Romeo and Juliet
The first conversation between Romeo and Juliet is an extended Christian metaphor. Using this metaphor, Romeo ingeniously manages to convince Juliet to let him kiss her.
But there is more to it than that:
The religious imagery of the conversation implies that their love can be described only through the vocabulary of religion and a pure association with God.
Their love becomes associated with the purity and passion of the divine
By using religious language to describe their feelings for each other, Romeo and Juliet are verging on blasphemy. Romeo compares Juliet to an image of a saint or an idol; a role that Juliet is willing to play.
cold fire
Contrasting images between religion and flirting. JUXTAPOSITION!!!
What do you notice about the language used by, Romeo and Juliet?
Flirtacious Language
“Blushing”
“Lips”
“Tender kiss”
“You do wrong your hand
too much”
“Give me my sin again”
“You kiss by the book”
Read Lines 93-109
Can you identify any structural features that are similar to the sonnet style?
Why do you think that Shakespeare has selected the sonnet form for this part of the play?
Can you identify any structural features that are similar to the sonnet style?
regular/alternating rhyme scheme
Iambic Pentameter (poetic structure – heartbeats)
Theme of love
Capping Couplet
What do you notice about the language used by, Romeo and Juliet?
Religious metaphor
“Pilgrims”
“Holy Palmers”
“Saints”
“Sin”
“Prayer”
“Holy Shrine”
“Faith”
“Devotion”
- Purity to their love
- Serious tone
- Higher quality to their love “Star-cross’d lovers”
- Special relationship
- Undercurrent of danger – dramatic irony
- Italy, Elizabethan times, centre of the Catholic faith. Religious imagery fits perfectly with the social and historical context
What do you notice about the language used by, Romeo and Juliet?
- The characters share the lines of the sonnet – turn-taking
- Picking up on the language that each other is using – sharing the language/words/images on the sonnet between them.
- Strong bond and connection between R and J – they complete each other’s ideas and are perfectly in tune with each other.
Why do you think that Shakespeare has selected the sonnet form for this part of the play?
This is the moment the audience has been waiting for.
Romeo sees Juliet and forgets Rosaline entirely; Juliet meets Romeo and falls just as deeply in love.
The meeting of Romeo and Juliet dominates the scene and Shakespeare uses language that is filled with religous imagery and metaphors.
- Change of atmosphere (tension to romance)
- Love Poem – is perfect setting for the romance between R and J
- The structure of the sonnet – connects Romeo and Juliet: ‘Star-cross’d lovers’.
What do you notice about the language used by, Romeo and Juliet?
“Pilgrims”
“Holy Palmers”
“Saints”
“Sin”
“Prayer”
“Holy Shrine”
“Faith”
“Devotion”
Romeo and Juliet
Let’s look at language:
What do you notice about the language used by, Romeo and Juliet?
Language Features:
Metaphorical
Religious imagery
Flirtacious tone
Sharing the lines of the sonnet
What is the effect of this language on the audience?
Romeo and Juliet
Learning Objective:
To explore the theme of love in Act 1, scene 5
Read lines 136-140
What is the effect of these lines?
Comparing Sonnet 130 to the shared sonnet in 1:5
When R and J share a sonnet in 1:5 their love is based on first sight and appearance whereas the love Shakespeare has for The Dark Lady in Sonnet 130 is real and rare and about her personality.
There are metaphors in both sonnets.
The language used in the shared sonnet that Romeo and Juliet speak is almost like fantasy in comparison to the ideas in Sonnet 130 is very realistic.
Romeo see’s Juliet as a goddess whereas the poet see’s The Dark Lady in Sonnet 130 as a real women.
The love in 1:5 is based on appearance – love at first sight (important in Elizabethan times) however the love in 130 is based on who the woman is.
Positive Vs Negative
1:5 uses extremely religious vocab creates almost a fantasy world whereas 130 is about reality
Both men use a genuine sonnet structure which supports their ideas of love
Romeo sees Juliet as a goddess, the speaker in 130 knows she isn’t a goddess
- Sombre, melancholy tone (dark) contrast to the light-hearted romance of the scene
- Strong emotions: shocked, sober, both characters feel a sense of foreboding…(sense of doom)… DRAMATIC IRONY…
- PATHOS – a deep sense of sympathy for the characters on stage.
Sonnet 130 vs. R+J's shared sonnet in Act 1, scene 5
Task Two:
Write paragraph which shows the differences between the two sonnets.
Make sure you support your ideas with qoutations.
Use the P.E.E style to help
Create two headings in your books, one for Sonnet 130 and one for the shared sonnet in 1:5.
Find information on each of the followng:
- Imagery - what imagery is created or used in both?
- Sructure
- Language features - can you identify any?
And finally think about which one you think is more believable.
Support your ideas with quotes.