Romeo’s Final Soliloquy 5.3.74-120 Romeo & Juliet Romeo’s Final Soliloquy 5.3.74-120

Techniques used in Romeo’s final soliloquy Soliloquy – When a character speaks only to the audience and tells us their inner-most thoughts and feelings. Characterisation – We learn more about Romeo. Climax – It forms part of the play’s climax. Conflict – We see Romeo’s inner-conflicts. Imagery (Death as Juliet’s lover, light/dark...). Rhythm – Iambic Pentameter. Themes – Love & Passion, Fate (and Conflict).

Characterisation (Romeo) We see Romeo begin to repent for his sin of killing Paris and Tybalt. Romeo is not entirely sure who he has just killed. He has to ‘peruse’ – or study – the victim’s face before realising it is ‘noble County Paris’. He decides to bury him in a ‘triumphant grave’ before deciding it is a ‘lantern’ (a room filled with light, an architectural term). He asks for forgiveness from his ‘cousin’, Tybalt (“Forgive me, cousin!” – 5.3.101). He offers his [Romeo’s] death as a ‘favour’ for cutting Tybalt’s youth in two (‘twain’).

Characterisation (Romeo) We see Romeo’s cowardly side, again, come through. He is scared of where he will go for murdering Tybalt and Paris and now acts with repent for his sins; doing them both ‘favours’ (putting Paris with Juliet and killing himself for Tybalt). We also see his jealous side. He says that he will stay with Juliet, not out of love for her, but so that Death can not take her as his lover (“For fear of that, I will stay with thee...” (5.3.106)

Climax This soliloquy acts as part of the play’s climax. The climax of the play – it can be argued - is when Juliet kills herself, Romeo discovers her and kills himself. The climax is important because it is what the entire play has been leading to; as told in the prologue. The audience have been aware of it from the beginning and have been held in suspense for it to happen.

Conflict We see Romeo’s inner-conflicts throughout his final soliloquy. We see him realise that in death he may not join Juliet in heaven as he is a murderer. We then see him begin to repent for his sins. He questions if he has gone mad. He decides to bury Paris in a triumphant grave and then a lantern. The reason he gives for staying with Juliet is so that Death cannot have her (personified as her lover).

Imagery Imagery that has been used throughout the play is present in Romeo’s final soliloquy. Light/Dark: He says he will put Paris in a ‘lantern’, because Juliet’s beauty illuminates the grave. Juliet has been associated with light throughout.  He talks about a ‘lightning before death’, meaning a release of the spirit. Juliet warned of their love being like lightning throughout.  He also promises that he will “Never from this palace of dim night / Depart again” (5.3.107-8).  Romeo and Juliet’s relationship has mostly taken place – and their happiest moments – during the night. ‘Dim night’ therefore refers to eternal happiness in death.

Imagery Death being personified: “Death [Paris], lie thou there, by a dead man [Romeo] interr’d [a corpse that is placed in a tomb].” (5.3.87) “Death, that hath suck’d the honey of thy breath, Hath no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou art not conquer’d; beauty’s ensign yet Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, And death’s pale flag is not advanced there.” (5.3.92-97) - Death is personified as taking over Juliet. Ensign = flag; her lips and cheeks are still red (as she is still alive, unknown to Romeo) and death’s white flag has not ‘advanced’ there.

Imagery Death as Juliet’s Lover: Romeo worries that “unsubstantial [bodiless] death” is amorous and seeks to take her as his mistress (5.3.103-5). It is because of this that he says he will stay there with her forever, to prevent it happening. Mouth imagery is again used: “... And lips, O you / The doors of breath..”

Rhythm This soliloquy is written in blank verse (iambic pentameter that does not regularly rhyme). x / x / x / x / x / “The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!” (5.3.118) Iambic pentameter is used throughout to reflect Romeo’s stream of consciousness (just the constant thoughts running through his head) and his regular heartbeat.

Rhythm This is broken and changes just before he takes the drink of poison: / x / x Here’s to my love! Drinks x / x / x / x O true apothecary Once he has drunk it, his final words of the play return to iambic pentameter: x / x / x / x / x / Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. This is to reflect that his heartbeat has returned to normal before dying, showing that he is comfortable, satisfied and calm in his forthcoming death. This is because he can now lie in death with Juliet; love has overcome even death.

Task Link up the points you have made – as well as the ones I have given you – to the following themes: Love & Passion, Fate, Conflict. Fate – e.g. “And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars”, meaning to resist the domination of unfavourable stars (bad fate). This is paradoxical as Fate is shown to be fixed throughout the play, yet Romeo claims to fight against such bad fate.