Literary Devices IAMBIC PENTAMETER Iambic pentameter is a

Literary Devices

IAMBIC PENTAMETER Iambic pentameter is a line of poetry made up of five iambs: an iamb is a metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable; the pentameter line has five metrical feet; Shall I / compare / thee to / a sum/mer’s day? u / u / u / Shall I com pare thee to a sum mer’s day?

Lord Capulet: Juliet’s dad. Loves Juliet and wants to see her marry well, but thinks she is too young to marry yet. Expects obedience. Lady Capulet: Juliet’s mom. Manages the Capulet household. Like most wealthy women at the time, does not actively participate in Juliet’s upbringing, so they have a distant relationship. Juliet: 13 year-old daughter. Has been brought up to be a lady and be obedient to her father’s will. Like most women of the time, Juliet has lived a sheltered life. Tybalt: A hot-tempered cousin who’s always looking for a fight. Nurse: Juliet’s caretaker since birth. She had a daughter, Suzanna, who was Juliet’s age, and served as a wet nurse for Juliet. She is responsible for Juliet’s daily upbringing and becomes her confidante. Peter: The Nurse’s servant. Samson & Gregory: Capulet servants.

Lord Montague: Romeo’s father and head of the Montague family. Lady Montague: Romeo’s mother who is worried about Romeo’s depression at the beginning of the play. Romeo: The Montague’s teenaged son. At the beginning of the play, he is sad because Rosaline has rejected him. He vows he will never love again. Benvolio: Romeo’s peaceful and encouraging cousin. Benvolio tries to break up fights and encourages Romeo to play the field to get over his heartbreak. Balthasar & Abraham: Montague servants

Church Royalty Friar Laurence: Religious advisor to Verona. Like many monks of the time, Friar Laurence is also a scientist whose expertise is in herbology. He has frequently advised Romeo to give up his failed courtship of Rosaline and serves as Romeo’s confidant. Friar John: Another monk who visits the sick. Prince Escalus: Ruler of Verona. Early in the play, he establishes the law that anyone who reignites the feud will be put to death. Mercutio: Romeo’s best friend. Mercutio is moody and erratic. Count Paris: A member of the royal family who is trying to make arrangements with Lord Capulet to marry Juliet.

Genre meant to be performed by actors in front of an audience. Ex: Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible

Sub-genre of drama in which events turn out disastrously for the main characters, often in death, caused by fate or a character’s tragic flaw. Ex: Romeo and Juliet

A brief opening of a play spoken by the “chorus” that settles the audience and previews the plot. Ex: “Two households, both alike in dignity…”

A play on words that sound alike but have different meanings. Ex: Did you hear about the sleeping man who got run over by a car? He was tired and exhausted!

Two juxtaposed words that mean opposite things. Ex: sweet sorrow loud silence jumbo shrimp

Repetition of similar consonant sounds in the same proximity. Ex: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Ex from R&J: “I’ll look to like if looking liking move” (Juliet Act 1, scene 3)

A long, dramatic speech delivered by one character. Ex: Prince Escalus addresses the crowd after the fight.

A 14 -line lyrical poem written in iambic pentameter and following the rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. EXAMPLE: ? ? ?

Language that appeals to the five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Ex: The hot pizza burned his mouth but tasted great as it filled his growling stomach.

A figure of speech in which an object or idea is given human qualities. Ex: The grass danced in the wind, happy to receive a spring breeze.

A figure of speech that compares two things using like or as. Ex: She floated in like a cloud on a breezy day.

A figure of speech that directly equates two unlike things. Ex: The book was a passport to adventure.

Words spoken that other characters on stage do not supposedly hear. Ex: Juliet speaking about Romeo, but her mother not hearing.

A long speech in which a character, usually alone on stage, reveals thoughts and/or feelings. No other characters are meant to overhear a soliloquy. Ex: Romeo talking about how beautiful Juliet is while hiding beneath her balcony.

A long, dramatic speech delivered by one character. Ex: Prince Escalus addresses the crowd after the fight.

Absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound. Not a pun – often a mistake. EX: When the oven caught on fire, my brother had to use the fire distinguisher to put it out. "He was a man of great statue. " Thomas Menino, Boston mayor "Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child. " Dan Quayle, Vice President

Clues in the text to suggest what is going to happen later. Ex: ? ? ?

The audience knows something the characters do not know. Ex: We know the killer is in the closet, but the soon-to-be victim does not. Romeo and Juliet example: ? ? ? ? ?

A character that contrasts the personality traits of another character, usually opposites. Ex: ? ?

Occurs when a speaker addresses something nonhuman. Ex: Juliet talking to her tears.

A reference to a person, place, or thing in literature or culture that the writer expects the reader to understand. Ex: She is as mysterious as the Mona Lisa’s smile.

Humor in a play to break a serious mood or relieve tension. Ex: The musicians making puns with Peter after Juliet is found dead.

An exaggeration or overstatement used for effect. Ex: My backpack weighs a ton!

The situation turns out differently than the audience expects. Ex: A wife sells her hair to buy her husband a watch chain, but he has sold his watch to buy combs for her hair.

VERBAL IRONY Saying one thing but meaning another, often sarcastically. Ex: You have a broken leg that really hurts but you say, “I feel like I could run a marathon!”