Preview

Romeo and Juliet Social Acceptance Through Language

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
747 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Romeo and Juliet Social Acceptance Through Language
Distinguishing social bounds in Romeo and Juliet with Language

Language is a tool everybody uses everywhere and all the time. Whether verbal or non-verbal, it helps each and every one person to communicate. Although, language is most likely used to help convey different message, the use of language in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is how the audience gets a sense of different types of character. Language can be used to show literary devices and tell the audience about the dialogue in the play. The use of language is significant in revealing different social classes and character types in Romeo and Juliet.

Literary devices are used more frequently by high class citizens when compared to citizens of low class. A literary device such as foreshadowing is commonly used by main characters in the play. Juliet says to Romeo,"Methinks I see thee, now thou art below, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale" (3.5.55-57). Foreshadowing gives subtle clues and helps prepare the audience for important upcoming events. This line which gives prompts about Romeo being dead, is between two main characters. Shakespeare, would not let a low class character such as the nurse to reveal a major part of the play since this play is a tragedy. Additionally, high class characters use metaphorical language throughout the play to a greater extent as to low class characters. In the play, Romeo compares Juliet to the sun "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." (2.2.2). Shakespeare made main characters use metaphors often because the literary device adds complexity and depth to speech given out by a character. Thus, metaphors will help develop the character and show the viewer about his or her emotions. With speech from a high-class character being complex, the audience will spend more time on the main character rather than characters of the lower classes. Literary devices not only bring

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    There are about 8 main types of figurative language. Some examples are Imagery, Hyperbole, Simile, Metaphor, Personification and Onomatopoeia. The speech is thoroughly explained by using Imagery and a little Irony. Imagery is when you can image the picture being made from the words. Irony is when the literature shows some sarcasm. Imagery is explained when Friar Lawrence describes the look on Juliet’s face saying “Then comes she to me, and with the wild looks bid me devise some mean” (5.3.248-249). This shows that she comes frantically toward the Friar with wild eyes. There is another imagery when he saying that Juliet comes to me and takes the sleeping portion while he write to Romeo tells the plan, but that never happened. From 5.3.252-261 it defines the plan and how it backfired. He tells those lines clearly that you can paint the picture in your…

    • 939 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Figurative Language Review (50 pts.) Directions: Copy and paste the following terms in a separate document. Find two examples of each of the following terms located in Romeo & Juliet. Copy the examples from the text and include an explanation how those examples relate to the term.…

    • 261 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Unitplan

    • 5013 Words
    • 21 Pages

    Title: Attitudes / Insults Subject: English Grade Level: 10 Lesson Rationale: To examine Romeo & Juliet and the attitudes the students have towards different events in the play and relating to the language through insults I.R.P.: English Language Arts 8-10 Learning Outcomes / Lesson Objectives: The student will be able to: (Engagement) – consistently consider more than one interpretation of the communications that they red, view and listen to (Critical Analysis) – demonstrate their awareness of how the artful use of language can affect and influence others Real World Application: For students to understand the social offenses in the play and how we have the same problems today; and to use Shakespearean language in a fun way Materials: R& J text, Shakespearean insults on slips of paper, Overhead sheet Introduction: (15 min) -Give students a slip of paper when they walk into class -Have them read it and sit down at there desks -On command have them walk about the room saying their line -Have them speak the line in ‘nice’ and ‘mean’ tones -Once students seated again – teacher asks a few students to recite their line…

    • 5013 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet Argumentative Essay Harold Bloom is the author of Bloom on Romeo and Juliet. He is Sterling Professor of the Humanities at Yale University, which means he is considered one of the best in his field. He teaches Shakespeare and poetry at Yale University. Bloom has edited anthologies of literature and literary criticism and he is the author of more than 30 books. I agree with Harold Bloom on many aspects of this article such as the Montague-Capulet hatred destroyed Romeo and Juliet.…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Shakespeare has created a variety of voices in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by giving the characters a dialogue that tells the audience about themselves and the world they live in. Two characters, Juliet and the Nurse have mostly the voices conveying changing moods and different attitudes. I will then relate how ideas presented in Romeo and Juliet can be compared with the moods and attitudes conveyed by the speakers in ‘To His Coy Mistress’ and ‘Les Grands Seigneurs’.…

