Isolation

• Isolation


  • Many scenes in Romeo and Juliet portray the interaction of characters, but there are also many in which the characters are in physical isolation
  • This isolation is used by the characters to help process their thoughts and emotions
  • Isolation makes the characters seem vulnerable on stage, allowing the audience to see their inner feelings
• Soliloquy


  A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, revealing their inner feelings
• Separation and isolation of the characters

  Reflected in the language they use
• Juliet


  • Separation is symbolised by the contrast between day and night
  • Much of their relationship occurs during the night, the darkness hiding their forbidden love
  • Daylight holds connotations of realisation and truth, suggesting the reality of the world they live in is holding them apart
• Juliet asks the Nurse and Lady Capulet to leave her alone


  Shows her final detachment from the maternal figures in her life as she asserts her independence and emotional maturity
• Romeo


  • Spends much of his time alone at the beginning of the play as he despairs over his unrequited love for Rosaline
  • Portrayed as separate from the other male characters, trying to avoid getting caught up in the male fighting
  • As Romeo gets ready to kill himself to be with Juliet, he acknowledges that his intents are "savage-wild", showing his detachment from his humanity