Romeo’s banishment- worse than death |SC|cambridge exams|o levels|drama|Romeo and Juliet |love

In Act Three-Sc2, the audience notices Juliet’s misery on hearing the word ‘exile’ associated to Romeo. She cannot bear being estranged from Romeo as for her to love is to be near. She will have preferred death to banishment as then with death,she knows that Romeo is not around and she will only cry because he is no more.

However with exile, she will suffer being distanced from her husband, loving him from a distance and tolerating the sufferance of living as a maid(unmarried girl), while she is married. This agonises her extremely.

In Act Three- Sc 3, the audience witnesses a replica of the same emotion in Romeo. In hearing the news of his banishment, Romeo claims that he prefers death, as he will not bear living away from Juliet. He says,

Be merciful,say death.

For exile hath more terror in his look.

Lines 12-13

Act 3,Sc3

Romeo clearly extrapolates that he will die if and when he will be separated from Juliet. To and for him, Juliet represents his future,thus life.

The analogy between the two scenes is obvious. Indeed, the emotional outburst of Romeo in this scene is analogous to the passionate extrapolation of Juliet in Act3,Sc2. Both demonstrate an equal quantity of passion for each other. Moreover, both have their emotional eruption in frint of their confidants, that is Romeo speaks before Friar Lawrence whereas Juliet evokes her misery to the Nurse.

Hence, Shakespeare expertly draws a parallel of emotions between the main protagonists. The audience marvels at their passionate frenzy for each other, which underlines the strong love that they bear for each other. It is interesting to subscribe to the idea that both lovers view banishment as mortifying. The distance will bring misery and torment for they will not be together.

Moreover the audience also witnesses the increasing degree of tragedy in each unfolding scene. In the beginning, that is in Act1,Sc5, Shakespeare portrays the blossoming of their love,which is not only beautiful but also aspiring. If in Act2,Sc1 the lovers declare their love to each other, in Act2,Sc5, they get married,thus sealing the promise of eternal faith to each other. In those scenes, Shakespeare shows to the audience the beauty of love, which is innocent and healing. Friar Lawrence declares that it is the yhis love which will end the enmity between the Capulets and the Montagues.

However, as soon as they are married, Shakespeare brings forth the atmosphere of doom, using the conflict between the families as the background. Hence,one can deduce that the play is a love tragedy for Shakespeare constantly makes the lovers agonise by creating distance between them. Now, the announcement of the banishment will enlarge the gap of distance but will impressively increase the strength of love that they bear for each other. Hence, he highlights that Romeo and Juliet remains a love play.

To substantiate the idea of love play, Shakespeare makes banishment a bigger evil than death. In truth, death is instantaneous but banishment is like dying each second in sufferance.

Romeo constantly claims that he will be alive only in Verona, because Juliet lives there. Otherwise,in any other place he will suffer. Leaving Verona will be equal to death for him.

‘T is torture and not mercy.

Line 29,

Act3,Sc2

The distance between him and Juliet will cause him to suffer more than what death can bring. He says that where Juliet lives is ‘heaven’ as Juliet is his love and Romeo has not have the opportunity to enjoy the company of his true love, who is also his wife.

He further torments himself that he will not be able to look at Juliet, while even a petty mouse will be able to do so. He cannot bear living without Juliet.

Shakespeare uses many plays of words to help Romeo emote his sentimental agony. He juxtaposes ‘flies’ that is the insects, with the verb ‘fly’, which here means to escape. He shows how desperate Romeo is feeling. Indeed,Romeo compares himself to mundane insects such as flies, which, according to Romeo, will enjoy the presence of Juliet while he will be banished. Again, the idea that banishment is worse than death is emphasised.

They are free men, but I am banished.

Line 35

Act3,Sc3

Any other place than Verona is a jail for him. He asks the friar to kill him, as death is a gratification compared to banishment.

He criticises the Friar that the latter is torturing him with the word ‘banished’.