Question

How does Romeo glorify Juliet’s flawless beauty?

Answer 1

Romeo glorifies Juliet's beauty by comparing her appearance to objects and abstract concepts observable in nature. In his soliloquy in act 1, scene 5, Romeo compares Juliet to fire light, a star or a planet in the night sky, and a dove in a flock of crows.

By elevating Juliet's beauty to the light of a fire, Romeo is suggesting that her beauty has significant power. Fire is an element, one that has the potential to sustain life with its warmth and to take life away in its most extreme form.

By comparing Juliet to a "jewel in an Ethiope's ear," a metaphor for a planet or star, Romeo makes the grand claim that her beauty is otherworldly and exotic in its rarity. His amazement at her beauty is communicated in this comparison.

By describing Juliet as a dove amongst crows, Romeo expresses appreciation of Juliet's youth, glorifying her obvious innocence. A dove is white, while crows are black, and the color white is a symbol of purity.

Answer 2

Romeo glorifies Juliet’s beauty saying that her beauty was so brilliant that it could inspire a torch to burn more brightly meaning that even torchlight seems pale compared to Juliet’s beauty. He tells us that her beauty was like twilight, soft and radiant, and shines just like a glittering jewel worn by a dark-skinned woman, an Ethiopian woman. Her beauty according to Romeo was priceless and too rich for use and very expensive for humans, meaning that everybody cannot afford to have a beauty like Juliet. A white pigeon in the midst of black crows can be admired easily, similarly, Juliet was more beautiful than all the other beautiful girls.