Themes

Created by: Mango055555
Created on: 26-10-20 16:42

My only love sprung from my only hate,
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love is it to me
That I must love a loathed enemy. (1.5.)

The language of Romeo and Juliet insists that opposites can never be entirely separated: the lovers will never be allowed to forget that they are also enemies. Significantly, that Juliet blames herself for seeing Romeo “too early.” In Romeo and Juliet, lo

1 of 6

With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out (2.2.)

Juliet wants to know how Romeo got into the walled garden of the Capulet house: these lines are his response. For Romeo, true love is a liberating force. Love gives him not just wings, but “light wings” and the power to overcome all “stony limits.” Romeo

2 of 6

Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power. (II.iii.)

One of the central themes of Romeo and Juliet is the inseparability of good and evil, and here the Friar explains that poison and medicine can be extracted from the same plant. The mention of poison foreshadows Romeo’s death.

3 of 6

Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she, God rest all Christian souls
Were of an age. (I.iii.)

The Nurse cares for Juliet like a parent. Juliet reminds her of her own daughter, Susan, who died young. Juliet therefore represents a surrogate daughter for the Nurse, and her link to the dead Susan foreshadows Juliet’s own premature death.

4 of 6

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Juliet’s surpassing beauty makes Romeo imagine that she is the sun, transforming the darkness into daylight. Romeo likewise personifies the moon, calling it “sick and pale with grief” at the fact that Juliet, is far brighter and more beautiful. Romeo then

5 of 6

Introduction for Love

The intense passion that springs up at first sight between Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, love is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that supersedes all other values, loyalties, and emotions

6 of 6

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out (2.2.)

Back

Card 3

Front

Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power. (II.iii.)

Back

Card 4

Front

Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she, God rest all Christian souls
Were of an age. (I.iii.)

Back

Card 5

Front

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Back

View more cards

Similar English Literature resources:

See all English Literature resources »

See all Romeo and Juliet resources »

Get Revising

Themes