Literary terminology for Romeo and Juliet
Actions: actions are the things that characters do in a story or play.
Aggressor: an aggressor is a person or group that initiates an attack or confrontation. Tybalt is the aggressor in Romeo and Juliet, as he instigates the feud between the Montague and Capulet families by insulting Romeo at the Capulet's party.
Aside: an aside is a line spoken by a character in a play that is intended to be heard only by the audience, not by the other characters. When Romeo is hiding in the Capulet's garden, he speaks an aside to the audience, "O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art/As glorious to this night, being o'er my head/As is a winged messenger of heaven."
Ambiguous / ambiguity: something that is open to multiple interpretations or has multiple meanings. Ambiguity is the state or quality of being ambiguous. The Friar's letter to Romeo is ambiguous, as it could be interpreted as both a warning to stay away or an invitation to come to the Capulet tomb.
Atmosphere: atmosphere refers to the overall mood or feeling of a literary work. The atmosphere in Romeo and Juliet is one of tension and conflict, as the feud between the Montague and Capulet families creates a sense of danger and unease.
Catharsis: catharsis refers to the emotional release that an audience feels after experiencing a dramatic work. The audience may experience catharsis at the end of Romeo and Juliet, as the tragic events of the play lead to a release of emotions such as sadness and pity. This saddness allows a moment of quiet and calm reflection for the play's moral message to be felt and heard.
Character: a character is a person or figure in a story or play.
Change: change refers to the process of something becoming different.
Climax: climax refers to the most intense or exciting point in a story or play. The climax of Romeo and Juliet is when Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, and is banished from Verona.
Catalysis: the acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalytic substance: a play, this is a person, thing or key event that brings about rapid change.
Conflict: conflict refers to a struggle or clash between opposing forces or characters in a story or play. : The main conflict in Romeo and Juliet is the feud between the Montague and Capulet families.
Contrast: refers to the difference between two or more things. The contrast between the love Romeo and Juliet share and the hatred of their families is a major theme in the play.
Courtly lover: a man who is attentive, chivalrous, and devoted to a woman, often in a medieval or Renaissance context. Romeo is a courtly lover to Juliet, as he is attentive, chivalrous, and devoted to her.
Crisis: crisis point refers to a turning point in a story or play where the main character faces a significant challenge or problem. The crisis point in Romeo and Juliet is when Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona, as it leads to the tragic events of the play.
Development: development refers to the process of something becoming more advanced or complex. The development of Romeo and Juliet's relationship is a key aspect of the play, as they fall in love and make the decision to marry despite the feud between their families.
Dialogue: dialogue refers to the conversation between characters in a story or play. Romeo and Juliet's dialogue is a key aspect of the play, as their conversations reveal their feelings for each other and the tension caused by their families' feud.
Dissonance: a feeling of discomfort or unease caused by conflicting elements. The dissonance between the love Romeo and Juliet share and the hatred of their families is a major theme in the play.
Dramatic irony: a situation in a story or play where the audience knows something that the characters do not. The audience knows that Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo does not, which creates dramatic irony when he decides to kill himself.
Echo: echo refers to the repetition of a sound or word.
Epiphany: a moment of sudden insight or realization. Juliet has an epiphany when she realizes the true depth of her love for Romeo, "My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!"
Foil: a foil is a character that serves as a contrast to another character, highlighting their traits. Tybalt serves as a foil to Romeo, as his hot-headed and aggressive personality contrasts with Romeo's more peaceful and loving nature.
Foreshadow: foreshadowing refers to hints or clues about events that will happen later in a story or play. The foreshadowing of the tragic ending of the play can be seen in the prologue and throughout the play.
Heightened / elevated language: heightened or elevated language is language that is formal, elevated, or poetic.
Humour / humorous language: the quality of being amusing or comical, and humorous language refers to language that is intended to be funny or amusing. There are moments of humor in Romeo and Juliet, such as the Nurse's bawdy jokes and puns.
Juxtaposition: the placement of two or more things side by side for the purpose of comparison or contrast. The juxtaposition of love and hate is a major theme in Romeo and Juliet, as the love between Romeo and Juliet is set against the backdrop of the feud between their families.
Imagery: the use of descriptive language to create a visual representation in the reader's mind of a central idea: "Juliet is the sun"
Immediacy: the state of being immediate or happening without delay. The immediacy of Romeo and Juliet's love and their decision to marry is shown through their impulsive actions, such as when Romeo kills Tybalt in a fit of passion.
Intensity: intensity refers to the degree of force or strength of something. The intensity of Romeo and Juliet's love is shown through the strength of their emotions and the lengths they go to be together, such as Juliet's decision to fake her own death.
Literal: the actual, true, or factual meaning of something.
