Literary Elements in Romeo and Juliet

English 9

Allusion

A literary Device that stimulates ideas, associations, and extra information in the reader’s mind.

A reference to a historical or literary figure, event or object.

Example from Play Act II, Scene II – Juliet says, “Else would I tear the caves where Echo lies/

And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine/ With repetition of ‘My Romeo!’”

Explanation – Echo is a nymph who could only repeat what was said to her. She could not communicate with the one she loved and lived a life of solitude in a cave. Next time you go into a cave say something and you will hear her. Juliet is saying she would say Romeo’s name over and over as if in competition with Echo.

Aside

A dramatic convention by which an actor directly addresses the audience but is not suppose to be heard by other actors on the stage.

Example from the Play

ACT II Scene II – Romeo says, “ Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?”

Explanation – Romeo is asking a rhetorical question to the audience. He is not actually speaking to any of the actors or actresses on the stage and only the audience is suppose to hear his question.

Character Foil

Sets off or illuminates the major character – usually to create a contrast that is favorable to the major character.

Example from Play

Act I Scene III – The nurse serves as a foil for Lady Capulet

Explanation – The nurse rambles using bawdy, common language. She is frank and unrefined. Lady Capulet speaks like a noble woman. Her lines are in blank verse or rhymed couplets. Lady Capulet’s language is indirect and refined.

Chorus

A characteristic device in ancient Greek drama, wherein a group of actors speaking or chanting in unison – often while dancing – convey information about the play, particularly an emotion about the action or characters.

Example from Play

The Prologue at the beginning of the play is sung or chanted by a chorus.

Explanation – The chorus lines are in the form of a sonnet. See the paraphrased version in your handout. You will complete a paraphrased version of the chorus in ACT II of the play.

Extended Metaphor

Also known as a “conceit”, it is a metaphor that is sustained or developed through a considerable number of lines.

Example from Play

The sonnet that Romeo and Juliet share before their first kiss is an extended religious metaphor. Examine the words throughout the sonnet that demonstrate how the metaphor continues:

Holy, Shrine, Sin, Pilgrims, Devotion, and Saints

Foreshadowing

The author uses hints and suggestions to foretell the end of the story.

Example from Play

The opening Prologue foreshadows the fate of Romeo and Juliet by stating, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life .”

Irony

Verbal irony– a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant. For example, Zaroff in MDG says “We try to be civilized here.”

Dramatic irony– When the reader knows more about the true state of affairs than the characters do. For example, Little Red Riding Hood.

Irony - continued

Situational Irony – When there is a difference in what the reader/audience is led to expect in a situation and what actually happens. For example, Romeo goes to the party hoping to see Rosaline, but he actually meets and falls in love with Juliet.

Monologue

A long, uninterrupted speech that a character speaks in front of other characters

An example would be Mercuito’s Queen Mab speech.

Motif

Devices that continually reoccur in a work Images of light and dark throughout Romeo

and Juliet.

Oxymoron

Two concepts that do not go together but are used together.

For example, “loving hate” and “heavy lightness” from Romeo’s dialogue with Benvolio in Act I scene I.

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself. There are more words in a Paradox than an Oxymoron. An Oxymoron is only two words, and a Paradox is similar but has other words separating the Oxymoron.

For example, Juliet is upset after she hears that Romeo has killed her cousin Tybalt. She describes Romeo as a, “Book containing such vile matter so fairly bound .”

Personification

When an inanimate object or abstract noun is endowed with human qualities or abilities.

When Romeo says, “Arise, fair sun and kill thy envious moon.”

Pun

A play on words based on the similarity of sound between the two words with different meanings (“son” and “sun” or “I” and “eye”)

Soliloquy

A speech in which a character, alone on the stage, addresses himself or herself to let the audience know his/her inner thoughts/feelings.

ACT II Scene III Friar Lawrence is on stage alone and speaks his thoughts so only the audience can hear them.

Sonnet

A poem consisting of 14 lines. Typical rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg Iambic pentameter The prologue is spoken in the form of a

sonnet.