Romeo & Juliet Literary Term Notes

Romeo & Juliet Literary Term Notes Drain 5th Six Weeks

Act 1, Scene 1 “If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” Foreshadowing “…Aurora’s bed…” Allusion “…feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health…” Oxymoron

Act 1, Scene 1 Continued “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs…” Metaphor “With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit…” Allusion

Act 1, Scene 2 “…Earth-treading stars…” Metaphor “When well-apparelled April on the heel of limping Winter treads” Personification “”If you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come …” Dramatic Irony “…crystal scales …” Metaphor

Act I, Scene 3 “Marry, that ‘marry’ is the very theme…” Pun “… why he’s a man of wax.” Metaphor “Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face …” Metaphor “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move …” Alliteration

Act 1 Scene 4 “…soles…soul…” Pun “…Cupid’s wings…” Allusion “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous…” Personification “…it pricks like thorn.” Simile

Act I Scene 4 (cont) “…it pricks like thorn.” Simile Mercutio does not believe in love/Romeo does Foil

Act 1, Scene 5 “It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night…” Personification “ … as rich a jewel in an Ethiop’s ear …” Simile “Did my heart love till now? … For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Hyperbole “If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed” Foreshadowing

Act 2, Scene 1 “Young Abraham Cupid he that shot so true…“ Allusion “The ape is dead …” Metaphor “Blind is his love and best befits the dark.” Theme

Act 2, Scene 2 “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!” Metaphor “O speak again, bright angel!” Metaphor “…silver-sweet sound…” Alliteration “It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be …” Foreshadowing “Parting is such sweet sorrow…” Oxymoron

Act 2, Scene 3 “The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night…” Personification “… and night’s dank dew to dry …” Alliteration “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied And vice sometime’s by action dignified.” Theme “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.” Theme

Act 2, Scene 4 “…courageous captain of compliments.” Alliteration “…Dido…Cleopatra…Helen and Hero…” Allusion “…curtsy…courteous…courtesy…” Pun “O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness!” Alliteration “…Prince of Cats…” Allusion

Act 2, Scene 5 “…Cupid’s wings.” Allusion “…swift in motion as a ball…” Simile Juliet talks about Nurse’s age Motif – Youth vs. Age

Act 2, Scene 6 “So smile the heavens upon this holy act” Personification “…love-devouring…” “…violent delights…” Oxymoron “These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder …” Foreshadowing “… and let rich music’s tongue Unfold the imagined happiness …” Personification

Romeo & Juliet Literary Term Notes