Peter Wakelin
How is the theme of love presented in Romeo and Juliet and a selection of
poetry that you have studied?
Shakespeare uses the theme of love throughout Romeo and Juliet. In act 1
scene 5 true love is shown through the use of religious imagery. This is similar
to sonnet 43 where true love is also shown by the use of religious imagery. Act
2 scene 2 explores destined love with the use of natural imagery. Percy Shelly’s
love’s philosophy uses natural imagery to suggest that love is predestined. In
act 3 scene 5 Shakespeare uses the image that love goes beyond death to
show the true desperate love felt by Juliet towards Romeo. This can also be
compared to sonnet 116 where Shakespeare states that love is a constant and
does not change even in death. In the Elizabethan era it was unusual for
people to marry because they loved each other. They would only married
someone if they gained money or status.
In act 1 scene 5, Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time. Shakespeare uses
religious imagery to suggest that even though they have just meet their love is
honest and true. Shakespeare uses a metaphor when he describes Romeo’s
lips as “two blushing pilgrims”. This shows that Romeo desires Juliet because
he wants to kiss her. He suggests that his lips are ‘pilgrims’ which implies that
Romeo has travelled all his life to find Juliet. ‘Pilgrims’ journey to a religious
and sacred place which suggests that Juliet is angelic and out of this world. The
word “blushing” implies that he is unworthy of her and doesn’t deserve to be
with someone so holy. Shakespeare also uses a metaphor to compare Juliet to
a “holy shrine”. This reinforces that idea that Juliet is angelic and special. A
“shrine” is a sacred place of worship and therefore proves that he is unworthy
of her. This would shock an Elizabethan audience as many did not marry for
love and passion. It was normal for people to marry for financial, social or
political advantage. A modern audience however would see that despite only
just meeting, their love is pure and true because of the use of religious
imagery. It suggests that God wanted them to be together and implies that
their feelings are pure. Shakespeare uses a sonnet during this scene, this is
effective as sonnets are always about love, and this is something Romeo and
Juliet immediately show. Also sonnets use iambic pentameter which reflect
the heartbeat and reinstates Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another.
Peter Wakelin
In Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Browning, religious imagery is used to show that
their love is pure. She declares this when she states “I love thee to the depth
and breadth and height my soul can reach” This means she will love him as far
as humanly and spiritually possible. The use of religious imagery in the word
“soul” shows that their love is eternal and pure, like god wanted it to be.
Furthermore a ‘soul’ is something that goes beyond death. It implies that their
love is eternal. Browning also uses triple emphasis: “depth and breadth and
height”, this along with the hyperbole used shows that she loves him more
than anyone can imagine. The use of religious imagery links with act 1 scene 5
of Romeo and Juliet as they both use it to show their love is pure. Also the use
of a sonnet structure reinforces their love to be strong and passionate.
Elizabeth Browning wrote this poem in 1850 after meeting and marring her
husband. The marriage was in secret as her father was very domineering and
disapproved of marriage. After her father found out she was disowned, this is
similar to Romeo and Juliet because they married in secret.
In act 2 scene 2 Shakespeare uses natural imagery to suggest that the love
shared is natural and true. Also Romeo uses this to show that Juliet is the most
beautiful thing on earth. Romeo describes this when he compares Juliet’s eyes
to “two of the fairest stars in all of heaven.” From this we can infer that Romeo
feels unworthy of Juliet as she is fair and angelic and he is just a mortal. This is
shown through the word ‘heaven’. This is a religious image that implies their
love is special. Furthermore Shakespeare compares Juliet’s eyes to ‘stars’. Stars
shine brightly in the night sky; this implies that Juliet shines with beauty. This
shows that she is sacred and special. Also a metaphor is used when
Shakespeare uses “do entreat her eyes and twinkle in spheres” this suggests
that she is out of this world. It shows Romeo feels that she is so beautiful,
nothing on earth can compare to her, and hence she is too good for Romeo.
