Writing Devices in Romeo and Juliet

Throughout history, there have been few writers whose works have influenced society more than those of the English playwright William Shakespeare. His use of language in all of his plays, especially Romeo and Juliet, is one that impacts its audience both emotionally and intellectually. For anyone wishing to pursue a career specifically in the Language Arts, the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare should be continued to be studied and analyzed for its unique and clever uses of English dialect.

One creative use of language in the play is its imagery. Shakespeare uses it at several points to help his audience better understand the emotions of the characters. For instance, Friar Lawrence is a Franciscan monk who later in the play becomes very involved with the plans of the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet. He says, “The grey-ey’d morn smiles on the frowning night, / Check’ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light” (Shakespeare 41). Here, he is comparing the smiling sun or day, with a sad moon or night, while giving an image of clouds in the sky patterned with light cast from the sun. From this, one can see Friar Lawrence’s kind-hearted character. Another piece of imagery is displayed soon after the two “star-crossed lovers”, Romeo and Juliet, meet. “For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night, / Whiter than new snow upon a raven’s back” (67) is spoken from Juliet to Romeo. This metaphor gives the audience an image of the contrast between light and dark. Juliet, a protagonist in the play, is comparing Romeo’s contrast to the night time as white snow contrasts the black feathers of a raven. To her, Romeo stands out in her dark world. Also, Juliet uses imagery to express hatred towards her allocated husband: Paris. She states th...

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