Romeo and Juliet Symbols Page

Cupid and Cupid’s arrow

Shakespeare uses the symbol of Cupid and Cupid’s Arrow in his novel Romeo and Juliet for plot development. Shakespeare specifically uses Cupid’s arrow to develop plot in the quote “Well, in that hit you miss: she’ll not be hit With Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dina’s wit” (Shakespeare, I, i, 202-203). Said by Romeo, he talks of Rosaline who he is deeply in love with. This develops plot because it states that Rosaline will not be hit with Cupid’s arrow and fall madly in love with Romeo. Rosaline not loving Romeo back will then make him heartbroken and depressed, making it easier for Mercutio and Benvolio to persuade him to go to the Masquerade. This then allows Romeo to see Juliet and falling head over heels in love with her at first sight. This develops plot because after seeing, meeting and falling in love with Juliet the main events occur. This would be the rising action of the plot.

Star

In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare uses the symbol of the star to develop theme. In the book the star symbol is shown in the quote “Come, gentle Night, come, loving, black-brow’d Night, Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night, And pay no worship to the garish sun.”(Shakespeare III, ii 20-25, (symbol on 22)). Juliet is saying that when she dies she will take Romeo, cut him into little pieces, make him into stars and beautify the face of heaven with him. So that people will then worship the night instead of the sun. This develops the theme of love and hate in Juliet’s perspective of what she loves and hates. Juliet loves and worships night because night is when Romeo comes. In the day they cannot see each other and she despises the sun and day because of that. This creates the theme of love and hate in the novel because many people love and worship the sun for its light and warmth, but do not so much like night because it has nothing to give to them or benefit them. But night benefits Juliet so when she dies she wants to beautify the night with him so that people will love the night as well.

Serpent

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare uses the symbol of the Serpent for character development. In the book the serpent symbol is shown in the quote “Oh serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face!”(Shakespeare III, ii, 73) said by Juliet. Serpents are a representative of death, harm, and bad things or events. This develops the character of Juliet because she is saying how Romeo’s appearances hid who he really is, the contrast of appearance and reality. The symbol of the serpent is represented by death, harm, and the bad event, but it was done by such beauty that it is bewildering and hard to believe it is reality. This makes and develops Juliet’s character traits to be a bit judgemental because Juliet judged and loved Romeo for his looks, not who he or his personality is like. This secondly develops Juliet’s character and makes her a risk taker. Shakespeare’s use of the Serpent symbol developed Juliet’s character strongly with being judgemental. The symbol was also used to develop and maintain the character trait of being a risk taker.