Light and Dark Imagery in Romeo and Juliet

“Romeo and Juliet,” by William Shakespeare, is perhaps the most beautiful love story ever written. The two lovers in this play, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, have become widely known for their brightly magical but tragically ended love. Throughout the play, William Shakespeare used light and dark imagery to compare the romance between Romeo and Juliet. This imagery is used continuously throughout the play, and each use has a slightly different meaning. The light and …

…tomb. Romeo says, “For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.” Even though this scene is the most tragic in the play, such images of light seem to represent finding a joy. This makes the ending of Romeo and Juliet’s bright love in darkness much more dramatic. However, these images of brightness also suggest a spiritual and joyful light that may surround the couple beyond death.