Romeo And Juliet Analysis: Act V: Scene 3

Romeo and Juliet Analysis: Act V: Scene 3

 The final scene of the play brings the reunion of Romeo and Juliet and the reconciliation of the feuding families. The family tomb becomes a symbol of both birth and death. Juliet should emerge alive and hope be born anew, however, the tomb consumes life, light, and hope. As Romeo charges into the tomb, a "detestable maw” his plans are "savage-wild," "[m]ore fierce than empty tigers or the roaring sea," and he vows to tear anyone who attempts to detract him "joint by joint" and to "strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs." Romeo has separated himself from his family, from the feud, from Verona, and now from his humanity.

 This last scene, appropriately, takes place in the dark of night. Romeo and Juliet's relationship flourished at night, and each provided the other with light. In his final speech, Romeo once again uses light and dark imagery to describe Juliet as she acts as a source of light in the darkness of the tomb: "her beauty makes / This vault a feasting presence full of light." This makes the audience all the more aware of how close the lovers come to finding joy — making their end in darkness all the more tragic. These images also suggest a spiritual light that may surround the couple beyond death. Romeo is struck by the way Juliet's beauty appears to defy death — she still looks alive. The dramatic tension is amplified by the audience's awareness that Romeo is seeing the physical signs of Juliet's recovery from drug-induced sleep.

 Lady Capulet's curse on Juliet echoes loudly: "I would the fool were married to her grave," as does Paris' description of the tomb as a "bridal bed." Once again, the themes of love and death become intertwined. Romeo and Juliet’s bodies are testimony to the depth of their love as well as signs of the tragic waste that is the feud's legacy.

 Paris' challenge to Romeo at the tomb parallels Tybalt's challenge in Act III, Scene 1. In both instances, Romeo resists the invitation to fight, but fate conspires to leave him no choice. Romeo says to Paris, "By heaven I love thee better than myself." He responded to Tybalt's insults in Act III, Scene i, "But [I] love thee better than thou canst devise."

 After Paris is dead, Romeo describes them both as the victims of fate: "One writ with me in sour misfortune's book." Paris is a noble suitor and defends Juliet's grave with his life. His death, like Mercutio's, is tragic in that he never knew the love shared by Romeo and Juliet. Juliet's death indicates her dignity and strength of character. Juliet ignores the Friar's warnings and deliberately follows through with her vow to be with Romeo in death.

 The play concludes with the reconciliation of the families. As the originators of the feud stand amidst the dead bodies of their city's youth, the rift is healed. Romeo and Juliet have achieved spiritual reunion in death, and their lives will be memorialized in gold as witness to their sacrifice. Romeo and Juliet triumph in death —the very essence of the tragedy itself. The soul of the tragedy is not constituted in the joy they had and lost; rather, the soul of the tragedy lies in the joy that could never last in this world. Heavily abridged from: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Romeo-and-Juliet-Summary-Analysis-and-Original-Text-by- Scene-Scene-3.id-165,pageNum-237.html KEY UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE FINAL SCENE OF THE PLAY KEY UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE FINAL SCENE OF THE PLAY TASK: Read the scene analysis and write the evidence / example(s)/ quotations next to each point. TASK: Read theKEY scene UNDERSTANDINGS analysis and write the evidence ABOUT / example(s)/ THE FINAL quotations SCENE next toOF each THE point. PLAY □ Use of symbolism: tomb = death/ life □ Use of symbolism: tomb = death/ life □TASK:Romeo Read is notthe himself scene – analysis turned wild and by writedespair: the emotional evidence consequences / example(s)/ of social quotations disorder next in Verona: to each theme point. + characterisation □ Romeo is not himself – turned wild by despair: emotional consequences of social disorder in Verona: theme + characterisation □ Use of imagerysymbolism:: light tomb versus = death/ dark; life life versus death. Underlines central conflicts. □ Use of imagery: light versus dark; life versus death. Underlines central conflicts. □ UseRomeo of dramaticis not himself tension – turned: we know wild Julietby despair: is only emotional drugged, consequencesbut will she wake of social in time? disorder in Verona: theme + characterisation □ Use of dramatic tension: we know Juliet is only drugged, but will she wake in time? □ EarlierUse of imagery foreshadowing: light versus now makesdark; lifesense. versus death. Underlines central conflicts. □ Earlier foreshadowing now makes sense. □ ThereUse of are dramatic parallels tension to earlier: we know events Juliet that emphasiseis only drugged, the love/hate but will themeshe wake. in time? □ There are parallels to earlier events that emphasise the love/hate theme. □ TheEarlier motif foreshadowing of fate is repeated now makesin the dialogue:sense. fate is more powerful than human action. □ The motif of fate is repeated in the dialogue: fate is more powerful than human action. □ There isare a parallelstragic resolution: to earlier Romeo events andthat Juliet’semphasise deaths the love/hateare tragic theme but they. are also a powerful force for positive change: the feud is resolved and the families stop fighting. It took an extraordinary love to bring this about. □ TheThere motif is a oftragic fate resolution:is repeated inRomeo the dialogue: and Juliet’s fate deaths is more are powerful tragic but than they human are alsoaction. a powerful force for positive change: the feud is resolved and the families stop fighting. It took an extraordinary love to bring this about. □ There is a tragic resolution: Romeo and Juliet’s deaths are tragic but they are also a powerful force for positive change: the feud is resolved and the families stop fighting. It took an extraordinary love to bring this about.