Romeo and Juliet- Literary Terms

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What is a sonnet?

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A sonnet is a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter, often with a specific rhyme scheme. In 'Romeo and Juliet', the prologue is presented as a sonnet.

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What is a soliloquy?

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A soliloquy is a speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, typically while alone on stage, allowing the audience insight into their inner feelings.

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What is a simile?

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A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'. For example, Mercutio's comparison of his wound to a well and a church door.

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What is a pun?

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A pun is a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect.

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What is foreshadowing?

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Foreshadowing is a literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.

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What is a metaphor?

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A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating one is the other.

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What is allusion?

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An allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

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What is dramatic irony?

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Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do, creating tension or humor.

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What is a monologue?

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A monologue is a long speech by one character in a play, often expressing their thoughts or feelings to other characters or the audience.

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What is iambic pentameter?

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Iambic pentameter is a type of poetic meter that consists of five iambs (unstressed-stressed syllable pairs) per line.