It would be difficult to overestimate the impact of this particular scene upon dramatic literature, and upon the idea and image of love and romance. The language is beautifully crafted and the imagery sets the tone for the play's theme of the "star-cross'd lovers" who are destined to be together, yet whose situations tragically keep them apart.
Romeo's comparing Juliet to the rising sun, and her description of his name as her enemy, are both expressive of these major themes in the play. The sun and moon imagery the lovers use to describe and refer to one another throughout the play is introduced here. "Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon that is already sick and pale with grief": here Romeo compares Juliet's beauty to the sun and portrays her as more beautiful than the moon. He then continues "It is my lady; oh it is my love! Oh, that she knew she were!" His love and longing is laid bare here, contributing to the scene's poignancy.
We also hear of Juliet's deep love of Romeo despite having just met him, and she suggests she would marry him so that their names will no longer be at odds because of the family feud: "Be but sworn my love and I'll no longer be a Capulet." This also hints at the tendency of these lovers to see themselves reflected in the other, and the sun-moon and day-night imagery also reinforces this theme of the yin-yang, male-female opposites that describe the union of love.
When Romeo finally leaves, Juliet says "Parting is such sweet sorrow," and this foreshadows the moment when Romeo believes she is dead and decides to kill himself rather than live without her. This hint of what is to come also adds poignancy to the scene.
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