Romeo and Juliet

Comprehension II

1. How does Romeo describe the beauty of Juliet?

Ans: William Shakespeare in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ describes the
beauty of Juliet using light and dark imagery. When Romeo sees Juliet
for the first time in the grand supper hosted by Lord Capulet, he is
awestruck by her beauty. For Romeo, Juliet ‘teaches the torches to burn
bright’ i.e. Juliet’s beauty can surpass the brightness of light. She appears
to be hanging on the ‘cheek of the night’ like a rich jewel on an Ethiope’s
ear. Her radiance is invaluable. He immortalizes her by exclaiming that
her beauty is too rare to exist on earth and too divine to go through the
process of death and burial. She outshines like a snowy dove as she
marches with her companions, her grace making them look like crows.
Romeo is so mesmerized by the beauty of Juliet that he decides to watch
where she stands after the dance, hoping to make his rude hands blessed
by touching her hand. Struck by her beauty, he asks himself whether he
has seen true beauty or experienced true love till that moment.

2. How, according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalised to the

world?

Ans: The playwright William Shakespeare in the play Romeo and Juliet,
describes how Juliet immortalizes Romeo. To Juliet, Romeo is the ‘day’
in the night because, it is in the night that Romeo has promised to come.
She imagines that he will come gliding upon the wings of night like a
drop of new snow on a raven’s back. She requests night to give her, her
beloved Romeo. She uses the phrases such as, ‘When I shall die’ and ‘cut
him out in little stars’, and ‘heaven’ which are expressions that clearly
refer to death and immortality. She begs fate to set him in heaven with the
stars so that his presence will make the face of heaven so beautiful that
the world will fall in love with ‘night’, and the sun will no longer be
worshiped.
Comprehension III

1. Comment on the contrasting imagery in the poem. What

purpose does it serve in highlighting the intensity of love?
Ans: The playwright William Shakespeare in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’
has used numerous contrasting imaginary to explain the intensity of love
between the lovers. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time in the grand
supper hosted by Lord Capulet he is awestruck by her beauty. Though he
disguised himself to meet Rosaline, looking at Juliet he forgets about
Rosaline and begins to praise her beauty and brightness. Romeo describes
that Juliet’s radiance outshines the brightness of the torches in the hall.
She appears to be hanging on the ‘cheek of the night’ like a rich jewel on
an Ethiope’s ear. Her radiance is invaluable. She outshines like a snowy
dove as she marches with her companions, her grace making them look
like crows. Romeo decides to watch where she stands after the dance,
hoping to make his rude hands blessed by touching her.

Similarly, Juliet uses contrasting images to describe Romeo and his

charm. He is referred to be the ‘day in the night, which means his
presence will be like that of light in the darkness. The phrase, ‘whiter
than new snow on a raven’s back’ describes his charm’. She uses the
phrase ‘stars in the night sky’ to refer to Romeo whose charm can compel
the whole world to fall in love with him. Furthermore, phrases like,
‘When I shall die’, ‘cut him out in little stars’, and ‘heaven’ are
expressions that clearly refer to death and immortality. Thus, the
contrasting imagery serves to highlight the intensity of their love.

2. Between Romeo and Juliet, whose love, do you think, is more

passionate and intense?
Ans: The playwright William Shakespeare in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’
narrates the tale of two lovers belonging to two popular rival families of
Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, who are madly in love with
each other and whose death ultimately reconciles their feuding families.

With reference to the expressions of the lovers in the play, it is clear that,
of the two lovers, Juliet’s love is more passionate and intense. It is well-
known that when Romeo goes to the Capulet’s party, it is with the
intention of seeing Rosaline and not Juliet. When he sees Juliet for the
first time, he is overwhelmed by the sight of someone who is
mesmerizingly beautiful and the yearnings are not that of someone deeply
in love.
On the other hand, when Juliet gets to know Romeo, she comes to
understand what it means to be in love. She is struck by his charm but
also experiences an increase in intensity of her love for Romeo. When she
dies she wants the night to take Romeo and cut him and turn him into
little stars so that the whole world will fall in love with night sky. Thus,
she wants their ‘love’ get immortalized.