Theme Of Dreams In Romeo And Juliet

Dreams can be an escape from reality, but dreamers must guard themselves against becoming trapped in that fantasy. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is the tragic love story of two lovers who are fated to doom. Mercutio’s “Queen Mab” speech explores the idea of how dreams can be deceiving which relates to Romeo and Juliet’s deceptive love for one another. By examining Shakespeare’s use of diction and imagery, the motif of dreams becomes evident. In the exposition, Shakespeare operates the use of imagery in Mercutio’s “Queen Mab” speech. Throughout his speech, Mercutio describes Queen Mab extremely small when he illustrates her as “In the shape no bigger than an agate stone”(1.4.11) and “Not half so big as a round little worm”(1.4.21). However, Mercutio also states that Queen Mab delivers “nightmares” to people when he states “And thus being frightened swears a prayer or two”(1.4.29). When the soldier awoke from his dream he finds himself fearful, but not in danger. Even though Queen Mab may be extremely small, her negative dreams cause a tremendous impact on others. The smallest things can have a positive or negative impact on an individual. Romeo and Juliet’s love seemed like a little harmless thing, but the reality was that their “love” led them to their eternal doom. Shakespeare applies the use of diction in the climax to further advance the motif of dreams. When Romeo first sees Juliet lying in the tomb he describes her as “Is crimson in thy lips and in thy