R & J

• ''O she doth teach the torches to burn bright'' - Romeo


  Light imagery, saying she lights up the room with her beauty
• ''It's too rough, too rude, too boisterous'' - Romeo 


  Repetition to emphasise how he feels about love
• ''She hangs upon the cheek of night'' - Romeo 


  Noun ''light'' contrasts with ''night'' reinforcing her beauty
• ''O brawling love! O loving hate!'' - Romeo


  Oxymorons which show his confusion in his feelings.

  Unrequited love.

  Suggests love doesn't always make sense
• ''like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear'' - Romeo


  Simile - connotes she's precious
• ''Juliet is the sun'' - Romeo 


  Metaphor + light imagery - connotes that Juliet lights up his world and brightens his depressed/dark self.

  Suggests she makes him happy when he's down

  The fact that ''Juliet is the sun'' suggests that like the sun, she will rise and then at some point set (die)

  Without light you can't live, suggests Romeos obsession with Juliet is unrealistic/lustful
• ''I defy you stars'' - Romeo 


  He's upset at Juliet's death and wants to die with her

  The verb ''defy'' suggests he's refusing to listen to fate (shocks the audience)
• ''Did my heart love till now?'' - Romeo


  Rhetorical question - suggests his love for Juliet is so strong he disregards his love for Rosaline
• ''Pricks like a thorn'' - Romeo 


  Simile - implies that he doesn't like love because it causes him pain
• Words to describe Romeo

  Infatuated (so in love) , depressed ( lets love take over his other emotions) , irrational (doesn't see the consequences) , superficial (only talks about Juliet's looks), impetuous
• ''If they do see thee, they will murder thee.'' - Juliet


  More cautious than Romeo

  Shows her maturity despite her youth
• ''It's too rash, too unadvised, too sudden'' - Juliet


  Contrasts with Romeo - shows her maturity

  She doesn't want to fall in love too fast
• ''O happy dagger!'' - Juliet


  The adjective ''happy'' shows her strong emotions linked to Romeo
• ''My only love sprung from my only hate'' - Juliet


  Antithesis (opposites) - she's sad that Romeo is a Montague

  Saying she fell in love too early and wishes she knew about him before
• ''thou'' (when talking to nurse) - Juliet


  When talking to the nurse she's less formal - shows their closeness

  Could also be due to their different classes
• ''My poor heart for a kinsman served'' - Juliet


  Hiding her feelings for Romeo by pretending she's talking about Tybalt's death

  Shows her maturity as she's able to control her sadness about Romeo's banishment
• ''Parting is such a sweet sorrow'' - Juliet 


  Oxymoron - she doesn't want to leave

  Emphasises how upset she is
• ''Madam I'm here'' - Juliet


  Not close with her mother

  Formal as she is of a high status
• Words to describe Juliet

  Rational (opposite to Romeo (sensible)), loyal (kills herself for her 1st love), headstrong (different to a typical girl at the time, does what she wants)
• ''You are to blame my lord'' - Nurse


  Defends Juliet against Capulet

  Risks her job for her when Capulet says Juliet is a ''curse''
• ''Thou was't the prettiest babe that e'er I nurs'd'' - Nurse


  Emphasises their closeness and why they have a mother-daughter relationship
• ''Never seen a day as black as this'' - Nurse


  Metaphor for how upset she is by Juliet's death.

  Shows their closeness as the nurse talks about Juliet as if she's her daughter who died.

  Links to how Juliet is always compared to light in the play.
• ''Thou will fall backwards'' - Nurse


  Saying that Juliet's fate is to have children

  Only interested in sexual love

  Crude and vulgar
• ''O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day!'' - Nurse


  Repetition to express her devastation over the death of Juliet
• Words to describe the Nurse

  Maternal/caring (looks after Juliet), protective (defends Juliet)
• ''This alliance may so happy prove. To turn your households rancour to pure love'' - Friar Lawrence 


  Agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet to help join the families and end the feud.
• ''That's my good son'' - Friar Lawrence 


  Close, father figure to Romeo
• ''These violent delights have violent ends'' - Friar Lawrence 


  Strong emotions could end in disaster

  Foreshadows end of play

  Repetition of the adjective ''violent'' emphasises the brutality of the play

  Suggests that as soon as you act on impulse, you will get consequences
• ''Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast'' - Friar Lawrence 


  Suggests Romeo and Juliet should take it slow

  Connotes that if they rush it'll end badly

  Presents Friar as all knowing because he foreshadows the end
• Words to describe Friar Lawrence

  Wise (doesn't want it to go too fast), Paternal (father figure to Romeo), Trustworthy (doesn't tell either family)
• ''Examine other beauties'' - Benvolio 


  Suggests Romeo to find a new love

  Gives realistic advice
• ''Part fools! Put up your swords!'' and ''I do but keep the peace'' - Benvolio 


  Doesn't support violence

  Avoids conflict and doesn't involve in the feud
• Words to describe Benvolio

  Mature (gives good advice), compassionate and peaceful
• ''A plague upon both your houses'' - Mercutio 


  Cursing both families for his death

  Could link to how Romeo and Juliet caused so much destruction in the play (like a plague) - their love was never meant to be

  Catalyst of the play - everything goes downhill
• 'If love be rough with you, be rough with love'' - Mercutio 


  Thinks about only physical love - crude
• ''You are a lover. Borrow cupids wings'' - Mercutio 


  Telling Romeo to find a new love
• Words to describe Mercutio

  Aggressive/violent, loyal, encouraging
• ''Peace? I hate the word'' - Tybalt 


  Fiery, loves to fight and start conflict

  The verb ''hate'' shows his quick temper and fiery self
• ''Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death'' - Tybalt 


  Direct speech of ''thee'' showing he has no fear

  Showing off his strength
• Words to describe Tybalt

  Macho (manly and aggressive), fiery/vexed, violent, resentful