True Love Over Night

True Love Over Night

  In Act II of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, my favorite scene is the famous balcony scene in scene II, as it proves the element of true love. It is well written, contains poetic elements that make Shakespeare’s idea of true love believable. Romeo is very different in this scene, he is eloquent and charming as he talks about his love for Juliet. It also tells the decision of the two young lovers who spontaneously make life changing decisions in this scene based on their love which they believe is never ending and unstoppable.  

    The balcony scene contains romantic elements that proof the true love between Romeo and Juliet. “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.”(Shakespeare) Romeo is in front of Juliet's window and without her hearing him, he describes his love for her and her beauty with that quote by comparing her to the sun. As Juliet appears on the balcony, Romeo compares that to the dawn and her to the rising sun, so beautiful that she outshines the moon. That proves Romeo’s true love to Juliet as he said this to himself without having her listen.

    Romeo’s love to Juliet is real compared to his love to Rosaline which was an immature crush. In Act II Scene II Romeo says “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night.” (Shakespeare) Romeo is again comparing Juliet to the sun, where as he compares Rosaline to a lamp. Like his love for Rosaline, that was not real compared to his love for Juliet, the lamp’s light is not real compared to the light of the sun. This proves his true love to her as well as his newly gained maturity.

In the balcony scene Romeo and Juliet make spontaneous yet life changing decisions. “wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”(Shakespeare) Juliet wishes her love were someone else but Romeo who is her enemy. She wishes he would renounce his name so they could be in love, or that he will swear his love to her so she would renounce hers. That is a significant point as they both come from wealthy families, giving up their names and titles would leave them penniless. Especially is it a great risk for Juliet as she is a woman, and not able to work and earn her own money. She doesn’t only give up wealth, she gives up herself. Being caught up in the moment, and loving not only the other person but the feeling to love they consider such dramatic decisions so spontaneously.

The balcony scene in Act II is very Romantic. It proves Romeo and Juliet’s true love to each other and shows Romeo’s development to a more mature and eloquent man as he talks about his love to Juliet. Romeo and Juliet believe that nothing can ever change their love to each other and they would do anything to be together.

Sources:  google images