pernicious | having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual way |
augmenting | make something greater by adding to it |
grievance | a real or imagined wrong or other cause for complaint or protest |
portentuous | giving a sign or warning that something usually bad or unpleasant is going to happen |
prodigous | impressively great in extent; unnatural |
chided | to scold or rebuke |
rancor | bitterness or resentfulness |
predominant | present as the strongest or main element |
lamentable | deplorably bad or unsatisfactory |
foil | a character used to highlight or emphasize (by contrast) the traits of a protagonist |
example of foil | Mercutio & Romeo; Lady Capulet & Nurse |
foreshadowing | hinting at further events |
example of foreshadowing | the prologue; “your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” |
hyperbole | exaggeration for effect |
example of hyperbole | Romeo’s expression of love towards Juliet |
pun | a play on words based on multiple meanings |
example of pun | Mercutio and Benvolio’s pun off in Act 2 Scene 4; “draw your neck out of collar” |
conflict | struggle between opposing forces |
example of conflict | Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet; Benvolio and Tybalt’s fight near the beginning |
oxymoron | figure of speech that combines contradictory terms |
examples of oxymoron | feather of leadbright smokeloving hateserious vanity |
juxtaposition | arranging two ideas, settings, characters, etc. together for comparison |
dramatic irony | words and actions of the character have a different meaning to the audience than to the character |
example of dramatic irony | when Juliet thinks she is talking to herself on the balcony; the Nurse and Romeo talking about marriage |
imagery | vivid description appealing the the senses |
example of imagery | Romeo talking about Juliet |
malapropism | comical misuse of a word |
example of a malapropism | when the nurse says “I desire some confidence with you” confidence was supposed to be conference meaning secretive |
motif | recurring element that has symbolic significance |
example of motif | Romeo’s references to the sun and moon |
direct characterization | author (narrator) directly describes a character |
example of direct characterization | prologue of act 2; “With tender Juliet matched, is now not fair. Now Romeo is beloved and loves again |
indirect characterization | use of words, actions, appearance, thoughts to describe a character |
example of indirect characterization | Romeo talking about Juliet, her appearance, we character, naïve |
Romeo | depressed, sensitive, in love, “Ay, me! Sad hours seem long”, “And she’s fair I love” |
Juliet | naïve, impatient, in love, “And palm to palm is holy palmers kiss” |
The Nurse | scatter brained, discursive, bold, whole time she was talking to Romeo |
Benvolio | peaceful, brother like, “I do but keep the peace”, “I’all know his grievance or be much denied” |
Mercutio | witty, playful, “Where the devil should this Romeo be?” |
Lord Capulet | prudent, protective, “My child is a stranger in the world” |
Paris | presumptuous, arrogant, “Younger than she are happy mothers made” |
Tybalt | vain, violent, “I hate the word as I hate hell” |
Romeo and Juliet: Act 1 & 2
August 31, 2019