Romeo and Juliet, 2 Prologue and 2.1

Days like today give me hope. I was heartened especially by your discussion of the sonnet that makes up the prologue of Act 2. Most impressively, you started to see the connotations of words and images and how they reveal the characters of the two young lovers. For instance, you noted that the characterization of Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline as “desire” that “on his death bed lie” suggests that Romeo’s feelings for his former flame are not quite finished (2 Prologue.1). They live still, but are dying out. Similarly, you pointed out that “young affection,” Romeo’s youthful feelings for Juliet, “gapes to be his heir” (2 Prologue.2).

Affection, clearly, is not the same as desire, but the way Shakespeare writes the lines, affection can grow into desire if it inherits the passion from old desire. Desire is personified as the possessor of rich passion, and affection is personified as the eager heir. You also noted that Romeo’s desire ages quickly and is not something long lived.

I also enjoyed your analysis of the description of Romeo and Juliet “alike bewitched by the charm of looks” (2 Prologue.6). You noted that those who are bewitched are under a spell and not themselves. The charm, also, is not a deep knowledge of one another but “looks,” the outward appearance of the two young lovers. It remains to be seen whether the affection can mature into desire and love.

We also talked again about Mercutio’s baser, more physical image of love as being something sexual. I mentioned that his delineation of Rosaline’s body parts is a poetic technique called a blazon.