Celestial Imagery

• "O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon" (Act 2, Scene 2)


  -Juliet replies to Romeo's sudden declarations of love in the Capulet garden, asking Romeo to be constant/ committed to his love

  
  

  -Shakespeare uses celestial imagery here --> she requests Romeo swears his love by something more constant than the changing nature of the stars and planets

  -Juliet: presented as rational/ sensible, not leaving her fate to the stars and planets.

  Contextually, this imagery challenges Elizabethan audiences who regularly made decisions based on stars and planets --> astrology held high relevance
• William Shakespeare uses celestial imagery to explore enduring themes of love, loss, destiny and vengeance
• "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven... do entreat her eyes" (Romeo, Act 2 Scene 2) 


  the use of light in essence is a synonym of her beauty; Romeo sees her beauty as radiant and captivating- just like stars shining. .

  Romeo's use of celestial imagery suggests that he finds Juliet 's beauty other-worldly

  "...do entreat her eyes" --> could be symbolic that Romeo, whose eyes represent these stars, is wishing Juliet would gaze upon him with the same affection in reciprocation to his love; so the quote is a poetic expression of love and longing.
• "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven... do entreat her eyes" (Romeo, Act 2 Scene 2) 


  "Her eye discourses, I will answer it... 'tis not to me she speaks" --> further explores the idea that Romeo longs for Juliet to gaze upon him, as it seems Juliet's attention isn't directed towards him.

  The use of the modal verb "will" could be symbolic that Romeo is certain of his love for Juliet, due to their motion of love at first sight.

  However as Juliet is not initially aware of Romeo's presence; Romeo is hidden from her view as he observes her from the darkness below her balcony
• "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life" 


  -one of the most famous lines in the play --> highlights theme of tragedy

  -during the Elizabethan times, people were incredibly superstitious and believed in fate and the idea that people's lives were written in the stars

  to be "star-cross'd" means they were frustrated by the stars --> Juliet is presented as sensible and rational as she is unwilling to leave her fate up to the stars
• "Then I defy you, stars" 


  (learning of Juliet's death) Romeo: opposed to the destiny, however in "defying" fate and killing himself, he prompts Juliet's suicide: therefore ironically fulfilling the lover's tragic destiny.

  Romeo and Juliet struggle against the predetermined paths laid out for them: Romeo is powerless to change his fate

  Romeo's declaration represents his assertion of free will; trying to take control of his own destiny Also underscores the theme of the transcendent and transformative power of love; as Romeo is willing to defy the stars