William Shakespeare's play, "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet", is the story of two "star-crossed" lovers who both meet a tragic end. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy; however, the poetic and vivid way in which Shakespeare engages the viewer or reader makes it a beautiful work. The story of Romeo and Juliet is timeless and has provided a model for many other stories. The plot of Romeo and Juliet is much loved by many around the world, but this is not what gives the work its special quality. Just as in most of Shakespeare's works, words and phrases with double meanings, imagery and poetry are all used to create a work that is not only a pleasure for the eyes, but also for the ears and the mind. The following statement by Romeo in Act One, Scene One provides a good example: Love is a smoke made of the vapor of sighs, To be purified, a fire glittering in the lover's eyes, To be vexed, a sea nourished with tears of love. What else is there? A very discreet madness, a suffocating gall and a sweet that preserves (Riverside, 1.1.190-193). Shakespeare's use of these components is exquisite and allows for a much deeper involvement on the part of the reader or viewer. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses imagery in the form of light and darkness, animals, plants, or herbs to provide the reader or viewer with a more vivid and enjoyable experience. Light and Darkness The images of light and darkness are used extensively in Romeo and Juliet to symbolize and/or describe events that occur. Capulet describes the feast he is throwing with light and darkness, “Stars that tread the earth and make the dark sky bright” (1.2.25). The stars continue to play a role in the play as Juliet mentions her own death, states, Take him and cut him into little stars, And make heaven's face so fair That all the world will fall in love with the night, And worship not the bright sun (3.2 .22-25). It seems that Juliet, unconsciously, is describing the future in a symbolic sense. Later in the play, after Romeo is banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, he and Juliet exchange lines full of bright imagery. As dawn approaches, Romeo describes the sight: “See, love, what streaks of envy / Intertwine the parting clouds yonder in the east / The night's candles are extinguished .