understand characters, plot, and theme. DIRECTIONS: After giving their context, copy four to six lines of the play. Make sure they are not pulled out of a longer speech and made senseless. (The sentence is the unit of meaning, not the line.) Explain what the passage means, its significance in relation to the play, and your personal reaction. Do this in 250-­‐350 (not counting the passage itself). Questions for Interpretation: • What examples are there of figurative language, like similes and metaphors? What is their effect? What does the comparison communicate? Why does Shakespeare possibly choose these figures and not others? • What does language reveal about characters, their motivations and traits? • What connections exist between this passage and others? Questions for Reflection: • What is your personal reaction to the passage? Is it true to your experience? Does the truth it reveals matter? • What do you think of the characters at this point? Why? • What else does it get you thinking about? Note: Reflection should not be greater in length than interpretation. Sample Passage Romeo and Juliet are saying goodnight after the balcony scene. Juliet: A thousand times good night. Romeo: A thousand times the worse to want thy light. Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books, But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. Interpretation Here Juliet expresses her intense affection for Romeo by wishing him goodnight not once but “a thousand times.” Romeo responds that the night will be no good for him because from that moment he will want or lack Juliet’s presence. In comparing her to light he is consistent with his past comparison of her to the sun. Juliet has illuminated Romeo’s mood. Until meeting her he was wallowing in despair, or darkness, and on first seeing her he instantly becomes elated. He even claims she “teaches the torches to burn bright,” connecting her to light from the very first. All of this foreshadows his plunging back into despair when they are later separated. Romeo compares his leaving Juliet to a schoolboy grudgingly having to go to school. This is appropriate because he has been very boyish in his behavior, driven by emotion and even acting foolishly in his trespassing on Capulet property. He also employs a metaphor to which everyone can relate. We intuitively understand that the schoolboy moving from his books does so with eagerness and excitement. The schoolboy goes to school only because he is forced, and this applies to Romeo’s situation. He would never leave Juliet if he didn’t have to – indeed, he stays the whole night as Friar Lawrence later observes. Reflection Romeo is both silly and likeable to me because I know from experience what he is talking about. It’s really hard to leave someone’s presence when one is infatuated with her and getting attention. So although I think Romeo is acting crazy here, I understand his craziness. He is consumed by passion. From the outside it is easy to criticize, but only the most unfeeling will never get caught in the same trap themselves. I’ve been caught myself many times. It is almost like Romeo has no choice, which is remarkable because he doesn’t: his fate has been laid out already in the prologue. Passion can be exciting, as it is in this scene, but the way he ties his mood to being with her makes it also dangerous.