Curmano

Honors English P.6

4/13/15

Night by Shakespeare
The portrayal of night in Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare has fluctuated
drastically since the beginning of the play and throughout each act from love and evil and dark to
togetherness and joy. During Mercutios long Queen Mab rant he describes women in an ugly
and annoyed tone. Romeo has once again fallen in plutarchian love with a girl. Just as he loved
Rosaline he now loves another girl. Juliet is a girl he has to be secretive with because of the
familys longtime rivalry, Capulets versus Montagues. The significance of night in the beginning
of the play where Romeo meets Juliet is very secretive and dark. Romeo and Juliet have to hide
their newfound relationship for their two diverging families. Romeo and Juliet decide they love
each other so much they have to get married right away and maybe dissolve the rivalry.
Throughout the entire play night is often compared to love and in the beginning it is very
dark, evil, and false. Mercutio tries to warn Romeo about dreams happening at night, corroding
girls minds into evil. And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers brains, and
they dream of love (1.4.70-71). Queen Mab is displayed as tricking people into falling in love.
In the night is where Queen Mab comes inside your brain and forces you to dream about love
while you are asleep and when you wake all you want is love. The night is where evil comes out
when you are most vulnerable And being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two And sleeps
again. This is the very Mab (1.4.87-88). Evil comes at night to scare you into love but you
disregard it and dream again. This is what Queen Mab does to people to make them miserable
with love. Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with
sweetmeats tainted are (1.4.78-80). Queen Mab is jealous of the beauty she desperately wishes

Curmano
Honors English P.6
4/13/15
for so she comes at night to take away the beauty which was given to them. During the night
Queen Mab comes to take away everything beautiful making the night evil, dark, and gruesome.
During the events of the play the interpretation has changed considerably by nigh
being dark and strange to it being a time to be alone with love and joy. The time Romeo can be
alone with Juliet is only in the night, this is the only time they can be happy Gallop apace, you
fiery-footed steeds, Toward Phoebus' lodging. Such a wagoner As Phaeton would whip you to
the west And bring in cloudy night immediately (3.2.1-4). Here Juliet waits for Romeo to come
because it is almost night and she gets to see him again. They both are excited for night to arrive,
now night is all about the joyfulness of love. But that a joy past joy calls out on me, It were a
grief so brief to part with thee. Farewell (3.3.174-176). Romeo is fast to run off into the night
and escape to his true love, Juliet. In the play you can tell both Romeo and Juliet are very eager
to meet each other during the night and consummate their marriage. Let me be ta'en. Let me be
put to death. I am content, so thou wilt have it so (3.5.17-18). Night in Act 3 is also very sad
because of Romeos banishment. Right after the two teens get married they have to be apart and
say goodbye to each other for a while. Romeo only has one last night with Juliet before he leaves
Verona so he has to make the goodbye memorable and quick before he sees Juliet again. Night
from the beginning of play was first described as evil false but after Romeo meets Juliet and they
fall in love night turns into love and being together.