Character foil – a character whose personality or attitude is in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same play or novel. By using a foil, Shakespeare highlights the other character’s traits or attitude in contrast. For example, Tybalt is angry and hot-blooded. His foil is Benvolio who is thoughtful and peaceful. “TYBALT: What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?... BENVOLIO: I do but keep the peace” (I, i, 69-71).

Tybalt- Juliet’s cousin Benvolio-Romeo’s cousin

Terms for Reference in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Example- Mercutio: “Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word/One nickname

for her purblind son and heir/Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim/When King Cophetua loved the beggar maid” (II, I, 13-16).

Do you see the words in bold? They are allusions. Venus Cophetua and maid Cupid

Allusion- a brief reference, within a play, novel or poem, to something outside the work that a reader or audience is expected to know. Reference could be to a historical event, famous person, etc. Best allusions are indirect or a subtle hint toward rather than directly stated.

Alliteration -repetition of consonant sounds at the

beginning of words to create a sound effect. “…heartless hinds” (I, i, 69). The repetition of the ‘h’ sound is harsh and suggests Tybalt’s anger.

Hyperbole - huge exaggeration which may also compare. Relative of the

metaphor. “’Tis twenty years till then” (II, ii, 190). Juliet is comparing the time it will take for her to find out when she will be married to Romeo to the span of twenty years. Obviously it will not be that long, but it will FEEL that long to her.

Metaphor – compares two distinctly different items. “What a deal of brine/Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline” (II, iii, 16-17). The brine is ocean salt water which is being compared to Romeo’s tears.

Idiomatic Expression - a commonly used expression or

expression widely used in English. “My fingers itch” (III, v, 185). This is said by Lord Capulet who wants to hit Juliet because she will not agree to marry Paris. It means the speaker want to hit, but is resisting that urge.

Common simile (almost a cliché) –a comparison of two vastly different items using ‘like’ or ‘as.’ A common simile is one we have all heard before such as: “…as gentle as a lamb” (II, v, 47).

A speech given by ONE character Speech given by ONE character

ALONE on stage. often to a crowd. Not dialogue.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO COPY WHOLE SPEECH. COPY BEGINNING AND END AND SHOW MISSING WORDS WITH . . .

Soliloquy MONOLOGUE

Aside- Character’s remark to the audience or another character which other characters on the stage are not supposed to hear. Somewhat like a stage whisper. Its purpose is to reveal a character’s private thoughts to the audience. Asides are usually spoken to the audience. Speaker may cup hands to suggest a whisper. Plays will note when words are an aside [aside]. Words will not be an actual whisper as then no one could hear the words!!!! There are few examples in play so I am not giving an example here. Look for [************].

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?When spoken it looks like this:"But SOFT what LIGHT through YONder WINdow BREAKS?"Separated into feet it looks like:"But SOFT | what LIGHT| through YON|der WIN| dow BREAKS|?

Count the syllables. Are there ten? Are there five pairs of unstressed/stressed?"

Blank verse iambic pentameter- unrhymed lines that have TEN syllables per line. The ten syllables are divided into five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables.

T o d a y (which part is stressed,emphasized? Yes, ‘day.’

Personification-giving an inanimate (lifeless) object the same qualities a human has. For example, “…the worshiped sun /peered forth the golden window of the East” (I, I, 26-27). Can the sun peer? No, but do you see that the sun seems to be looking at us?

“Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man” (III, i, 103-104). What does he mean?

Grave = serious grave = tomb

Pun-the play on word meaning here two words may sound the same or have multiple meanings. Often used for humorous effect. Often to add comic relief in the middle or at the end of dangerous/sad situations.

Dramatic irony- when reality is the opposite from what it seems. Irony is a cousin of sarcasm: people say “Lovely weather” when it is pouring with rain. They don’t mean it; in fact, they mean the opposite. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something important that a character does not know. In “The Prologue” we find out that both Romeo and Juliet will die by suicide. Later, we hear Juliet say: “…all these woes shall serve/For sweet discourses in our time to come” ((III, v, 53-54). ‘Discourses’ means conversations.

Imagery-refers to the five senses-what we can touch, taste, see, smell, and hear. Uses adjectives, colors, etc. “Driving back shadows over lowering hills” (II, v, 6).

Motif-a recurring (repeated) image which we see over and over again in a play or novel. Remember shoes in The House on Mango Street? In this play, the motifs include: sun, moon, stars, birds, night/day. Do you remember the allusion to Venus? It is also a motif, isn’t it? For example, when the Prince says: “The sun for sorrow will not show his head” (V, iii, 331) is a reference to the sun which fits this motif.

Oxymoron- two strangely paired or incongruous words such as “civil war’ or ‘humane slaughter.’ Often used for humorous effect or for emphasis such as: “…fiend angelical” (III, ii, 81). This example compares a demon and an angel which are clearly opposites.