The suggestion that Juliet is out of his reach is shown metaphorically and
physical because a star is very far from him and he cannot get to it. Also in the
scene Juliet is standing on a balcony and so she is physically out of his reach
too. An Elizabethan audience would be shocked at Romeo for being so open
about his thoughts and emotions. Also they are talking and confessing love to
one another behind their parent’s back and this act of disobedience would
shock the audience from the Elizabethan era. An Elizabethan audience would
be surprised because of the comparison to heaven. This would have been
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blasphemous to an Elizabethan audience. This is because they were very
heavily religious and to compare a girl you have only just met to something so
beautiful and wonderful like God would have been an outrage. Finally it was
unusual for people to marry for love in the Elizabethan era. Many married just
to move up the social rankings or at the very least to not move down them. A
modern audience however would have found this very romantic. This is
because religion is more relaxed and the comparison to God would prove that
Romeo does truly love Juliet and is just expressing his true feelings for her.
Percy Shelly’s love’s philosophy also uses natural imagery to show that there
love is meant to be and is very strong. She shows this when she uses the words
“the mountains kiss high heaven and the waves clasp one another”. This
suggests that their love is destined and honest. This links with Act 2 scene 2 of
Romeo and Juliet when natural imagery is used to show that despite having
spent so little time together their love is still destined and true. The use of
natural imagery shows that if two things come together they will make
something beautiful and powerful. The use of the personification “the
mountains kiss high heaven” suggests that the shelly wants her lover to kiss
her. This was written in the romantic period (1700-1800). Writers in this time
focused on using nature to express feelings and emotions. Also they believed
in learning through experience instead of learning from a textbook in a
classroom.
Act 3 scene 5 uses the image that love goes beyond death to show desperate
love. Shakespeare shows this when Juliet states” if all else fails I myself have
power to die”. This shows that Juliet cannot live without Romeo and is
prepared to give her own life. The word “death” is foreshadowing as it hints
the ending of the play. Also it is tragic fate as this situation will only ever end
one way. This shows that Juliet believes that love goes beyond death and even
if she dies her love for Romeo will stay as strong as ever before. The
Elizabethan era was a highly catholic society. They believed that if you
committed suicide you had just committed a mortal sin. The fact that Juliet is
considering this would shock an Elizabethan audience, this is because a mortal
sin is one of the worst things you can do while being alive and God will punish
you and send you to hell. Also Lord Capulet is forcing her to marry Paris, if she
doesn’t obey her parents and marry him she will become a bigamist-another
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mortal sin. This would leave an Elizabethan audience in suspense wondering
what she will decide to do. Lord Capulet also threatens to disown Juliet if she
doesn’t marry Paris and this upsets Juliet as she will be left on her own with
nothing and no means of supporting herself. This is because in the Elizabethan
era girls did not go to school and were not seen as workers. Their society
decided women should stay at home and provide for the man of the house.
The reason her Father behaves this way is because he was the man of the
house and in that society he decides what happens and nobody else has a say.
Also Juliet had never been disobedient to him before and when she did it
shocked him- hence the reaction.
Sonnet 116 also uses the image that love goes beyond death to suggest that
their love is eternal and true. Shakespeare shows this when he says” Loves not
times fool within his being sickles compass come” This shows that over time
beauty will fade but love will remain constant. This links with act 3 scene 5 as it
agrees that love will remain constant even in death. The word “sickles”
suggests that even a weapon as sharp and as powerful as death cannot change
love. Shakespeare uses a metaphor- “loves not times fool” to suggest that love
does not give into time as love is more powerful than it and can overcome it. A
sonnet structure is also used as they always reflect love. It uses iambic
pentameter to reflect the heartbeat. This was written in the Elizabethan era
many people would have been shocked that Shakespeare was so open about
his feelings and emotions.
In conclusion Shakespeare express many types of love in Romeo and Juliet.
Poets such as Browning, Shelly and Shakespeare also so many expressions of
love through poetry. In my opinion sonnet 43 by Elizabeth browning showed
the best love. This is because browning describes love to be pure and true. She
uses religious imagery to do so and it is written sophisticatedly. Also the use of
the sonnet structure shows that love is the overriding theme and uses iambic
pentameter to reflect the heartbeat.