Metaphors
1. Romeo compares his personality to their palms. He also
compares his lips to pilgrims (Act 1 scene V)
"My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready
stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss".
2. Romeo compares Juliet to the sun (Act II Scene II)
"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
3. Romeo compares Juliet's eyes to the bright stars (Act II scene II)
"Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven Having some
business, do entreat her eye To twinkle in their spheres till they
return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head. The
brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven"
compares his lips to pilgrims (Act 1 scene V)
"My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready
stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss".
2. Romeo compares Juliet to the sun (Act II Scene II)
"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
3. Romeo compares Juliet's eyes to the bright stars (Act II scene II)
"Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven Having some
business, do entreat her eye To twinkle in their spheres till they
return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head. The
brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven"
Similes
- "How silver-sweet sound lover's tongues by night, Like softest music to
attending ears!" - "Death lies upon her like an untimely frost."
- "It seems she hangs on the
cheek of night / like a rich jewel in an
Ethiop's ear.
Personification
1. Act II Scene II 2-6
Romeo:
Arise, fair sun, and kill the
envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her
maid art far more fair than she.
2. Act II Scene III
Friar Laurence:
The grey-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
Check'ring the Eastern clouds with streaks of light;
And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels
From forth day;s path and Titan's fiery
wheels.
3.Act V Scene I
"I pay thy poverty, and not thy will," and, "There is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls, Doing
more murders in this loathsome world"
Romeo:
Arise, fair sun, and kill the
envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her
maid art far more fair than she.
2. Act II Scene III
Friar Laurence:
The grey-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
Check'ring the Eastern clouds with streaks of light;
And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels
From forth day;s path and Titan's fiery
wheels.
3.Act V Scene I
"I pay thy poverty, and not thy will," and, "There is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls, Doing
more murders in this loathsome world"
Irony
The words literally state the opposite of the writer's true
meaning. For example, the Prologue in Act I opens with "Two households, both
alike in dignity. When you first read this, you may think that the two
families are pretty dignified or honorable. As the play goes on, however, you
realize that each family is violently competitive. They are similarly
undignified.
Situational irony. Events turn out the opposite of what was
expected. What the characters and audience think ought to happen isn't what
eventually happens. In Shakespeare's play, the young lovers do end up spending
eternity together, but not in the way the audience had hoped.
Dramatic irony
Facts or events are unknown to a character in a
play or story but known to you or other characters in the work. For example, the
audience knows that Juliet took a sleeping potion and isn't really dead. Romeo's
suicide affects the audience even more because of this knowledge.
meaning. For example, the Prologue in Act I opens with "Two households, both
alike in dignity. When you first read this, you may think that the two
families are pretty dignified or honorable. As the play goes on, however, you
realize that each family is violently competitive. They are similarly
undignified.
Situational irony. Events turn out the opposite of what was
expected. What the characters and audience think ought to happen isn't what
eventually happens. In Shakespeare's play, the young lovers do end up spending
eternity together, but not in the way the audience had hoped.
Dramatic irony
Facts or events are unknown to a character in a
play or story but known to you or other characters in the work. For example, the
audience knows that Juliet took a sleeping potion and isn't really dead. Romeo's
suicide affects the audience even more because of this knowledge.
Symbols
Poison was used when Romeo poisoned himself because he thought Juliet
was dead when she wasn't. She was just poisoned with a drug that made her seem
dead so she wouldn't have to marry Paris. Light and dark is used a lot in the
play. for example, the balcony was in the dark and darkness symbolizes their
secret. Romeo can not be seen at the Capulet's yard, and without darkness Romeo
could not have seen Juliet through the window. in the middle when Romeo had to
leave and was banished from Verona, Romeo and Juliet had a discussion if the bird
they heard was a nightengale. The nightingale symbolizes immortality. In Romeo and
Juliet, the nightingale's singing lets Juliet know that it is still night
and symbolizes the immortality of their love. Even though they will die, their love
transcends life and death.
was dead when she wasn't. She was just poisoned with a drug that made her seem
dead so she wouldn't have to marry Paris. Light and dark is used a lot in the
play. for example, the balcony was in the dark and darkness symbolizes their
secret. Romeo can not be seen at the Capulet's yard, and without darkness Romeo
could not have seen Juliet through the window. in the middle when Romeo had to
leave and was banished from Verona, Romeo and Juliet had a discussion if the bird
they heard was a nightengale. The nightingale symbolizes immortality. In Romeo and
Juliet, the nightingale's singing lets Juliet know that it is still night
and symbolizes the immortality of their love. Even though they will die, their love
transcends life and death.
Paradox
“My love only sprung from my only hate" Juliet said.
It is ironic that the one boy she loves, Romeo, happens to be
one she should hate.
Juliet further describes her love for Romeo alongside of violence.
“…that I must love a loathed enemy”
In describing his love for Juliet he talks about “heavy lightness”
but how can something that is light be heavy?
It is ironic that the one boy she loves, Romeo, happens to be
one she should hate.
Juliet further describes her love for Romeo alongside of violence.
“…that I must love a loathed enemy”
In describing his love for Juliet he talks about “heavy lightness”
but how can something that is light be heavy?