William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: The Impact of Literary Devices

In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the impact of literary devices such as foreshadowing, comic relief, and imagery all have an important role to heighten the readers experience of the play.

Firstly, I will talk about how Romeo’s death is foreshadowed in the play on three different occasions and how foreshadowing is an important figurative device as well. The first supporting point I chose is the balcony scene in Act II, Scene II where Romeo is foreshadowing his own death by saying: “My life were better ended by their hate, Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.” This quote is foreshadowing his death because he says that he thinks his life would better be ended by them hating him. Many people are not on his side throughout the play, and he clearly takes it personally. My second supporting point is regarding the death of Mercutio and Tybalt, and how it is a sign early on that Romeo’s death is soon to come. As the Officer states: “Which way ran he that kill’d Mercutio? Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?” and immediately after when Beonvolio states: “There lies that Tybalt.” are two important quotes where Romeo runs away after killing Tybalt on the spot. Mercutio and Tybalt’s death foreshadow Romeo’s own death in the play because when Romeo kills Tybalt it can be referred to as karma for the future when Romeo ends up dying. My third supporting point is about how Juliet foreshadows Romeo’s death when she is talking Romeo in her bedroom. Juliet states: “It is, it is: hie hence, be gone, 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 she divideth us: Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes, O, now I would they had changed voices too! Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, Hunting thee hence with hunt’s-up to the day, O, now be gone; more light and light it grows”. Juliet is talking like that to Romeo because she is frustrated with him about whether or not they should be together in the first place. This could be foreshadowing his death because Juliet loves Romeo so much but, in fact he would not want to be with her. The balcony scene, deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, and Juliet foreshadowing Romeo’s own death are all moments in the play where his death is foreshadowed.

Secondly, the Nurses use of comic relief plays a key role in the play “Romeo and Juliet” and provides us with a better understanding with what the Nurses role really is. My first supporting point is when Juliet is begging the Nurse to provide information about Romeo, and the Nurse replies with: “Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I! It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back a’t’ other side--ah, my back, my back! Beshrew your heart for sending me about To catch my death with jauncing up and down!”. The comic relief used by the Nurse in that quote indicates that she is tired of hearing Juliet, begging her to give her the news about Romeo. It also shows how the Nurse lost it with Juliet and had to exaggerate by using comic relief. My second supporting point is when Romeo is on the ground crying and the Nurse starts to make fun of him using comic relief. The Nurse states: “Piteous predicament! Even so lies she, Blubb’ring and weeping, weeping and blubb’ring. Stand up, stand up, stand, and you be a man.” The Nurses use of comic relief indicated that Romeo was being a cry baby and that he needed to man up. It also showed how the Nurse didn’t really care about what Romeo was going through. My third and final supporting point is when the Nurse was being overly dramatic while talking to Lady Capulet at her house. Nurse states: “Yes, madam, yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying, and say ‘Ay’: And yet I warrant it had upon it brow A bump as big as a young cock’rel’s stone, A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly. ‘Yea’, quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age, Wilt thou not, Jule?’ It stinted, and said ‘Ay’.” As the Nurse is being overly dramatic at Lady Capulet's house, her use of comic relief shows that she was really into her storytelling moment involving a sexual joke. Finally, the Nurse providing information to Juliet, making fun of Romeo when he was on the ground, and being overly dramatic with Lady Capulet, all represent a form of comic relief.

Thirdly, the romance between Romeo and Juliet involves imagery, which creates emotional tension between them. My first supporting point is when Romeo leaves Juliet on the balcony and he compares her to the sun. Romeo states: “He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon. The reason why Romeo compares Juliet to the sun is because he never felt a heartbreak or any negative connection with Juliet, and is very thankful for that. My second supporting point is when Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and compliments her by saying: “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” Romeo is saying how Juliet is brighter than anything he’s ever seen before which means that she has a positive impact on him, therefore Romeo has feelings for Juliet. My third and final supporting point is when they meet at Capulet's house on a Sunday night at some sort of ball. Romeo then proceeds to state: “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear”. This quote signifies how Romeo is describing Juliet, saying that she is beautiful in every way, shape, and form. Moreover, when Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, compliments her for the first time, and sees her at Capulet’s Ball all represent imagery effectively in the play because it shows physical emotion on either side.

Overall, Romeo foreshadowing his own death, the Nurses use of comic relief, and the imagery that comes along with the romance between Romeo and Juliet all represent the impact of literary devices in William Shakespeare's play: Romeo and Juliet. All of these figurative devices heighten the readers experience of the play, because it makes the play more suspenseful, dramatic, and emotional for the reader.