The moon carries multiple layers of meaning throughout Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I argue that the moon’s inconsistency influences the judgement of Romeo and Juliet; its dual nature both shelters the lovers and symbolises chastity; and its “sick and pale” foreshadows tragedy and breakdown in natural and social order. This essay will mainly focus on Act 2, Scene 2, the balcony scene where Romeo sneaks to Juliet’s balcony.

There are eight phases in the lunar cycle as the moon orbits the Earth; these phases continually change (moon phases). Juliet expresses her worries over the moon’s inconsistency when she tells Romeo, “O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb” (2.2.109-111).

After understanding the moon’s nature, it is possible to interpret how the moon’s changing phases and association with night create a realm of trans-formation and chaos, influencing characters’ emotions and sanity. Later, the dual nature of the moon explores its representation in the protection of the lovers and symbolisation of chastity. Finally, the moon foreshadows a breakdown in social and natural order.

As the night progresses, Juliet loses her rationality, and her emotions increasingly overpower her judgement. In the early night, when the moon still shines, Juliet represents reason and calm. As Juliet warns:

      And the place death, considering who thou art.

      If any of my kinsmen find thee here. (2.2.73)

Juliet is aware of the tension and hostile relationship between the two families, since they have been enemies for centuries. Moreover, Juliet is worried about Romeo’s safety and aware of the consequences, showing she has examined the situation when she sees his appearance; she therefore warns him of his dangerous act. The night represents irrationality and lunacy; therefore, Juliet struggles between sanity and emotion. As Juliet says:

      ’Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone, And yet no further than a wanton’s bird,

      That lets it hop a little from his hand. (2.2.190)

The phrase “’Tis almost morning” implies that Romeo has already stayed for a long time; as morning approaches, his risk of exposure increases because the darkness no longer protects him. In this urgent circumstance, Juliet knows Romeo must go, yet she desires to keep him close. Juliet then com-pares herself to “a wanton’s bird”, showing how love reduces her to being irrational and wilful. Juliet’s self-contradiction is evident in two contrasting speeches: first, she recognises the circumstances and consequences and tries to avoid danger; then she ignores them to follow her emotional desire.

After understanding how the moon influences Juliet’s sanity and emotions, the following focuses on the moon’s dual nature: it both protects the lovers and symbolises chastity.

The moon and darkness collectively protect the lovers from the danger of exposure. When Juliet expresses her worries about Romeo, Romeo replies, “I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes” (2.2.107). This shows night as a literal and symbolic shield from the Capulets, the enemies of Romeo’s family. Furthermore, moonlight fosters their love by allowing them to meet. When Juliet asks Romeo, “By whose direction found’st thou out this place?” Romeo replies, “By love, that first did prompt me to inquire.” (2.2.86) The moon often takes its natural role as a source of light as well, usually with positive and lyrical overtones (Martin 296). Therefore, it is possible to interpret that although Romeo claims love leads him to meet Juliet, he relies on the moonlight to reach the balcony. Together, the night hides the lovers from danger and moonlight guides the lovers to meet, allowing them to grow an intimate connection.

Moonlight not only protects the lovers and enables love, but it also sym-bolises chastity. Romeo desires sexual interaction with Juliet. However, the moon also refers to Diana, the chastity goddess. Therefore, Romeo exclaims:

      Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

      Who is already sick and pale with grief. (2.2.4-5)

He compares Juliet to the sun and tells her to fight against the moon in his monologue. In this statement, Romeo attacks the moon to praise the beauty of Juliet. Later, Romeo exclaims, “Be not her maid since she is envious. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear. Cast it off!” (2.2.8-10) Romeo tells Juliet not to be influenced by the moon; do not submit to the chastity it represents and thereby accept his sexual invitation in his monologue. Juliet remains chaste. Juliet exclaims:

      In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,

      And therefore thou mayst think my ‘havior light.

