Plants and Poisons Symbol in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Love is an extremely complicated subject. It makes people do crazy things, things they have never imagined would happen. But it also can give people that fairytale type dream that they could never have imagined would come true. In the play Romeo and Juliet, the two lovers go through great lengths to keep their love going, their infatuation with each other was strong. Shakespeare introduces plants and poison to symbolize both the practical and unfavorable sides of natural entities in addition to relationships.

Shakespeare associates the symbol of flowers with love to prove his point that Romeo and Juliet have a young, and beautiful blooming connection, and with adolescence comes fun and beauty. Throughout the story the young lovers compare each other and their love to the growth of a flower. Juliet believes that “This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.” (2.2.28-29). Shakespeare specifically used “This bud of love” to support the idea that Romeo and Juliet were just at the starting point of their relationship and “prove a beauteous flower” to create the idea that with time their love will grow even more. The word “prove” was used by Juliet to show that she believes their love could turn into something bigger, she has hope for a future. Moreover, this specific quote means that Romeo and Juliet have a fun and youthful relationship that brings joy and color to their worlds, like a flower. The quote above talks about how flowers start as a bud and then grow to be something bigger, and the reference to the flower creates the impression that Juliet thinks her relationship with Romeo will actually go somewhere. The connotations connected to flowers help to establish the idea that their love is alive and growing and will develop into something much more beautiful. 

Plants were additionally used to show the unique side of love, how there is no feeling like it. Friar Lawerence says “O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities.” (2.3.15-16). “Mickle is the powerful grace” could mean there is an immense amount of power, elegance, and distinctiveness in all of the different kinds of plants. The word mickle means a large amount, and in this context means there is a large amount of beauty in plants. “Powerful grace” could be interpreted as an oxymoron because the word “grace” is looked at as elegant and sometimes delicate, whereas “powerful” means with great strength. Toughness and daintiness do not tend to go together, making this line contradict itself. Furthermore, each different type of plant has some special quality that makes it different from others, which correlates to love in the way that relationships all have different characteristics that make them all unique. This develops the idea that relationships all give different insight and different relationships produce different and distinctive feelings. The symbol of flowers was used to portray the positive qualities of the love between the 2 young characters. 

On the other hand, general plants were used to symbolize the idea that love can be dangerous, if taken to too far of an extent. There are some special plants that have the ability to kill, they are poisonous. The point that love can be toxic and lead to danger and death was represented by this. The true strength of a relationship will reveal itself once challenges start to occur. Friar Lawerence says, “And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.” (2.3.29-31). The words “Worser is predominant” could mean when there is evil present and “canker death eats up that plant,” gives the impression that death will replace evil and their love will fade back into nothing. This line in the story is relevant because it gives the idea that if love (or symbolized as a plant) is not strong enough to withhold challenges, it can simply just end. Clearly, this happened in the play because the lack of communication between Romeo and Juliet ultimately led to a tragic ending. “For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart.” (2.3.23-26). Shakespeare used the dialogue “For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part” to start off the idea that love is sweet once you first dip your toes in but “Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart” and if you get too deep into it, it can turn painful or hurt you. The further you fall for someone, the more it will hurt in the end. This situation occurs in the play because at first, Romeo and Juliet had a sweet innocent love and then it all goes downhill when they fall in love. Overall, the symbol of plants was used to suggest that love is a dangerous game in some cases and can kill, both physically and emotionally. 

Shakespear uses Friar Lawrence and Romeo’s characters to introduce the symbolism of plants in the play, to prove their larger significance in acting as a symbol for the benefits and consequences of life and relationships. The use of plants was important as it symbolized the more unseen parts of love, both the happy effects and additionally the more hidden bits. Friar Lawrence says “Within the infant rind of this weak flower Poison hath residence and medicine power:” (2.3.23-26). The words ‘infant rind of this weak flower” mean the contents of this small flower (or this youthful love). Moreover when he says “poison hath residence and medicine power” he means though this love may be new, there is the possibility of danger in the future and yet Romeo and Juliet may have a love that can help mend the feuds between the families. This furthers the idea that plants and poison were used to foreshadow the tragic turn of events towards the end of the story. Romeo says “An if a man did need a poison now, Whose sale is present death in Mantua, Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him.” (5.1.53-55). He was saying that he knew if he wanted to buy poison, the seller would be killed on the spot, but Romeo didn’t care because he was willing to do anything to get poison. This shows the true extent of how dangerous love and plants can be. If Romeo was willing to kill himself for love, it must have been dangerous from the start. Plants and poison were repeatedly used to subtly show both sides of love, the one that everyone sees and the one that isn’t spoken about or seen as much. Plants symbolize both the negative and positive connotations of relationships. 

Throughout the play, Shakespeare repeatedly made  the connection between plants and Romeo and Juliet's relationship by using the symbolism of plants to further develop the idea of both the healing and hurting bits and pieces of relationships. This creates the impression that love is not just one way, it contains a great deal of attributes. It is ever-changing and safe, beautiful yet painful, unconditional and eternal.