Analyzing Literary Devices

Characters

Shakespeare often used a foil when creating his characters. Mercurio is one of the most famous examples of foils in literature, his ironic wit contrasting with Romeo’s romanticism and his fierce family pride contrasting with Romeo’s desire for peace between the Montagues and Capulets.

Setting

Playwright had to create a sense of where the characters were by us using descriptive dialogue.

Mood

Shakespeare is good at varying moods and building tension. He breaks the tension with devices such as comic relief, in which he uses word play. Puns make use of a word’s multiple meaning, or they play on its sound. Shakespeare often used a soliloquy (a character is alone and speaks on his/her innermost thoughts.) He also uses oxymorons (expressions containing an apparent contradiction). He also uses similes.

Suspense

Shakespeare builds suspense even when the audience knows what will happen. One device he uses is dramatic irony (in which the audience knows what one or more if the people on stage doesn’t know). Another important de ice is foreshadowing (at several points in the play characters refer, often unknowingly, to what will happen in the future).