      But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true

      Than those that have more coying to be strange. (2.2.98-100)

In this statement, Juliet expresses her love and tells Romeo that she is “more true” than the women who act coy or strange, in other words, distant, to preserve a reputation for chastity. She then redefines chastity as truthful and constant love, not artificial coyness imposed by other women. Her promise to be “more true” conveys her seriousness about chastity, as it is a sign of her sincere love and asserts her commitment to it. The symbolism of Juliet’s chastity is also related to her family. In Elizabethan society, daughters were regarded as property of their fathers. It was considered the father’s responsibility to safeguard his daughter’s virginity prior marriage. Moreover, pre-marital sex is socially and legally forbidden. As a result, Juliet’s chastity not only preserves the family’s reputation but also shows her loyalty.

THE SICK MOON:

DEATH AND DECAY IN NATURAL AND SOCIAL ORDER

Finally, the sickness and paleness of the moon foreshadow death and decay, thereby signalling a breakdown in both natural and social order. It can be understood through the lunar cycle. In Act 2, Scene 2, the moon is in its last quarter—about one week before the new moon; when the moon is invisible from Earth and nights are the darkest. After Romeo and Juliet marry in Act 2, the play moves into the new moon phase, which represents darkness. It is worth noting that the word “death” appears after their marriage in greater numbers. It looks like “death” steals up behind “love” (Reiko 87). More-over, in Act 2, when Romeo exclaims, “Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.” (2.2.4-6) The moon’s “sick and pale” is attributed to Juliet and its envy anticipates the deaths to come.

The moon is deeply tied to mental health; this is evident in words such as “lunar” and “lunacy”. The word “lunacy” comes from the Latin word “luna” (moon). Hence, it is believed that lunacy is triggered by the moon’s cycle. The impulsiveness of Romeo is also a trait of lunacy. Later, the unsteady attitude of Romeo is similar to the moon’s changing nature. In Act 3, when Tybalt and Mercutio fight, Romeo tries to break up the fight. Yet, Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Romeo explains his intervention:

      Tybalt, that an hour

      Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet,

      Thy beauty hath made me effeminate

      And in my temper softened valor’s steel! (3.1.113-115)

It shows that Romeo’s intervention is because of Juliet, as they are married in Act 2, and the Montagues and Capulets are now family. Therefore, Tybalt is not only Juliet’s cousin but also Romeo’s kinsman; Juliet’s love makes Romeo calm and soft, not as hot-headed as before, leading him to resolve the conflict. Although Romeo’s intentions are sincere, they precipitate tragedy: Mercutio’s death, Tybalt’s death, and Romeo’s banishment. It shows that the love between Romeo and Juliet disrupts Verona’s social order.

The sickness and paleness of the moon also signal in the natural order. In Romeo’s statement, “Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon.” (2.2.4) In this metaphor, Juliet is the sun, while the moon is jealous and represents the goddess of chastity. Yet, Juliet—the sun—loses her power upon death; it therefore loses its sparks, resulting in the extinguished sunlight. The natural order itself seems to be broken, as the prince declares, “A glooming peace this morning with it brings, the sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.” (5.3.305-306). Even though peace has been achieved, it is dark and sorrowful because it comes at the price of the lovers’ lives. “The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head” personifies nature to reflect the grief of Verona. It can be interpreted that Juliet—the sun—is too sorrowful because of the tragedy to her and Romeo to show light. Therefore, even though morning has arrived, it feels like night; even the natural world mourns in disorder.

Therefore, the prince’s sunless morning in Verona confirms that the lovers’ tragedy has cosmic consequences.

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s use of the moon in the balcony scene reveals a multilayered symbol. In the balcony scene, Juliet struggles between rationality and emotional desire. At the same time, night and moonlight protect

Romeo and help the lovers meet, but the moon also stands for chastity, so Juliet chooses to be “more true” and wait for marriage. As the moon grows “sick and pale” and the nights move toward darkness, the story moves into death and decay; their love, meant to heal the feud, instead disrupts Verona’s social order. By the end, the city is left with a “glooming peace”, where natural order is also disrupted.