LOVE

• "O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything of nothing first create"

  1) Use of oxymoron suggests that Romeo's experience with love and view on it is chaotic and detrimental.

  2) The word 'create' though suggests that there could be something a fresh beginning that is about to bud, perhaps referring to falling in love with Juliet.

  3) The repetition of 'O' suggests that he is almost in admiration of something, linking to the courtly lover analogy.
• "feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, still-waking sleep"

  1) The use of oxymoron suggests that his mind is chaotic and his experience of love is troubled.

  2) OR the detailed and descriptive use of language creates a sense of passion and that Romeo is open to love.

  3) It shows the intimacy of love and hate in this play.
• "If love be rough with you, be rough with love"

  1) Mercutio's view on love is much more violent than Romeo's, Mercutio feels it is a game rather than an enigmatic prospect like Romeo.

  2) Romeo's view on love is closer to that of Petrarch, whereas Mercutio's to that of Ovid.

  3) Mercutio's fierce view on love can be seen more in the Queen Mab speech.
• "the brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp"

  1) hyberbole of courlty love, Romeo remains to put Juliet on a pedestall and worship her, like a God.

  2) Juliet is a transformative power as her cheeks are brighter than daylight itself. She can turn night into day.
• "as a winged messenger from heaven"

  1) Romeo compares Romeo to an angel, a celestial, ethereal and other-worldly image. Whereas, C described her as the "hopeful lady of my Earth". Their love has the power to elevate and transform each other.

  2) religious connotations suggests their love is sacred and other-worldly.
• "deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, but be sworn my love, and i'll no longer be Capulet"

  1) Juliet is willing to give up her name and family - love is superior.

  2) the feud vs love.
• "swear by thy gracious self which is the god of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee"

  1) Juliet disposes with her facade.

  2) she is going against religion with idolatry - there is an element about their love which is blasphemous - a warning sign.
• "O she doth teach the torches to burn bright"

  1) Juliet is heavenly and a light source for Romeo.

  2) Juliet 'teaches', she is in charge and leads - love transforms gender roles.
• "as a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear, beauty too rich for use"


  1) Romeo measures her worth on physical beauty, highlighting he is a man living in a patriarchy.

  2) Juliet is a source of light for Romeo.
• "for I never saw true beauty till this night"

  1) 'true beauty' suggests that Romeo has completely forgotten about Rosalind.

  2) the use of the word 'true' could be suggesting how genuine Juliet is, she is pure and hasn't been touched.
• "for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch and palm to palm in holy palmer's kiss"

  1)The use of the saint and pilgrim metaphor has religious connotations which elevates them. The lexicon of catholic language suggests that their love is pure, hold and sacred.

  2)They both use poetic and formal language in contrast to the in contrast to the informal and chatty prose of the nurse. Their love is spiritual and on a higher plain.
• "my bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep, the more I give to thee"


  1) the use of sea imagery creates a sense of eternity, their love will never end.

  2) the universal image creates a sense of power that Juliet has in her language - she knows that there is a world beyond the feud.
• iambic pentameter


  Romeo and Juliet are in step when talking in iambic pentameter. They are no longer talking in oxymoron and are now in step, suggesting they are fated to be in love.
• "thy beauty hath made me effeminate

  1) Romeo seems angry with himself that his love for Juliet has made him less manly.

  2) His love for Juliet has transformed him by casting off his masculinity.
• "And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead!"

  1) Juliet is offering her innocence and good name in society (elizabethan society - would be v. important) to Romeo so he does not have to die which demonstrates her whole reputation and life doesn't matter, only Romeo.

  2) imperative verbs emphasise her straightforward and direct manner, opposite to Romeo affectionate language - love is transformative and has the power to change gender roles.
• "Of my child's love: I think she will be ruled" (Capulet)

  1) Dramatic Irony - C still feels he has ownership over Juliet but she is becoming stronger and wants to reject her name.

  2) 'ruled' suggests the love between a father and a daughter at the time was very authoritative.
• "then window, let day in and let life out" (Juliet)

  1) 'life' is referring to Romeo - he is her life and without him is dead - foreshadowing.

  2) their love can only thrive at night, as they can't be seen.

  3) they are sources of light to one another, so don't need the daylight to thrive.
• "make that bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies" (Juliet)

  1) 'bridal bed' and 'monument' ties together love and death.

  2) 'make' imperative verb which shows Juliet taking control over her own mother - Juliet has no respect for her mother and uses cold language.
• "come vial" (Juliet)

  "come cordial and not poison" (Romeo)


  1) both Romeo and Juliet talk to inanimate objects before their death - they live only for each other - they can't confide in anyone else.

  2) they both use commands to call forth their death showing their desperation and how both have the same authority - love transforms gender roles.
• "for here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light" (Romeo)


  1) light imagery - Juliet can illuminate Romeo's life even in death, Juliet is light and transforms death into something light.

  2) even at Juliet's tomb, Romeo continues to use admiring courtly love imagery - the death of love has caused him to fall into old habits - love transformed him.
• "O brother Montague, give me thy hand" (Capulet)

  1) 'thy hand' is a poignant reminder of Romeo and Juliet exchanging 'palmers kiss' in their shared petrarchan sonnet in Act 1, their love is a healer.

  2) Shows how it took the death of the offspring of either men to heal the feud - destroying life to make way for new life.

  3) 'brother' connotes fraternity and close family - their love has mended an 'ancient grudge' and years of violence - their love was against time.