Romeo and Juliet Lit Devices Review

What is Tone

Writer’s attitude towards the audience/subject, and word choice sets the tone. Example: "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon..." - Romantic Tone during Act 2 Scene 2 when Romeo talks

What is a simile

A comparison made between two objects using the words, “like” or “as". Example: "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, / Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn." - Act 1 Scene 4

What is Mood?

Emotion or feeling of audience based on the author’s tone. Example: Curiosity in a mystery novel

What is verbal irony?

It is when someone says something that they do not mean. Example: When Juliet talks about her marriage with Paris and when she rejects Paris for Romeo, who she tells her mother that she hates.

What is situational Irony?

Situational irony is when the opposite of what is expected happens. Example: When Romeo attends the Captulet feast to go after Rosaline, but instead he ends up falling for Juliet

What is dramatic irony

It is when the audience/readers know something that the characters do not. Example: when Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, but the audience knows that she has only been given a sleeping potion, this is an example of dramatic irony. 

Epithet

Descriptive name that is used as a name. Can be something like Oprah, the enthusiastic philanthropist.

Onomatopoeia

Use of words to mimic sounds. Can be something like boom, splash, and pow.

Oxymoron

A combination of contradictory words. Example: Sweet sorrow from Act 2 Scene 2 when Romeo speaks with Juliet’s attractiveness.

Hyperbole

Intended exaggeration that makes a point. Example: Shame those stars as daylight doth a lamp.

Idiom

Phrases that cannot be taken seriously, more like a saying. Example: Act 1 Scene 1 when the servants of the Montagues “bite their thumb” at the Capulet servants. It just means that they are offensive gestures.

Symbol

A concrete noun that represents a state of mind or abstract feeling. Use of the words light and dark to represent the positives and the negatives that are involved in Romeo and Juliet’s relationship.

Alliteration

It is a collection of words and phrases that have words with the same beginning sound. Example: From forth the fatal loins of these two foes… Shakespeare first act.

Direct Characterization

Information and the traits about the character that the author directly tells the audience.

Indirect Characterization

When the other characters in the story are what helps to determine the information about others using their quotes and words. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." (Act 1, Scene 5) [1]

Connotation

Positive feeling that is associated with a word. Example: Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-brow'd night...", here night conveys a positive feeling for Juliet

Denotation

The definition of a word. Example: Example: Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-brow'd night...", here night has the denotation of being the period of time between sunset and sunrise.

Personification

Giving non-human objects human-like characteristics and traits. Example: Death lies on her like an untimely frost / Upon the sweetest flower of all the field. Act 4 Scene 5 of Shakespeare, here they give human-like characteristics to death

Metaphor

Unlikely comparison between two objects without using the words, “like” or “as”. Example: "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun",Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty with the son.

Internal Conflict

It is when a character is experiencing a conflict that cannot be seen by just physically looking at the character. Example: When Juliet battles with herself over the death of her cousin, Tybalt, and banishment of Romeo.

External Conflict

A conflict that can be seen by looking at a person physically or environmentally. Example: Street brawls between the capulets and the montagues.

Allusion

Brief indirect reference to a person,place, thing, or idea of historical, political, religious, literary significance. Act 1 Scene 1 contains a reference to Cupid, god of love, "She’ll not be hit with Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit, and, in strong proof of chastity well armed, from Love’s weak childish bow she lives unharmed."

Euphemism

An agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend/suggest something unpleasant. "Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, / Take him and cut him out in little stars...", Juliet actually expresses her love for Romeo and her longing for her wedding night through this phrase.

Diction

Word Choice. Example: Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man., uses this to create a playful atmosphere and mood for Mercutio and the other characters.

Foil Characters

Characters who help the personality of the protagonist or antagonist stand out much more. Can be Tybalt, Mercutio, Nurse, and Benvolio who all help the protagonists stand out more

Imagery

Vivid and descriptive language: Example: Juliet describes Romeo as "day in night," visualizing him as "whiter than new snow upon a raven's back." Describes Romeo’s physical appearance when Juliet says this

Motif

Symbol/Idea that is recurring throughout the novel, and the entire text. Examples: Recurring contrast between light and dark to express the tight love between Romeo and Juliet

Parody

Humorous imitation of something that is serious and not meant to be taken seriously. The love poetry that is present throughout the story is a good example of parody in Romeo and Juliet.

Rhetoric

Art of persuasion. When Juliet manages to convince the Nurse to get Romeo, that is a good example of rhetoric being used.

Juxtaposition

Fact of two things being placed next to each other/close together with contrasting facts. Romeo juxtaposes Juliet’s beauty with the night sky, which is two contrasting things being placed together.

Foreshadowing

Show/indicate beforehand, author’s clues about what happens next. Example: In Act 4, romeo says "mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars / Shall bitterly begin this fearful date / With this night's revels". Shows the danger that is upcoming.