Rachel Moranty

Ms. Curmano
Honors English P. 6
20 April 2016

Shakespeare makes a change when talking about night. At first he talks of night as a dark
time, but later on, night is shown as romantic. This progression of night is important because it
shows the progressiveness of Romeo and Juliets love for each other. There love is at first dark
because Romeo is depressed about Rosaline. Then, there love becomes romantic and is
protected in nights safe arms. In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare the
significance of night changes between Queen Mabs speech, where night is portrayed as dark and
mischievous and in Act Three, where night is portrayed as protecting and romantic.
In Act One night is symbolized as dark and mischievous through Queen Mabs speech.
The Montague boys are about to go to a Capulet feast or ball, when a loud and obnoxious boy
named Mercutio tells a tale about Queen Mab saying, Over mens noses as they lie asleep; / Her
wagon spokes made of long spinners legs (1.4.58-59). This line makes the reader
uncomfortable because the reader usually associates spiders with fear. The fact that the spider is
over the mans face at night may reveal that he is having nightmares, and the reader usually
associates nightmares with night time and horrible, dark thoughts. As Mercutio continues the
story he says, Her whip, of a crickets bone; the lash, of film; / Her wagoner, a small gray
coated gnat (1.4.63-64). The diction of crickets bone, the lash of film, gnat, and small suggest
that Queen Mab is tiny. However words like whip and lash give the connotation that Queen Mab
is powerful, meaning that night has a powerful effect on people, but hides because it is small;
which is mischievous. Another line in the story is And in this state she gallops night by night /

Through lovers brains, and then they dream of love (1.4.70-71). Queen Mab gives dreams of
love in the night, and the reader may relate love to an exhausting and haunting emotion that
Shakespeare intended in this speech. This emotion of love keeps the lovers awake at night and
because Queen Mab caused this at night, night is considered a dark thing for keeping lovers
awake. Throughout Queen Mabs speech, night is considered a mischievous time.
In Act Three the significance of night takes a different turn into a more romantic and
protecting mood. Specifically in Juliets speech, she talks of the night in this mood when she
says, Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night (3.2.5). In this line, Juliet compares the
night to a romantic performance because she believes love is dramatic and romantic. Night is the
only time where love can perform its show because its a place of sanctuary where no one can
judge loves performance or in this case Romeo and Juliet. Juliet also says For thou wilt lie
upon the wings of night, / Whiter than new snow upon a ravens back (3.2.18-19). Juliet is so
comfortable with night because it is more pure than new snow. The comparison of snow and a
raven is extreme, and then that simile is compared to night to show that night stands out above
day because it is so pure and safe. In Juliets speech she says, When he shall die / Take him and
cut him out in little stars, / And he will make the face of heaven so fine (3.3.21-23). Juliet is
talking about her one true love named Romeo in this line, so when she wants Romeo in the stars
or night, she considers night a perfect barrel ground for her one true love. Night is the only place
that is as romantic and protecting as Romeo is, so that is the perfect place for him, her, and their
love.
Night makes a major change throughout the play Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare because it shows amazing progression with the love in the play. Night was
mischievous, but know is a safe haven for Romeo and Juliets love.