In what ways does the scene in the painting match the description in Romeo’s speech? In what ways does the painting depart from the details laid out in the speech?

Answer 1

The scene in the painting matches Romeo's speech in several ways. Both the painting and Romeo's speech describe a dark and obscured setting where Juliet's beauty shines brightly like the sun. The painting captures the intimate moment between Romeo and Juliet with their faces close together, reminiscent of Romeo's description of their kiss. The artist also includes the presence of stars in the night sky, as mentioned in Romeo's speech.

However, the painting departs from the details laid out in the speech in a few ways. Romeo's speech describes Juliet's eyes as "two of the fairest stars in all the heaven", but in the painting, Juliet's eyes are not highlighted prominently. Additionally, the setting in the painting appears to be more secluded and enclosed, whereas Romeo's speech describes an open balcony setting. The painting also does not include the elements of fire or torchlight, which are mentioned in Romeo's speech to emphasize the contrast between light and darkness.