Imagery and Symbols of Light and Dark in "Romeo and Juliet"

The Motif of Light and Dark in Romeo and Juliet

The images of light and dark are one of the most constant visual motifs in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Characters such as Benvolio, Juliet, and Romeo, who exhibit goodness, innocence, and love, are often seen giving off light, discussing light, or in the presence of light.

Characters who exhibit violence, evil, and death are often associated with darkness. Light is presented as a conqueror of darkness and emblematic of purity and hope. The main characters, Romeo and Juliet, who experience the light, think that this light will never fade. It is clear, however, that by the end of the play darkness has consumed any remaining light for these tragic lovers.

In this essay, I will show how light is presented at some of the highest points in the play and how darkness is shown at some of the lowest parts.

Romeo and Rosaline

Associations almost instantly follow the very first mention of Romeo in the play with light and with darkness. After Montague’s wife asks Benvolio whether or not he has seen Romeo, he responds with, “…an hour before the worshipped sun / Peered forth the golden window of the east,…so early walking did I see your son” (I.1.117-22). After this, Montague complains that Romeo has been avoiding light and is very depressed. Montague, while explaining to Benvolio what Romeo has been up to, says:

Away from light steals home my heavy son
And private in his chamber pens himself,
Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out,
And makes himself an artificial night (I.1.136-39).

These two images of dark and light are contrasting. The light is seen as a healthy and good thing, while the darkness represents and deepens Romeo’s depression. This imagery of darkness is associated with Romeo’s depression, caused by Rosaline. Rosaline does not reciprocate Romeo’s love. Rosaline is also associated with darkness. Not because she is depressed, like Romeo, but because she is not the true love for Romeo. She is also associated with darkness because she is a brunette. As Benvolio says, “Compare her face with some that I shall show, / And I will make thee think thy swan a crow” (I.2.88-89). Benvolio wants to prove to Romeo that Rosaline isn’t the light that he is looking for.

Juliet and the Light

Juliet is almost always associated with light. Almost immediately before Romeo meets Juliet, there is a foreshadowing by Romeo of his meeting with Juliet. “Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling. / Being but heavy, I will bear the light” (I.4.11-12). Not only is this a pun on the word light, but it is also a foreshadowing of Romeo’s bearing the light that is Juliet’s love. It is also ironic because Romeo cannot bear the light of Juliet’s love. When Romeo first sees Juliet he instantly compares her to light.

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich Jewel in an Ethiop’s ear –
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows (I.5.45-50).

This light imagery shows what Romeo truly thinks of Juliet and of Rosaline. Earlier, Benvolio said he would make Rosaline seem like she was a crow. Now Romeo does think every other woman except for Juliet is as dark as crows, and Juliet is the only white dove among these black crows. In fact, Juliet is so bright that she teaches torches how to burn and is as bright as a jewel in an Ethiopian’s ear. Among this light imagery is a foreshadowing of things to come. When Romeo says, “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!”(I.5.48), he foreshadows sleeping in the tomb immediately after he kills Paris.

A grave? O, no, a lantern, slaughtered youth,
For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
This vault a feasting presence full of light (V.3.84-86)

Juliet is so bright that even after death, she can make a tomb appear as a lantern to Romeo. Juliet was Romeo’s true love, which shows when he describes the light she emanates even after death. Before her death, Juliet even compares the love between them as “Lightening”(II.2.121). This light image is mostly to emphasize how quickly they are falling in love and how foolish that can be. But, this image could also be seen as their love is like a bright light flashing across a dark night sky. It is a true and quickly-ending love among feuding families.

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Ending Darkness

Darkness is a perpetual presence in the final scenes of the play. When Paris is traveling to Juliet’s grave, he has a torch indicating that it is night (V.3.1). This is one of the darkest scenes in the play, both figuratively and literally. Finally, after Romeo and Juliet’s death, Prince Escalus gives a final speech saying, “A glooming peace this morning with it brings; / The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head” (V.3.305-06). This is the final speech in the play and a summary of Escalus’s feelings about Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths. The darkness that is death has taken all from both Romeo and Juliet.

Darkness Swallows Romeo and Juliet

Throughout the play, light and dark are almost as large of a presence as some of the characters. Light is seen when there is love, hope, and joy; darkness is present when hatred and death are afoot. All of these light and dark images foreshadow what is going to happen by the end of the play. Just as night swallows the day, so does darkness swallow the lives of Romeo and Juliet.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Baylee Mitcham on April 05, 2020:

This helped tremendously with my English 102 paper. Thank you!

Terry on April 03, 2019:

This really helped with my English literature revision

Yap on December 17, 2014:

Georgiane - Thanks so much. I started French in 5th Grade at scohol in Ireland but we all we did was play Scrabble in French for two years. I've officially learnt it for about 2 and a half years (started halfway through yr 7 and just beginning year 10) and plan on doing it in VCE. Strawberry moth - i think your blog is exquisite. i love your sketches of your outfits. french is pretty simple once you just accept the rules of the language. it's a beautiful language.

Open on December 16, 2014:

Last night I watched Romeo and Juliet on Sky Arts 1 what a fanatstic performance by Ellie. First let me say I don't normally watch programs like that and because of this I thought I would watch for a few minutes. Well that was it I was hooked I cried, I laughed, I was completely captivated and even now, the next day, I cannot get it out of my head I repeat what a performance from Ellie x

Staar(: on April 13, 2012:

This is legit .