Literary Devices In Romeo And Juliet Essay

The concept behind Romeo and Juliet is not original to William Shakespeare. However, the play is arguably the most famous work written using the idea of two lovers who kill themselves so they do not have to live without each other. Due to their families being foes, Romeo and Juliet’s love is kept secret. Eventually there is a misunderstanding and they each kill themself upon learning of the other’s death. Something in his writing that sets Shakespeare apart from other authors is that he beautifully uses literary devices to add richness to his writing. A literary device is a tool in writing that deepens meaning and clarity or adds effect to a story, such as a simile or irony. Shakespeare uses English in an elegant, metaphorical way through literary

devices, which enhance Romeo and Juliet and make the tragedy a required read in schools across the globe.
In Act One of Romeo and Juliet, there are many clever literary devices. At one point, Romeo is using puns, and from this, much can be concluded about him. Though he is going to a lively party, Romeo is heartbroken over his unrequited love for Rosaline. Romeo’s friends try to convince him there’ll be dancing, and that he will have a fun night. Romeo cunningly throws in a play on words, saying that his friends’ dancing shoes’ soles are “nimble,” but his soul is made “of lead” (I.iv.15). Shakespeare included this among other puns in this scene because his audience enjoyed plays on words. It also shows that Romeo is intelligent, because the pun-filled line is in quick reply to dialogue of Romeo’s friend, and it makes sense. Romeo also doesn't like to dwell on his emotions, because the lines provide some comic relief. Shakespeare purposefully added all that he did to Romeo and Juliet, so it is important to understand the meaning of his usage of puns.
In the second act of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses numerous literary devices to enhance his play, including hyperbole. In the beginning of Scene Two, Romeo’s speech about Juliet is thick with hyperbole, which reveals his love for her. Romeo talks affectionately about Juliet, and he claims her eyes could replace stars in the skies and shine just as bright. Because her eyes would never actually be replacements for stars, this is an example of hyperbole that shows how highly Romeo thinks of Juliet’s eyes. Later in his dialogue, Romeo refers to Juliet as a “bright angel” (II.ii.26). When Romeo calls Juliet a “winged messenger of heaven” (II.ii.28), he not only compliments her beauty and purity, but also hints that she, like an angel would, has saved him from his previous unbearable heartbreak over loving Rosaline. Now that Romeo has found another love interest, he doesn’t feel such aches in his chest. These examples of hyperbole describing Juliet are an advanced way of Romeo complimenting her. This use of literary devices mixes high praise and Romeo’s own insight and intelligence.
Like the previous acts in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Act Three contains literary devices.

There are many instances where dramatic irony adds suspense to the plot. In Scene One, Romeo tries to avoid a fight between Tybalt and himself, because he is now married to Tybalt’s cousin, Juliet. Romeo’s lines may seem cryptic to Tybalt, who doesn’t know about the marriage, but to the reader, they make sense. Romeo’s “reason to love” (III.i.65) Juliet’s cousin is that he is now related to Tybalt, and it wouldn’t be pleasant for Juliet to find out that two men she loves would willingly fight each other to their death. Romeo is smart to try and stay away from a fight, and correct in saying Tybalt “knowest [him] not” (III.i.68). Because the marriage is a secret, Tybalt does not know that his enemy is referencing it, but the reader does know. This causes the dramatic irony, or the audience knowing something a character does not. Even though Romeo tries to stop any fight between Tybalt and himself, a brawl ensues, and Romeo ends up killing Tybalt, which leads to another example of dramatic irony. In Scene Two, Juliet is daydreaming about her night with Romeo. She is very excited and happy, unknowing of the fact that Romeo has just killed her cousin. The audience is aware of Romeo’s crime, which causes dramatic irony. A final example of this literary device is in Scene Four of Act Three, when Lady Capulet talks to Juliet about Tybalt and his killer. Lady Capulet doesn’t know that Juliet is married to Romeo, but the audience does. Juliet's lines have double meaning therefore, and are interpreted differently by the reader and Lady Capulet. Juliet tells her mother she “will not marry” (III.iv.122) and that if she ever does, “it shall be Romeo” (III.iv.123) she gets married to. Her mother thinks this means it is improbable Juliet will ever willingly get married. The reader knows that Juliet twists the words, so that she is not lying nor exaggerating, because she has already

married Romeo. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony a good way to add tension to his play, which has kept audiences and readers entertained for years.
In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet is famous and meaningful not only because of the plot, but because of the unique literary devices Shakespeare uses. The literary devices help readers understand the play and the exact feelings of the characters. Some readers may not like reading a story where the events aren’t told in basic, simple language, but a good, deep reader appreciates fancy and elaborate language. The language in Romeo and Juliet has to be analyzed, but underneath the literary device-thick lines, there is a sad love story, which has impacted popular culture all over the world.