Romeo And Juliet Figurative Language Essay

Within William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare communicates through an insightful storyline; a message that true love is worth the ultimate sacrifice. Shakespeare utilizes figurative language in order to craft perceptive lines and spread an important theme. Amidst his writing, there are touches upon family feud, grief, loyalty, and a forbidden paramour. With use of sonnets and iambic pentameter, Shakespeare’s writing skills are portrayed as iconic in English literature. The adoption of iambic pentameter aids with the flow and clarity; it is a writing and speech style mostly used within early English literature and modern English language. The usage of this beat helps drive the apparent strength apart of Romeo and Juliet’s

love by expressing duality between them. “As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!” (2.2. 21-26). Within this use of iambic pentameter, Romeo is comparing Juliet’s beauty to the sun and sharing that her beauty is blinding.

He states how as she rests her head upon her hand, he wishes he could be just a glove, as to be able to touch her cheek. From the appliance of iambic pentameter, the audience of the play can hear the fluency and facet of higher education within their voices. However, with Romeo and Juliet’s “undying love”, comes irrationality. Adriana Galván had spoken about this in her presentation, Insight Into the Teenage Brain, and within this had expressed how that at a young age, actions can be impulsive. Her statements correlate with Romeo and Juliet’s choice of becoming married so quickly, and if their choices were made upon true love or lust and impulse alone. During the ripe teenage years, the prefrontal cortex (important part of the brain in charge of decision making) is not fully developed and thus, teens often make unintelligent choices. “...it’s also really good at recognizing social or being sensitive to social and emotional information. And so for that reason, the teenage brain is really responsible for rewards and emotions when making decisions...The prefrontal cortex is a part of your brain that helps you think about the consequences or potential consequences of your consequences of your actions before you do

them. It helps you regulate your emotions”(Galván). Due to the prefrontal cortex not being fully developed, the emotions Romeo and Juliet have experienced with each other are most likely temporary. Likewise, there are segments within Shakespeare's writing that give hints to pure love felt between the two; the use of sonnets. With usage of sonnets, Shakespeare can creatively show relation and unity. “Romeo: Let me be ta’en; let me be put to death. I am content, so thou wilt have it so. I’ll say yon gray is not the morning’s eye; ‘tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow. Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat the vaulty heaven so high above our heads. I have more care to stay than will to go. Come death and welcome. Juliet wills it so. How is’t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day.
Juliet: It is, it is. Hie hence, begone, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division. This doth not so, for the divideth us”(3.5. 17-30).