Literary Devices A
The audience knows Romeo is listening during the balcony scene, but Juliet does not. What device is this?
Dramatic Irony
Who tries to stop fights and wants peace?
Benvolio
"My bounty is as boundless as the sea." Identify the device.
Simile
Where do Romeo and Juliet meet?
The Capulet feast/party
"I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me."
Benvolio; He tries to stop the fight, showing he values peace and serves as a foil to Tybalt's aggression.
Juliet says, "If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed." What device is this, and what does it hint at?
Foreshadowing; Juliet predicts that her love may end in death.
Which character is violent and aggressive, especially toward Montagues?
Tybalt
Romeo calls Juliet "the sun." Identify the device and explain.
Metaphor; Romeo compares Juliet to the sun to show she is bright and life-giving to him.
Why does Romeo originally attend the Capulet party?
To see Rosaline
"You kiss by the book."
Juliet; She notes Romeo's kiss seems practiced; shows she is perceptive, confident, and playful.
Mercutio curses, "A plague o' both your houses!" Explain why this is ironic.
His death, caused by the feud, triggers the tragedy he curses them for.
Why does Capulet hesitate to let Paris marry Juliet at first?
He thinks Juliet is too young.
"Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon." What figurative language is being used and what does it imply about Juliet?
Personification & Metaphor. Juliet is compared to the sun; the moon is jealous. Juliet's beauty outshines others.
What happens in the balcony scene?
Romeo and Juliet confess their love and plan marriage.
"Young men's love then lies / Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes."
Friar Laurence; He warns Romeo his love may be based on physical attraction and highlights Romeo's impulsiveness.
Romeo uses religious imagery to describe Juliet. What does comparing her to an angel suggest about how he views her?
It shows he sees Juliet as pure and sacred, as if she is someone to admire and almost worship.
Which character gives Romeo advice and later agrees to marry him to Juliet?
Friar Laurence
Describe the imagery used when Romeo first sees Juliet at the feast. What sense does Shakespeare appeal to?
Sight; Juliet is described as "a snowy dove," highlighting how she stands out in the room.
What major event occurs in Act 2, Scene 6?
Romeo and Juliet secretly marry.
"I'll look to like, if looking liking move."
Juliet; She says she will try to love Paris only if it happens naturally, which shows independence and thoughtfulness.
What does the feud symbolize about how much control the characters have over their lives?
It suggests that they are trapped by forces (family loyalty, history, reputation) that they cannot escape.
Describe Juliet's shift in character from Act 1 to Act 3.
She becomes more independent and decisive in her love and choices.
Explain how figurative language is used to show emotional intensity in the balcony scene.
Shakespeare uses metaphors and hyperbole to show overwhelming love
What event changes the play from romance to tragedy?
Mercutio is killed, leading Romeo to kill Tybalt and be banished.
"Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man."
Mercutio; He jokes while dying. His death shifts the play from romance into tragedy and triggers Romeo's downfall.