Act 2 Scene 2 The Balcony Scene

Light vs Dark
1. This is the first time that Romeo has seen Juliet in the daylight
  1. He is looking up at her, she appears to be a source of light for him
    1. "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair moon and kill the envious moon"
      1. The goddess of the moon is Diana. The symbolism of the moon is chastity/purity/virginity.
    2. "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes"
Juliet is talking to herself, trying to find a way out of the situation she is in
1. She tries to separate the name from the person
  1. "that which we call a rose would by any other name smell as sweet"
  2. "Deny thy father and refuse thy name"
    1. She is asking him to turn his back on his family
      1. Based on what we know about life in Verona - would this be possible?
    2. HONOUR
2. She does not know that Romeo is listening so this shows us that her love for him is genuine
Juliet is talking to herself at her window, she does not know that Romeo is below the window listening to every word she says. She confesses that she loves him. Juliet tells Romeo that if he means what he says then she will marry him the next day
Semantic field of light/ astronomy
1. "stars" "heaven" "moon" "twinkle"
Juliet is completely honest with Romeo she speaks plainly about her love for him
1. This contrasts with Romeo's elaborate imagery
2. "Dost though love me?"
3. She also seems more cautious and realistic about their relationship
  1. She describes it as " too like lightning" and a "bud of love"
    1. Lightning comes and goes very quickly
      1. Is she questioning whether their love will be the same?
    2. Buds transform into flowers or leaves over time
  2. Romeo attempts to swear on the moon about how sincere he is about his love for Juliet
    1. He says "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear"
      1. She replies by saying "O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,That monthly changes in her circled orb,Lest that thy love prove likewise variable."
        This means that the moon is constantly changing - she wants a more definite promise from him
Youth vs Age
1. Towards the end of the scene Juliet says "Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud"
  1. As a young woman Juliet was not free to leave the house unaccompanied to meet a man.
    1. HONOUR
2. At the start of the scene Romeo says "He jests at scars that never felt a wound."
  1. Is this the arrogance of youth? Romeo thinks he knows best
"bright angel" "winged messenger of heaven"
1. Romeo again uses religious language to describe Juliet
  1. Is this out of love or adoration?
2. Remember angels were thought of as masculine back then
  1. Perhaps Shakespeare is trying to show that Juliet is so beautiful she is divine and deserves to be worshiped.
    1. This would have been seen as a sin as Romeo is breaking one of the 10 commandments of the Christian religion which he seems to value so much
Romeo says "Being in night, all this is but a dream Too flattering-sweet to be substantial."
1. Romeo thinks that the love and arrangements he has made with Juliet are too good to be true

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Act 2 Scene 2 The Balcony Scene

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	Created by kconnor about 9 years ago