Romeo and Juliet ;techniques Used to Show Change

Romeo and Juliet

Analyze a technique used to show changes in a character, and why these changes were important to the text as a whole.

Comparable to little, Shakespeare’s work has stood the test of time, and not due to luck. It is the technical aspects applied to plot and character that drives the unique form of narrative which holds the interest of the audience. An interesting aspect of Shakespeare’s work is the depth given to characters, and the significant changes that are made to these characters under certain circumstances. Shakespeare was able to use techniques to highlight these changes, and thus make them more effective and apparent to the audience, whilst letting the continually drive the plot forward. This is particularly relevant to the changes the character Romeo undergoes in Romeo and Juliet.

In modern day films, mood and atmosphere is created through various techniques, one that is more predominant is lighting. Now instead of using lighting in its physical form, Shakespeare used written techniques to create light and dark imagery to highlight change in characters. It is important to look at the significance of this technique, and the symbolism associated with it. Light and darkness usually have very definitive meanings in human psychology. Traditionally, light is considered “good” because it allows us to perceive the world around us and to work within it. Conversely, dark is usually viewed as “evil” due to our inability to see and the fear that such a state brings. Thus day and night, which are distinguished by the amount of light available, have similar connotations.

At the beginning of the play Romeo is creating himself an artificial night, in which to hide from the world, and drown in his sorrow

“Many a morning hath he there been seen / With tears augmenting the

fresh morning's dew, / Adding to clouds and more clouds with his deep

sighs; / But all so soon as the all- cheering sun / Should in the farthest east

began to draw / The shady curtains from Aurora's bed, / 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"

The technique is used to convey the child like manner in which Romeo chooses to deal with his sadness, that he is shutting love (light) out of his life, and dwelling on a romance that never was. The use of “artificial night” can also be linked to his emotions; they are artificial, not real. He is in a state of mind of wanting to be love sick, ergo he believes he is. This is in contrast to the light imagery seen when he meets Juliet.

The first instances of Romeo changing are at the Montague party, where he is able to experience true love for the first time. There is already the ability to link events in the texts and see small contrasts in the character in this scene alone. For instance when he arrives he is in a dark “heavy” mood, and will not lighten up by dancing, so he will only carry the light as the “torch bearer”, sitting and watching "Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; / Being but heavy, I will bear the light". But then later in the evening when Romeo comes across Juliet the first stages of change and to the growing up of the character becomes apparent. As said before, the symbolic light he is carrying (as the torch bearer) is not bright enough to light up his dark mood, until he meets Juliet

“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

So shows