    • 1606 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. Metaphor- word or phrase used to compare two things that are not usually thought of as alike.…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Through careful analysis of Shakespeare's language, characterisation and dramatic technique,discuss the nature and development of Romeo and Juliet's relationship.…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “With love’s light wings I did o’erperch these walls.” In this response, Romeo enlightens his most beloved, Juliet, that the power of love can produce the ability to overcome immensely infallible hindrances and angst. Notably, he validated his response by climbing over an altitudinous wall of the Capulet family to converse with Juliet. With Romeo being a member of the Montague household, he would be killed if found on the property. In doing so, he proved his proclamations of devotion and commitment to their relationship.…

    • 85 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to Shakespeare’s portrayal of figurative language in the balcony scene, fourteen year olds cannot truly fall in love. Juliet was very curious about how the mischievous and witty Romeo got past her well-surrounded balcony with high walls and her “kinsmen”. When questioned about this, Romeo answers, “I would adventure for such merchandise” (2/2/87-89). In this metaphor, Romeo compares Juliet to a merchandise. Merchandise are goods that are meant to be bought or sold. People always see the value of things in the beginning, but, after they had purchased it, they usually forget that it ever existed, since merchandise is not a necessity that people cannot live without. Moreover, it seems as though Shakespeare is trying to build Romeo’s heroic characteristics, however, it is not really…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the play, Romeo and Juliet , by William Shakespeare, words can have a big impact on the actions of a character. For instance, Tybalt swore he would have vengeance on Romeo. Also, Mercutio insults Tybalt causing someone to die. Lastly, Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to marry him and juliet. Every example given, has an effect from the words said in those scenes. Those effects can vary from a happy event to a dismal incident.…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The events that transpired in Romeo and Juliet was severe to say the least. But the death of Romeo and Juliet by their own decisions in secret. These lies led to their downfall and caused them to die at no caust. These actions are what led to their death's. Not speaking to each other, Juliet taking a potion, and Romeo drinking poison. These are the result of no trust.…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mercutio Humor

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Humour has a very important role in Romeo and Juliet as it creates a vast array of emotions and prepares the audience/reader for more serious and less humorous events to come later on in the play. The most obvious form of humour that is evident in the play is the use of puns, jokes and ironic comments. These forms of humor are…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although it is estimated that Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 1590’s the teenage characters show a lot of similarities to the thoughts and attitudes that teenagers show still to this day. This source is a credible article found in the Literature Resource Center database. The author is a professor at University of Alberta in the english and film studies department. This article specifically will give me a lot of useful information. It gives insight into how Shakespeare creates a teenager essence into the characters that does not show up in many of his other works. This article shows how he uses language to create the character’s personalities. I will use this in my research of how Shakespeare uses language to create certain characteristics in the characters of his plays. This will help to explain how it helps in making the characters more personable, and makes the characters easy for the audience to relate…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet Essay

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Baz Lurhman's modern film interpretation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet has been a very successful transformation of the classic, original play to a modern context of Los. Angelos gang warfare. Lurhman's film manages to relate the 16th century play to a modern audience while at the same time maintaining textual integrity of the play. He has retained the plot, and language of the original text at the same time as conveying Shakespeare's original thematic concerns of the purity of young love, and the dangers of family feud. He achieves all this through the clever use of a variety of film techniques in three key scenes; the Capulet ball, the balcony scene and the fight involving Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo.…

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many of the issues Romeo and Juliet faced throughout the story were the results of poor communication. Say this happened in modern day time, they could’ve easily expressed the times, dates and places of their rendezvous points. Even their untimely deaths could’ve have been avoided if not for their poor knowledge of each other’s plans. “To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord. “ (IV, i, 128). Seeing how their only method of communication was to write by letter, many issues could arise such as lost in transportation, wrong destination etc. Other than communication complications, there were other reasons to why Romeo and Juliet’s relationship would’ve encountered problems in modern day time, such as their age difference. Since in the story, Juliet…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays