Characters
This character comes up with the plan for Juliet to fake her death.
Friar Laurence
Romeo buys poison after hearing this news.
Juliet has "died"
This character threatens to disown Juliet for disobeying him.
Lord Capulet
The Apothecary agrees to sell the poison for this reason.
He is poor and in need of money
A figure of speech that compares two different things by stating that one is the other, highlighting similarities for emphasis or symbolism.
Metaphor
This character is surprised to find Romeo at Juliet’s tomb and challenges him.
Paris
This unexpected decision forces Juliet to take the potion earlier than planned.
Lord Capulet moving the wedding to Wednesday
This character makes peace with an enemy at the very end.
Lord Capulet / Lord Montague
Juliet kisses Romeo after finding him dead for this reason.
She hopes there may be poison left on his lips.
A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows to be true.
Dramatic Irony
This character tries to comfort Juliet by telling her Paris is a better match than Romeo.
Nurse
Juliet shocks her father by doing this when she returns from seeing Friar Laurence.
Agreeing to marry Paris
This character is supposed to deliver a crucial letter but never does.
Friar John
Paris challenges Romeo at the tomb for this reason.
He believes Romeo is there to desecrate the bodies.
A literary device that combines two seemingly contradictory words to form an often thought-provoking concept or idea
Oxymoron
This character tells Romeo that Juliet is dead, not knowing it’s fake.
Balthasar
The reason that Friar Laurence's letter was not delivered to Romeo
Friar John was quarantined due to fears of the plague
This character offers to build a golden statue in Juliet’s honor.
Lord Montague
Juliet seeks help from Friar Laurence instead of confiding in the Nurse for this reason.
The Nurse betrayed her by supporting the marriage to Paris
A reference to a well-known person, character, place, or event that a writer makes to deepen the reader’s understanding of their work.
Allusion
This character sells Romeo poison, even though it’s illegal.
Apothecary
Friar Laurence suggests Juliet do this after waking up and finding Romeo dead.
This character declares, “See what a scourge is laid upon your hate.” in response to the tragic deaths at the end of the play.
Prince Escalus
Lord Capulet moves up the wedding date for this reason.
To cheer up Juliet / exert authority
A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage.
Soliloquy