Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops

Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops

The line "Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops" is a beautiful and evocative description of the transition from night to day. This line is from William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," specifically from Act 3, Scene 5. In this scene, Romeo and Juliet have just spent the night together, and Romeo must leave before the break of day to avoid being caught and killed by Juliet's family.

Shakespeare's use of imagery in this line is striking and vivid. The image of "Night's candles" being burnt out suggests the end of darkness and the coming of light. The word "candles" evokes a sense of warmth and comfort, but also of transience and impermanence. The phrase "jocund day" conveys a sense of joy and happiness, as well as the promise of a new beginning. The image of day standing "tiptoe on the misty mountain tops" suggests a sense of anticipation and excitement, as if the day is eager to begin and is just waiting for the right moment to do so.

This line also reflects the themes of love and fate that are central to "Romeo and Juliet." The love between Romeo and Juliet is forbidden and doomed from the start, yet they are willing to risk everything for each other. The image of day standing tiptoe on the misty mountain tops can be seen as a metaphor for the precariousness of their love and the uncertainty of their future.

Overall, this line captures the beauty and fragility of life, as well as the inevitability of change and the passage of time. Shakespeare's language is rich and poetic, and his imagery is powerful and evocative. This line is a perfect example of his ability to capture the complexities of human emotion and experience in just a few words.