Romeo and Juliet Group

Question:

cullen21
cullen21
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In Act 1.5 of Romeo and Juliet, what does Romeo mean when he says "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright."?

Rate question:

Posted by cullen21 on Thursday February 19, 2009 at 1:44 PM and tagged with act 1 scene 5, characters, quotes, romeo, romeo and juliet.

Answers:


  1. troutmiller Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    He has been so devastated by Rosaline's rejection that he is depressed.  When he first sees Juliet, he sees her as the "light."  Rosaline becomes "darkness" and Juliet becomes the light.  What he means is that she is so beautiful that she is the master of all beauty.  If in the metaphor she is the light and she teaches the torches how to burn brightly, then in her beauty, she is beyond comparison.  Her beauty surpasses all and is the perfect image of beauty for all else to follow.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo/act-scenes-3-5-summary-analysis

    Rate answer:

    Posted by troutmiller on Thursday February 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM