Figurative Language In Romeo Juliet Essay

Submitted By Shudipto-Rahman
Words: 1179
Pages: 5
Open Document
Rahman 1

Rahman, Shudipto
Mr. Frishman
English I
March 20, 2014 Figurative language in Romeo & Juliet “
Love is passion, obsession, someone you can’t live without. If you don’t start with that, what are we going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him/her? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I’m not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you’ll come back. Because, the truth is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love ­­ Well, you haven’t lived a life at all.You have to try. Because if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived” ­­ Meet Joe Black (1998). Did Romeo & Juliet find such passion and deep­seated feelings in themselves for each other? Maybe they did. That’s the reason, they stepped over hardest obstacles, the rivalry barrier of their families and attempted to be together ­­ finally, ended up together by committing suicide. The names Romeo and Juliet are synonymous with tragic love affairs and interfering families, from the play titled ‘Romeo and
Juliet’. Famous English playwright of all time William Shakespeare is accredited for arguably the most famous love story of all time. Due to tragic series of mischances and fateful errors, two young lovers ­­ who try to elope ­­ instead end up dead. It’s not only famous for the storyline, but also Shakespeare’s use of figurative language in the play, which turned it into a heartwarming

Rahman 2

and enhancing one. ‘The Capulet’s Orchard’ ­­ Scene 2 of Act II, ‘The Balcony Scene’ is indeed utmost famed part of this play for the intensity of figurative language. In the lines 1­32 of the following scene ­­ Romeo’s subsequent monologue, Romeo expresses that Juliet is the most precious woman in his world, without whom he will be unable to keep himself alive.
Shakespeare successfully displayed affection of Romeo towards Juliet through the use of metaphor, simile & hyperbole. One literary device applied in the following part is metaphor. The word
‘metaphor’ came from Latin word ‘metaphora’ which means transfer. According to figurative language, metaphor is word which is used to compare with another thing non­literally without using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. Almost every adept authors use metaphors to enhance their literature. Shakespeare also used intense metaphors to make the readers feel what Romeo feels.
For example, Romeo began to talk about Juliet with this line ­­ “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” In other words, he meant his world is lightened up by Juliet’s appearance as real word is also enlightened by the sun. Just like, the world needs the sun to survive, Romeo needs Juliet around him to live the life. Overall, here the sun is compared with Juliet without using ‘like’ or
‘as’. So, it is metaphor as it carries inner meaning perfectly. Additionally, another example for metaphor in this scene is ­­ “See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove leans her cheek upon that hand ”. This expresses Romeo’s desire to touch and get touched by
Juliet. It also shows Romeo’s wish to get closer to Juliet. Here the word ‘glove’ is compared with
Romeo. He wanted to get touched as the glove on her hand is tapped on her cheek. To show
Romeo’s thirst, it was also an pretty good metaphor.

Rahman 3

Another figurative language used in the scene ‘Capulet’s Orchard’ is simile. The word ‘simile’ directly derived from Latin, which means ‘a like thing’. In English, simile is the literary device which is used to compare alike thing using either of the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. The difference between simile and metaphor is, in simile ‘as’ or ‘like’ is used to compare one thing with another. The wizard of the figurative language, William Shakespeare strengthened his play with the use of similes. Such as, Romeo commented in his monologue, “The brightness of the
Show More

Related Documents: Figurative Language In Romeo Juliet Essay

Figurative Language In Romeo And Juliet

Such a story is proof of an author’s downfall. Adding an example of figurative language to a text will save the aforementioned author. Indirect characterization is an extension figurative language and gives the stories an extra edge. An edge which separates the good and the great authors. William Shakespeare, one of the most famous writers of all time and a master of figurative language, displays his talent in Romeo and Juliet, one of his better known plays. He uses a mixture of juxtaposition, oxymorons…

Words 514 - Pages 3

Essay On Figurative Language In Romeo And Juliet

Shakespeare's most famous play “Romeo and Juliet” is a tragic story about love and loss between two “star crossed lovers”. It all takes place in Verona, Italy. In this novel there are tons of surprises and a huge plot twist at the end that keeps everyone wondering what made Shakespeare come up with this interesting yet unique ending. Since he came up with most of the English words we use today, the way he translates his words and uses his language to convey love and loss is very realistic and descriptive…

