Literary Devices In Romeo And Juliet

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet tells the tragic story of two young star-crossed lovers whose fates are inevitable. This poetic play reaches a theatrical crescendo in Act 3 Scene 1, a pivotal turning point that leads to the ultimate tragedy of the play. This play incorporates plot, language devices and aesthetic features to explore themes on the forcefulness of love and the inevitability of fate. Shakespeare applies literary devices to portray the instinctive and strong attraction between Romeo and Juliet. Elements of aesthetic features are also included to further create a text that exquisitely expresses the heartbreak of forbidden love and devastating tragedy.

Act 3, Scene 1 takes place in the streets where Mercutio, Benvolio and Romeo encounter Tybalt. Tybalt, who bears a hateful grudge against Romeo, challenges him to a fight.

Personification is integrated in character dialogue between Romeo and Juliet as they express their love for one another. In Lines 5-7 of Act 2, Scene 2, Romeo sees Juliet enter on the balcony and declares, “Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.” In these lines, Romeo gives human-like qualities to the moon by describing it as envious, sick and pale with grief. Shakespeare’s effect of this is to highlight Romeo’s sincere belief that Juliet is brilliantly more beautiful than the moon. Hyperbole has been skilfully used in Act 1, Scene 5, Line 45, where Romeo’s love towards Juliet is more heartfelt than his pretentious show of affection towards Rosaline. He emphasises how Juliet’s beauty stands out from the crowd by stating that, “She shows a snowy dove trooping with crows.” This expression and the fact that the both of them come from antagonistic families makes their love more intense, urgent and