| Metaphor | A comparison between two things, NOT using like or as”Can the world buy such a jewel?” (comparison to Hero) (pg. 17) |
| Simile | A comparison between two things, using like or as.”Civil as an orange.” (pg. 62) |
| Pun | Use of a word with multiple meanings to create humor.”Benedick is wise… a wise gentleman…” (often used to describe an old, foolish man) (pg. 6) |
| Oxymoron | Opposite words used together “hot January” (pg. 9) |
| Malapropism (Dogberryism) | Use of an incorrect word in place of a similar word with humorous result (often unintended) “We have recovered the most dangerous piece of lechery…” – should be discovered (pg. 130) |
| Double Entendre | Use of a phrase that could be understood in multiple ways.”stuffed”, Benedick talked about being “full of honor”, Beatrice referred to stuffed “like a dummy” (pg. 6) |
| Allusion | A brief reference to a famous or well-known person, intended to make a point with the additional knowledge called to mind.”I will undertake one of Hercules’s labors.” (referring to a Greek god) (pg. 68) |
| Antithesis | Opposite ideas used together in a sentence to create an effect”A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.” (pg. 12) |
Figurative Language Definitions and Shakespeare Examples (“Much Ado About Nothing”)
July 2, 2019