Interpretation of Romeo - Juliet

Interpretation of "Romeo & Juliet" (II./2)

Indeed "Romeo and Juliet" is the most popular drama of William Shakespeare. This tragic lovestory touches many humans nad is been the original for lots of movies. I want to take a closer look on the second scene of the second act - the so-called balcony scene which concludes the second meeting of Romeo and Juliet. Both are very excited emotionally.

The scene begins with the advance of Romeo at Juliet´s balcony and his secret observation of Juliet. Romeo is completely overwhelmed and hence his words seems to be a bit confused - he uses the wrong personal pronoun (l. 3) for example. He compares Juliet with the sun (l. 3) in his monologue and also the addition that she "is the east" (l. 3) reveals that Juliet has a shining appearance to Romeo. According to Romeo Juliet is also more beautiful than the moon. The moon is actual a symbol for love or lovers and the fact that Juliet is even more worth than it shows that Romeo has to be really crazy in love.

Romeo only mentions her beauty in these lines and also in the following ones which shows that his love is maybe as superficial as the love to Rosalinde because in the chat with Benvolio in I./1 he also only mentions the appearance of Rosalinde and her beauty. Romeo does not only use the metaphor "moon" but also the metaphor "star" (l. 15) to admire her eyes. Eyes are called to be the mirror to the soul of humans and due to Romeo´s referrence to Juliet´s eyes he confesses that he also loves her character and soul and not only her beauty in contrary to Rosalinde. This shows that the first assumptions of me are wrong and Romeo is seriously interested in

Juliet.

Romeo regards Juliet as his "winged messenger of heaven" (l. 28) which is a clear referrence to the Greek antiquity. Also other referrences excist in this scene, for example "Jove laughs" (l. 93). Furthermore Ovid´s main protagonist Echo in "Echo and Narcissus" is mentioned (l. 161). These mentions are very typical of this periode of time.

Unlike Romeo Juliet reacts in a completely different way by noticing Romeo. He admires and longs for her but Juliet is aware of the very difficult situation and the fact that their love has basically no future. She expresses in the rhetorical question "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" (l. 33) her desperation. Also the appealing of both is completely different. Romeo does not call her by her name but says only "she", for example "She speaks, yet she says nothing" (l. 12) or he uses pet names like "my lady" (l. 10) or "my love" (l. 10). Whereas Juliet calls him by his name "Romeo" (l.33) or uses the personal pronoun "thou" (l. 33/l.34) which are really more personal. She even calls him by the hated word "Montague" (l. 40) which shows that she is really aware of the situation.

But she is not only objective or even cold but she also confesses Romeo that she is in love with him: "And for thy name, which is no part of thee/Take all myself"

(l. 48/49).

Now the real conversation between Romeo and Juliet starts. Juliet has the leading role during the conversation and urges it on. She is the one who tells the question and leads the talk from on topic to another. During the discussion they confess their love to each other and make each other a lot of compliments. But finally Juliet does not want to know anything about Romeo´s love vows but makes him clear that they are really in danger. This consciousness shows on the one hand that Juliet cannot devote herself completely and on the other hand that she is more pratical and mature. But Romeo does not react in the same anxious way but responds in the way lovers do: he explains that the love makes this possible (ll. 66 - 69). It is obvious that Romeo repeats the word `love´ four times which illustrates that he has to be really crazy in love.

Romeo uses also puns to respond Juliet. She utters the danger and he only sees the danger in Juliet herself: J.: "If they do see thee, they will murder thee", R.: "Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes" (l. 70/71). And even the word "alack" (l. 71) illustrates that Romeo makes nearly a joke out of Juliet´s concern.

Romeo vows again even by love that he truly loves her and his vow let Juliet forgets her doubts and she utters a great love monologue. But this monologue also shows that she is still a virtuous young woman who wishes her love had not been so promptly revealed. I think this is the turning point in their conversation. The sentence "Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny/What I have spoke, but farewell compliment" (l. 88/89) underlines this turning point and Juliet´s way of thinking. I think besides the fact that Juliet is quite mutual and objective the previous matter-of-fact answers have also another function. Maybe these answers should test whether Romeo has serious intentions. I think this `test´ is another proof that Juliet is quite more mature than Romeo and does not want to devote a reciprocated dreaming. Juliet wants to be absolutely sure of Romeo´s love hence she does not accept his vow by the moon (ll. 109/110) although the moon is only a symbol for Romeo´s love. But Juliet shows that she is really in love with Romeo and does not only play the adult part. She also makes Romeo compliments: "the god of my idolatry" (l. 113). This compliment is also a sort of blasphemy.

Though Juliet is convinced by Romeo´s love she wants to quit the meeting in the night (l. 123) because it is too dangerous. She vows again her love to Romeo and underlines it with a pun: "My bountry is as boundless as the sea" (l. 133). This pun is also a sexual referrence as her "bounty" can be her sexual unrest.

Juliet´s actions are quite contradictory since on the one hand she tells her "sweet Montague, be true" (l. 137) but on the other hand she wants Romeo to stay for a moment in spite of telling him to go home. "Sweet Montague" (l. 137) is an oxymoron because Juliet connects with the word `Montague´ hate and danger and this is completely contradictory to the word `sweet´. This could be a proof for her undecision.

When Juliet talks with the Nurse inside the house for a moments Romeo reveals that also he has doubts referring to their love. But he does not fear that Juliet´s love is maybe not true but that "all this is but a dream/Too flattering-sweet to be substantial" (ll. 140/141).

Finally Romeo and Juliet decide to marry. In this situation Juliet is the one who leads the conversation again and urges Romeo to give her clear statements (l. 167). In line 159 Juliet compares Romeo with a "tassel-gentle" and in line 166 Romeo compares Juliet with a "niesse". Both comparisions are symbols for love hence it shows that they feel love for each other.

Romeo answers Juliet´s call back with the words "it is my soul that calls upon my name" (l. 164) which shows exactly what Romeo feels: he cannot live without Juliet. I think these words cause that Juliet is at last sure.

In the ending of the conversation both are sure of what they want hence they can open up and make each other great compliments. Especially the lines 171 to 175 ullustrate that they want to stay together forever.

To sum it up Romeo´s way of speaking is completely different regarding to the way in I./1 when he speaks with his friend Benvolio about his love to Rosalinde. His is desperate because he know there is not love in return: "Out of her favour where I am in love" (l. 159) and this desperation is reflected in his language. He does not use many metaphor like in the conversation with Juliet but many oxymorons (l. 169 - 174) which shows that he is torn and does not know what he should do. Furthermore his language is a bit witty. For example his answer to Benvolio´s question who he loved: "I do love a woman" (l. 195). Romeo is not witty in such a way to Juliet.

This scene is very important for the whole work because the marriage is decided and the reader gets to know that the situation between Romeo and Juliet is really dangerous and desperate.

(1.444 words)