Shakespeare's Sonnets in Romeo and Juliet: An Exploration of Poetic Love

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is renowned for its poetic beauty and profound exploration of love, hate, and tragedy. One of the unique elements of this famous play is the subtle inclusion of sonnets, both in the prologue and during the course of the narrative. This article delves into the instances where Shakespeare employs this poetic form to enhance the narrative and character development.

The Prologue: A Sonnet to Begin With

At the very beginning of the play, the Chorus introduces the audience to the setting and the conflict with a beautiful sonnet. The prologue's fourteen lines follow the traditional structure of iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG. It is an excellent example of how Shakespeare uses the sonnet form to set the stage for the tragic love story that follows.

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which but their children's end naught could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

This prologue not only introduces the key themes of the play but also sets the tone for the entire narrative. The use of a sonnet here serves to heighten the dramatic effect by elevating the conflict and the lovers' tragic fate to a level of poetic beauty.

The First Encounter: Sonnet as Introduction

The true integration of sonnets into the play emerges in Act 1, Scene 5, where Romeo and Juliet first meet. This scene is marked by a spontaneous exchange of sonnets, reflecting the immediate chemistry between the two characters. Their interaction, enriched by the sonnet form, demonstrates their natural and profound connection.

Romeo
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

Romeo
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

Juliet
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo
O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do:
They pray: grant thou my prayers, love, and(minus) Vietnam

Juliet
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
[He kisses her.]

Here, the sonnet serves not just as a form of poetic dialogue but as a bridge that merges their initial interaction with their developing love. The use of the sonnet form in this scene emphasizes the purity and sincerity of their emotions.

The Continuation of Romantic Sonnets

After their first encounter, Romeo and Juliet continue their shared sonnets, as exemplified by their exchange where Romeo purifies Juliet's kiss in his own image:

Romeo
Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
Juliet
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
Romeo
Sin from my lips, O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.

[He kisses her.]

Juliet
You kiss by the book.

Nurse
Madam, your mother craves a word with you.

These sonnets continue to develop their relationship, bridging their initial encounter with the deep bond they share. The use of sonnets in this manner serves to emphasize the natural and seamless progression of their love.

Conclusion

In sum, Shakespeare's use of sonnets in Romeo and Juliet is a masterful integration of poetic form and narrative. Through the prologue and the spontaneous exchanges between Romeo and Juliet, he elevates their story to a level of poetic perfection that underscores the purity and depth of their love. This literary device serves not only to enhance the beauty of the play but also to deepen the audience's emotional connection to the characters and their tragic fate.

By understanding and appreciating these sonnets, readers and watchers of Romeo and Juliet can gain a richer and more profound understanding of this timeless love story.