Romeo And Juliet Figurative Language
This scene begins with Romeo climbing up the wall into Juliet’s yard. Leaving Benvolio and Mercutio talking about Romeo’s infatuation with Rosaline. Romeo says to himself, “He jests at scars that never felt a wound” (2.2.1) referring to the fact that Mercutio can not doubt his love considering he has never felt love before. Then he begins his soliloquy announcing how beautiful Juliet is. He uses his eloquent speech to highlight his feelings for Juliet and show that his love for Rosaline has faded. Romeo is seen on multiple occasions using his poetic language, and this time is no different. He says that her beauty outshines the moon, and that her eyes are so bright they could replace the stars. If the stars were in her head, her bright cheeks
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The second line of the soliloquy starts off by saying “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun/ arise fair sun and kill the envious moon,” (2.2.3). He is using a metaphor to compare her to the bright, beautiful sun. Then he personifies the sun by saying she awakes and kills the envious moon. A sun can not kill the moon, and the moon can not be envious of the sun. Another time personification is used would be when Romeo wishes, “ That [he] were a glove upon that hand/ That I might touch that cheek,” (2.2.24-25). He is saying that he wishes he were a glove on her so that he could touch her cheek, but the glove can not feel. Romeo also uses apostrophe when saying “... It is my lady, O it is my love/ O she knew she were,” (2.2.10-11). He is addressing his love, which is a personified figure. One can not speak to their love. He also speaks to Juliet, who is incapable of hearing because of the distance separating them. Both of these apostrophes are introduced by saying “O”. Hyperbole is used multiple times when Romeo is trying to emphasize Juliet’s beauty. One example of this being used is when Romeo is trying to highlight the beauty of her eyes. He does this by saying “Two of the fairest stars in all the heavens/ Having some business do entreat her eyes” (2.2.15-16). He also says that, “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,” (2.2.19) obviously her cheeks are not brighter than the stars so this would be a prime example of hyperbole. All of these literary devices are used to show Romeo’s extensive love for Juliet in a poetic, romantic way that Romeo uses throughout the
The second line of the soliloquy starts off by saying “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun/ arise fair sun and kill the envious moon,” (2.2.3). He is using a metaphor to compare her to the bright, beautiful sun. Then he personifies the sun by saying she awakes and kills the envious moon. A sun can not kill the moon, and the moon can not be envious of the sun. Another time personification is used would be when Romeo wishes, “ That [he] were a glove upon that hand/ That I might touch that cheek,” (2.2.24-25). He is saying that he wishes he were a glove on her so that he could touch her cheek, but the glove can not feel. Romeo also uses apostrophe when saying “... It is my lady, O it is my love/ O she knew she were,” (2.2.10-11). He is addressing his love, which is a personified figure. One can not speak to their love. He also speaks to Juliet, who is incapable of hearing because of the distance separating them. Both of these apostrophes are introduced by saying “O”. Hyperbole is used multiple times when Romeo is trying to emphasize Juliet’s beauty. One example of this being used is when Romeo is trying to highlight the beauty of her eyes. He does this by saying “Two of the fairest stars in all the heavens/ Having some business do entreat her eyes” (2.2.15-16). He also says that, “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,” (2.2.19) obviously her cheeks are not brighter than the stars so this would be a prime example of hyperbole. All of these literary devices are used to show Romeo’s extensive love for Juliet in a poetic, romantic way that Romeo uses throughout the