112k views
3 votes
What is the meaning of the quote "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp..." (2.2.19-20)?

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The quote compares a woman's beauty to the overwhelming brightness of daylight compared to stars or a lamp, signifying an extraordinary beauty that outshines all else

Step-by-step explanation:

The quote "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp..." is a metaphor that compares a woman's beauty to the brilliance of daylight outshining the stars or a lamp.

This suggests that her beauty is so remarkable that it makes other luminous objects seem dim in comparison. By using the celestial imagery of stars and daylight,

the speaker emphasizes the radiance and unparalleled nature of the woman's beauty, just as daylight overshadows the artificial light of a lamp and stars shine brightly in the night sky.

Various literary works use the interplay of light and darkness to highlight certain features, emotions, or situations.

Authors often use such imagery to convey the influence or impact of one element over another, just as natural light dominates over artificial light, or beauty outshines the ordinary.

User Dwilliss
by
8.1k points