Wei Chin

Per. 6
2/4/08
Romeo and Juliet: A Painted Imagery

In love with the heir to your family’s nemesis, so goes the plot of one of the greatest romantic

plays in history: Romeo and Juliet, by a notable author, William Shakespeare. Romeo, a victim

of unrequited love, catches sight of the fairest of the maidens, and immediately falls in love.

Unknowing of the maiden’s identity, he tries to win the girl’s heart with witty words. Juliet,

someone to challenge the intelligent Romeo, has equally witty words. Shakespeare uses religious

connotations to further expand the level of love and devotion Romeo and Juliet share.

The first dialogue between Romeo and Juliet begins with Romeo stating his opening lines,

clearly showing his love for the girl through words chosen as religious imageries. Juliet’s hands

are the holy shrine, and by touching her with his “unworthiest hand” he is sorry for his profanity.

His lips are “two blushing pilgrims”, ready to give her a “tender kiss” to make up for his “sin”.

His words are directed at her, asking for a kiss, but instead of just saying that out loud, he uses

images that circulate around religion, thus making his request seem devoted and pure.

Juliet, clearly understanding the meaning behind Romeo’s words, answers back. She refuses

the kiss, but instead tells him that “Saints have hands that pilgrims’ hand do touch” meaning that

she is not angered by his gesture, yet charmed by his “devotion”. Instead of kissing, their kiss is

“palm to palm” like a “holy palmers’ kiss”, resembling the pilgrims that went to the holy shrine,

and the gesture used when one is praying. Juliet replies back to Romeo’s request, in the same

form he uttered, using religious connotations.

Romeo, not giving up on his original request, asks one more time for a kiss, but Juliet’s

answers back that that saint’s lips “must use in prayer”. Trying hard to accomplish his goal, he

returns that she should “let lips do what hands do”, his lips “pray” and she should not “lest faith

turn to despair”, meaning that Juliet should not let his lips down. Trying to make the
 Wei Chin
Per. 6
2/4/08
conversation stay on the right course, Juliet says that saints do not “move”, they do not urge

others on, but she does “grant for prayers’ sake”. Hearing this, Romeo responds with telling her

to “move not”, while he takes his “prayers’ effect”, meaning that he will kiss her. During the

exchange it is clear that the sonnet they create together is an act of love.

Religious images like “holy shrine”, “blushing pilgrims”, and “saints” show that they both

understand each other, thinking the other is holy. Isolated from the outside world, they are in

pact, minds alike, and while others might not understand them, they can perfectly share a

connection of words to show their keenness for the other. Shakespeare uses religious metaphors

to show the love between Romeo and Juliet, pure and spiritual. Juliet is the saint, and Romeo is

the pilgrim, devoted pilgrims to the saints.