Light on the dark: the choice that Romeo and Juliet did not makeThe purpose of the light/dark motif in Romeo and Juliet is to show how Romeo and Juliet are incapable of distinguish light from darkness, or good from evil. I think everyone has the potential to discern what choices lead to the “light” and what choices keep them in the “darkness.” So Romeo and Juliet had that potential but I don't think they wanted to know it, since nothing else mattered to them but themselves. In this play, Romeo and Juliet never make a clear choice between light and dark because they almost don't want to make that decision in the midst of their romantic happiness. They could have brought their situation, which was becoming more and more complicated every day, to light by talking about it openly. However it ended, I think the feud should have been reconciled somehow and I'm sure Romeo and Juliet wouldn't have lost their lives doing this. By ignoring their responsibilities and ignoring the darkness that stood between them, Romeo and Juliet essentially allow tragedy to strike them both. In the first scene, Romeo is depressed because his love for Rosaline is a one-sided love. His parents are worried because Romeo spends all his time in the dark. Even when there is light, he wraps himself in darkness to reflect his dark mood: far from the light my heavy son goes home / and hides in his room / closes the windows, shuts out the beautiful light of day / and an artificial night is made (II 137-140). These light/dark images show that Romeo is choosing to stay committed to a relationship that will always be inevitable, since Rosaline does not return Romeo's love and has sworn chastity. This choice to stay put keeps Romeo in the dark because he is not moving forward in his life and faced with the myriad of other romantic possibilities. Benvolio helps bring Romeo back to the light by taking him to a party where he meets Juliet, who to Romeo is brighter than anything else in the Capulet house: oh, she teaches the torches to burn bright! (IV 44). Though Romeo has felt uneasy before, as he went to this party with his friends: I fear, too soon: for my mind fears / some consequence still hangs in the stars / he will bitterly begin his fearful rendezvous (I.