Wednesday 21 November 2012

What is an example of pathos in act 2 of Romeo and Juliet?

Act 2 of
moves from the balcony scene where the two declare their love for one
another after the Capulet party toandbeing secretly married the following day by .

Pathos is emotion that tugs at our heartstrings. The pathos in
act 2 arises from the fact that although Romeo and Juliet are deeply in love, their love is
forbidden by their feuding families. As Juliet expresses with some frustration on the balcony,
why does Romeo have to bear the hated name of Montague? She says, "A rose by any other name
would smell as sweet."

Shakespeare states in that
the course of true love never did run smooth, and little could be more true of Romeo and Juliet.
We feel for them because their families hate one another, which means they must keep their love
a secret. Juliet worries that her relatives will kill Romeo if they find him in her garden. In
fact, , who recognized Romeo flirting with his cousin, is already challenging him to a duel, so
from the start, a sense of doom hangs over these lovers.


Their rush into a secret marriage is also poignant, both because the speed is a
testament to their love but also because they have to marry secretly or risk the wrath of their
families. A sense of both sweetness and uncertainty dogs them. As Friar Laurence
states,
So smile
the heavens upon this holy act
That after-hours with sorrow chide us
not.
In other words, he is
asking that heaven protect the newlyweds from sorrow, knowing the circumstances under which they
have married do not bode well for their future.]]>

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