Literary references (Queen Maab): Queen Maab is a reference to a figure from Irish mythology, who is often depicted as a powerful and mysterious queen.
Metaphorical: something that is not meant to be taken literally, but is used to create a comparison or analogy.
Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to make a comparison. Romeo's line "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright" is a metaphor for Juliet's beauty and its effect on him.
Motif: a motif is a recurring element in a story or play, such as a recurring image, symbol, or theme. In Romeo and Juliet, the motif of light and dark is used to represent the characters' moods and emotions. For example, Romeo describes Juliet as the sun in his soliloquy "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief"
Motivation: the reasons or factors that drive a character's actions or decisions. In Romeo and Juliet, the motivation for Romeo and Juliet's actions is their love for each other.
Moral message: a lesson or principle that a story or play is meant to convey about right and wrong behavior. The moral message in Romeo and Juliet is that hate and violence only lead to tragedy and that love can overcome even the most bitter of feuds.
Pace: pace refers to the speed at which a story or play unfolds, including the rhythm and tempo of the action and dialogue. The pace of Romeo and Juliet is fast-paced, as the events unfold quickly and the dialogue is often rapid-fire.
Parallel: a similarity or correspondence between two or more things. The parallel between the love Romeo and Juliet share and the hatred of their families is a major theme in the play.
Petrarchan lover: a Petrarchan lover is a man who is idealized and distant, often in a medieval or Renaissance context. Romeo is a Petrarchan lover, as he is idealized and distant towards Juliet
Play: a play is a dramatic work performed on stage.
Predicament: a difficult or impossible situation. The predicament in Romeo and Juliet is the feud between the Montague and Capulet families, which causes the tragic events of the play.
Prologue: a prologue is an introduction to a story or play, often in the form of a monologue or dialogue. The prologue in Romeo and Juliet serves as an introduction to the play, it gives insight about the nature of the feud and the tragic fate of the two lovers.
Protagonist: The leading character or one of the major characters in a literary text. The protagonist in Romeo and Juliet are Romeo and Juliet.
Prototype: a prototype is an original or model after which other things are made or developed.
Punctuation: punctuation refers to the use of marks in written language to indicate pauses, emphasis, and meaning.
Religious language - pilgrimage: pilgrimage refers to a journey, often of a religious nature, to a sacred place.
Revelation: revelation refers to a sudden and striking disclosure or discovery. The revelation in Romeo and Juliet is when Romeo and Juliet discover their true feelings for each other and their families' hatred for each other.
Resolution: resolution refers to the point at which a conflict or problem is resolved in a story or play.
Repetition: to the use of the same word, phrase, or idea multiple times in a story or play.
Structure: structure refers to the organization or arrangement of a story or play, including its plot, characterization, and theme. The structure of Romeo and Juliet follows a traditional Shakespearean plot structure, with a prologue, five acts, and a tragic ending.
Simile: a simile is a figure of speech in which one thing is compared to another using the words "like" or "as." In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo uses simile to describe Juliet, "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night, as a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear"
Subtext: subtext refers to the underlying meaning or themes in a story or play that are not explicit in the dialogue or action.
Soliloquy: a soliloquy is a monologue spoken by a character alone on stage, revealing their thoughts and feelings. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo's soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 2, "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright" is an example of a soliloquy where he reveals his feelings for Juliet.
Sonnet: a sonnet is a type of poem that typically has 14 lines and a specific rhyme scheme. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo speaks in a sonnet in Act 2, Scene 2, when he first sees Juliet at the Capulet's party, "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night, as a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear".
Speech: a speech is a spoken address or discourse. In Romeo and Juliet, there are many speeches, such as Romeo's speech in Act 2, Scene 2, where he expresses his love for Juliet.
Symbol / symbolism / symbolizes: a symbol is an object, image, or action that represents or stands for something else, often with a symbolic meaning. Symbolism refers to the use of symbols in literature, and symbolizes means to represent something through a symbol. In Romeo and Juliet, the symbol of the star-crossed lovers is used to symbolize the fate of Romeo and Juliet and the inevitability of their tragic end.
Tension: the feeling of unease or suspense that is created in a story or play. In Romeo and Juliet, tension is present throughout the play, as the feud between the Montague and Capulet families creates a sense of danger and unease.
Theme: the main idea or message of a story or play. The theme of Romeo and Juliet is the destructive nature of hate and the power of love.
Tone: this refers to the attitude or feeling conveyed by a writer or speaker, and can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, etc. The tone of Romeo and Juliet is primarily serious and tragic, but there are also moments of humor and irony.
Tragedy: tragedy refers to a type of drama or literature that deals with serious or sad events and often ends in disaster or death for the main character. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, as the play ends with the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet due to the feud between their families.