I. IntroductionA. As Oscar Wilde once said in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “I have learned to love secrecy. It seems to be the only thing that can make modern life mysterious or wonderful to us. The most common thing is delicious, as long as we hide it. (Ch. 1)1. In William Shakespeare's iconic tragic play Romeo and Juliet, many characters secretly oppose society in order to satisfy their personal needs.2. As the book progresses, we see the characters make decisions based on romantic motives.B. Thesis Statement: Romeo and Juliet's need to rebel against society is expressed through their love of night and darkness and through the abundant use of symbols, metaphors, and images depicting secrecy. II. First body paragraphA. Romeo and Juliet must find a way to be together, breaking the boundaries and concrete rules of society. They often get together at night, a time we usually think of as a time of romance and liberation. This is when all the intimate scenes in the play take place.1. Imagery: The two lovers meet for the first time at a ball which takes place at night. Romeo is masked so he can enter the ball without being kicked out by a Capulet. The fact that Romeo wears a mask already paints a picture of secrecy and shows that the night will likely end with an event that must remain in the dark.2. Symbolism: Romeo often compares Juliet to brightness. It's a symbol of how bright and bold their love is for each other. It's a bit ironic because they always have to meet in the middle of the night when others can't see their love. Romeo compares Juliet to a jewel that stands out. “Oh, she teaches the torches to shine brightly!” / It seems that she places the cheek of the night / like a rich jewel in the ear of Ethiope; » (Act I, scene V...... middle of paper ...... hat, they would rather die than have to live without each other.b) Symbolism: The final act of suicide takes place in blackest of the night, representing the ultimate privacy.V. ConclusionA. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the consistent depiction of love in darkness is extremely important in understanding the secret of their relationship. The use of metaphors, imagery, and symbolism helps depict the importance of light and darkness and how this related to their love for each other.B. Romeo, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and the nurse all go against the traditional boundaries of society to meet their personal needs, especially for reasons of love. In the end, their secret managed to get the better of them and they died for their love. It is possible that without secrets, their love would not have been as passionate and their death less tragic...