Words 618 - Pages 3

Romeo And Juliet Figurative Language Essay

In Act 2, Scene 2 of his timeless play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare utilizes romantic dialogue and figurative language in order to characterize Romeo as emotional and impulsive. Romeo, a son of Lord Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, quickly fall for each other, despite the violent feud between their families. Just hours after meeting his beloved, Romeo boldly sneaks into the Capulet estate and approaches Juliet’s balcony. Juliet, alarmed by his unexpected visit, expresses concern for…

Words 385 - Pages 2

Examples Of Literary Devices Used In Romeo And Juliet

In the original “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare included the use of numerous examples of literary devices. He inserted them all throughout the play. Some of these examples would include the use of dramatic irony, the use of soliloquies, and the use of figurative language. There are many more but these are the ones I found he used most often. The most important literary device used in “Romeo and Juliet” would be the use of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows…

Words 396 - Pages 2

Diction In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet: the iconic star-crossed lovers of fair Verona. The balcony scene is arguably the most popular scene of the play. But how does Shakespeare reveal the tone of that scene? In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare conveys passionate diction with compelling imagery and romantic figurative language to portray how affectionate Romeo and Juliet were towards one another. Diction is one way that Shakespeare showed Romeo and Juliet’s affection for one another. Juliet uses the word “passion” when…

Words 379 - Pages 2

Juxtaposition, And Oxymorons In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

another, but there were two people who were destined to be together from each family. In William Shakespeare's play “Romeo and Juliet” there are many pieces of figurative language with hidden meanings. Shakespeare uses paradox, juxtaposition, and oxymorons to explain the story. Shakespeare uses paradox and irony to explain romeo and juliet's love because they never got to love. Juliet says, “Learn me how to lose a winning match” (3.2.1-31). It becomes a paradox when she is in a winning match but wants…

Words 498 - Pages 2

Essay on Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet Some people might say that you should love with your heart and not with your eyes. In Shakespeare's case you love with your eyes as also shown in the play "Romeo and Juliet” where both lovers fall in love with each other’s beauty. In beginning of the play Romeo was in love with this young lady named Rosaline; he noticed that their love was impossible and he fell into depression that lead him to enter into the Capulet's house which is his families’ enemy. He found a girl…

Words 700 - Pages 3

Examples Of Oxymorons In Romeo And Juliet

in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare adds complexity to Romeo and Juliet by using Paradoxes and oxymorons to indirectly characterize Juliet, Friar Laurence, and Romeo. Juliet is indirectly characterized by Shakespeare using a paradox and an oxymoron. Juliet states, “I have bought the mansion of love but not possessed it” (3.2.1-31). The paradox is showing how she and Romeo are in a relationship (the mansion) but she hasn’t spent time with him (possession), and how she longs for him. Here, Juliet is…

Words 564 - Pages 3

The Foreshadow Essay

first paragraph or even the first sentence. If the reader’s attention is not captured, then the reader would not have an interest in reading the book. Shakespeare helps demonstrate this by trying to hook the reader in the prologue he wrote in Romeo and Juliet that is only fourteen lines long. This passage is very important to the play because of Shakespeare’s attempt to embrace not only the reader of his play, but the attending audience at performances. His unique way of foreshadowing the play in…

Words 820 - Pages 4

Comparing Pyramus And Thisbe In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, and Pyramus and Thisbe are the same and different by their character, conflict, plot. William Shakespeare was inspired by Paramus and Thisbe to make Romeo and Juliet. The creator of Pyramus and Thisbe is Ovid in Metamorphoses. Romeo and Juliet has some foreshadowing of what’s going to happen to them or someone else Pyramus and Thisbe has no foreshadowing. Shakespeare put a lot of rhyming and a lot of figurative language in his play and story. Pyramus and Thisbe also has figurative…

Words 613 - Pages 3