Use Of Juxtaposition In Romeo And Juliet

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William Shakespeare was a powerful playwright. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet has many uses of juxtaposition. These are used to make both the characters and the play itself more interesting. Shakespeare’s use of juxtaposition intensifies the complexity of the character Romeo in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is trying to be a romantic gentleman while trying to get the positive attention of the girls he likes, but instead he ends up being egotistical and fickle. He picks the women he is “in love” with based on their looks. Romeo claims to love them before he even knows them. The first is Rosaline, and she does not love him back because she is older and wiser: “Well, in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit/ with Cupid’s arrow, She hath Dian’s wit,/ And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,/ From love’s weak childish bow she live unharmed” (1.1.202-204). Romeo is so struck by Cupid’s arrow and is so in love …show more content…
Instead of waiting to marry Juliet, he does so quickly and hastily. Romeo goes to Friar Laurence and asked for him to marry the two: “Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set/ on the fair daughter of rich Capulet;/ . . . save what thou must combine/ by holy marriage.” (2.3.57-61). The Capulets are the Montague’s enemies, and vice versa. Romeo and Juliet all know that it would be an outrage for the children of feuding houses to marry, or even associate with each other. After seeing clearly that Juliet, his bride, is not really dead, Romeo shows his unreasonable side by committing suicide: “Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet/ Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,/ And death’s pale flag is not advanced there” (5.3.94-96). Death should not be beautiful, but that is all Romeo sees when he sees Juliet. Romeo can not help his impulsivity when Juliet is laying there on the bier in her fake death. He feels that he must die to be with