'Death' in Romeo and Juliet: Key Quotes & Analysis

Summary

In this video, Dr. Aden Elliott explores the theme of death in Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet*. He delves into how death is not only a constant presence but also a key factor in the tragedy's plot. From the prologue to the final scenes, death is personified and intertwined with love, using metaphors and similes to emphasize its looming influence. Through key quotes and imagery, the video highlights how death shapes the characters’ actions and the ultimate tragic ending. Elliott offers valuable insights for students and enthusiasts, helping them better understand this central theme in the play.

Takeaways

• 😀 Death is a central theme in *Romeo and Juliet*, with the words 'death' and 'dead' mentioned 81 times throughout the play.
• 😀 The prologue introduces death early on, framing it as the only resolution to the feud between the Montagues and Capulets.
• 😀 Tybalt's association with death is highlighted through his confrontational language and metaphors, portraying death as a figure of power.
• 😀 In Act 2, Scene 2, Juliet associates death with the danger of being discovered on her family's land, further linking death to the tension in the love story.
• 😀 The contrast between love and death is present throughout the play, with characters repeatedly invoking death in moments of deep emotion or conflict.
• 😀 Juliet personifies death as a looming force, especially when she refers to it taking her virginity instead of Romeo.
• 😀 The imagery of death is intensified when Juliet's body is found, with metaphors such as 'death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower.'
• 😀 Death is portrayed as an illicit lover in various moments, such as Capulet's description of death taking Juliet as if she were 'deflowered.'
• 😀 Romeo uses stark and grotesque imagery to describe the tomb, referring to it as a 'womb of death' that 'eats bodies' and 'gorges' itself with the 'dearest morsel.'
• 😀 As the play reaches its climax, Romeo reflects on death as a 'lean abhorred monster' that holds Juliet in its dark embrace, personifying death as both a physical and emotional presence.

Q & A

What is the primary theme of the video?

The primary theme of the video is the role of death in Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet*, highlighting how it influences the characters and the events of the play.

How often is the word 'death' mentioned in *Romeo and Juliet*?

'Death' and 'dead' are mentioned 81 times throughout *Romeo and Juliet*, with only one other Shakespearean play, *Richard III*, having more mentions.

How does the prologue introduce death in *Romeo and Juliet*?

In the prologue, death is introduced as a key element when it says the lovers' 'misadventured piteous overthrows' will 'bury their parents' strife,' suggesting death as the resolution to the family feud.

What role does Tybalt play in the theme of death?

Tybalt is closely associated with death, as seen when he refers to the Montagues as 'heartless Hinds' and later when he metaphorically styles himself as death in his confrontations.

How is the juxtaposition of love and death portrayed in Act 2, Scene 2?

In Act 2, Scene 2, Juliet expresses that being found on her family's land is deadly, showing how even in a love scene, death is ever-present as a threat.

How does Juliet personify death in Act 2, Scene 2?

Juliet personifies death by saying that it will be 'death' that takes her virginity, not Romeo, making death an active and threatening force in the narrative.

What is the significance of the simile describing Juliet's death in Act 4?

The simile compares Juliet's death to an 'untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field,' emphasizing how her death is unnatural and premature, highlighting the loss of potential and beauty.

How is death portrayed as a sexualized being in the play?

Death is depicted as a sexualized being when Capulet tells Paris that death has 'lain with thy wife' (Juliet), merging death with deflowering imagery and suggesting a perverse relationship between death and the body.

What is the significance of Romeo’s description of the tomb as a 'womb of death'?

Romeo’s description of the tomb as a 'womb of death' is significant because it combines the imagery of birth and death, implying that death is a force that consumes life and offers no escape, while also indicating the tragic irony of Juliet’s fate.

How does Romeo perceive death as he faces Juliet in the tomb?

Romeo perceives death as both 'unsubstantial' and a 'lean abhorred monster,' representing it as a physical, monstrous force that is simultaneously intangible and deeply repulsive, yet it holds Juliet in a kind of twisted embrace.