Blog #3

 Ask Questions

      Elinor Fuchs describes the world of a play as a “planet”. Before exploring the depths of this planet, “we must ask questions”. Through out a week of study, we have answered many questions, from the figure, setting, time, sound, language, image, change, to the pattern. However, out of these elements that make up a complete play, I have a different point of view on the “pattern”. Like what Elinor Fuchs points out, all the characters fit the patterns, and there is nothing occurred by chance. There are also some fixed patterns that were hidden in between the text in which promote the plot development.

      The first pattern which Shakespeare delicately sets up in the play is as what Romeo says, “More light and light: more dark and dark our woes” (3,5,36). The brighter the light, the more darkness comes. Romeo uses this light metaphor for Juliet throughout the whole play. From the beginning, when Romeo first meets Juliet at the party, he says, “she doth teach the torches to burn bright” (1,5,43) And later in the following act, he compares Juliet to “the sun” who “kill the envious moon” (2,2,2). He keeps praising the brightness of Juliet, and appreciates the light that Juliet shines into his world. However, the most significant moments they have been spending —  first encounter, exchange of their pledge and devotion — is in the evening. It is pretty ironic to see how bright the power is inside their love, but the reality is that once their forbidden love was exposed to the air, it would lead to darkness: their death. It is just like the time that we have discussed during the class. The whole setting about time is against the nature: the daytime when the most conflicts occur seems go faster than the nighttime in the summer. As well as for the pattern, light symbolizes the tragedy rather than the coming of bright future. The dazzling light of their love is leading them toward the destruction. 

      In addition to that, another patten that I discover is how fate and free will always follow each other. I do not totally agree about what we have discussed during the class about that there is always something right happening next to something wrong, like Romeo and Juliet’s marriage is something right, and right after that, Romeo was banished from Verona. In my opinion, how the whole things operate are instead related to fate and free will. Some things are meant to happen following the path of fate, but some things were caused by choices of people. From the beginning of the play, just before Romeo goes to the party, he has a sense of feeling that “some consequence get hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful fate … by some vile forfeit of untimely death” (1,4,111). Fate has somehow foreshadowed his tragic future, but it is his choice to still go to the party. Then, the fateful thing happens: Romeo and Juliet fall in love with their first sight at the party. However, it is their free will that promotes them to be together even after knowing each other’s “identity”. Next to their marriage, in the afternoon, Romeo stabs Tybalt without consideration, and he was banished from Verona. Nonetheless, facing with the urgent situation, Juliet chooses to take Friar’s plan: drink the vial, pretend to be dead, and wait for Romeo. Unfortunately, fate stimulates the outbreak of plague, and delays Friar’s letter to Romeo, which causes Romeo’s death. At the end, it is Juliet’s free will again — choose to suicide. It is pretty clear of how the fate and free weave the pattern. 

      From what we have been exploring during the class, I have a clear concept of how the whole play was built up by many distinct components. And, I also come up with some unique points of view about the pattern that is hidden behind the text. But, the most important thing I have learned is being curious about everything that is related to this planet before making any further step into it.