By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
‘O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright’ is a famous speech spoken by Romeo in Act I Scene 5 of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. But what does he mean by this speech? Although the meaning may appear to be straightforward, when viewed in the context of the play Romeo’s words shed some considerable light on his character.
Before we analyse the ‘O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright’ speech, though, here’s a reminder of what Romeo says: