aside Words that are spoken by a character in a play to the audience or to another character, but that are not supposed to be overheard by the others on the stage. Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

dramatic irony When the readers or audience know something that a character does NOT know which makes that character’s words or actions funny in a twisted sort of way. When Capulet tells Paris that Capulet is sure Juliet will be happy to marry Paris, his comments are funny to the audience because we know Juliet has already married Romeo, so she will NOT be happy to marry Paris.

foil Mercutio is a foil for Romeo because of Mercutio's constant joking and low opinion of love. Character who is used as a contrast to another character. Romeo is a “lover” not a “fighter.” Mercutio is a “fighter” not a “lover. A character who is a foil, is like the metal behind the gem that is used to intensify its brilliance.

apostrophe Words that are spoken to a person who is absent or imaginary, or to an object or abstract idea. O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? Death, lie thou there.

oxymoron A figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect.figure of speech

pun As Mercutio is dying he says, "Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.” a joke which comes from a play on words

Imagery language that appeals to the senses that create vivid images

monologue a speech by one character that is spoken to another character or characters

soliloquy a speech in which a sole (single) character says his or her thoughts aloud, usually while he or she is alone on stage. At the beginning of the balcony scene, Juliet believes she is alone, so she talks to herself about her love for Romeo.

paradox Romeo says that love is "A choking gall, and a preserving sweet” during a conversation with Benvolio. (Something technically be sweet and bitter at the same time.)  a statement that seems to contradict itself, but is true.

personification When Lord Capulet said to Paris, "The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she” he implied that the earth was human-like by saying the earth had a mouth.  figure of speech which gives human qualities to an object, an animal, or an idea

tragedy We like Romeo, but because he does not slow down to carefully think through his desires and plans, his actions lead to many deaths and his own suicide.  a dramatic work which presents the downfall of a good character brought about by himself.

tragic flaw Romeo and Juliet both suffer from the tragic flaw of impulsiveness. a trait (usually beyond the character's ability to control) that causes a character's downfall that may result in death

dramatic conventions In Shakespeare's time, most plays were written in poetry, even though people don't really talk that way.  certain practices or methods that are accepted by a reader or an audience even though they are not realistic. If an actor entered the stage from the trap door in the platform, everyone in assumed the character was coming from HELL.

allusion an indirect reference to another literary work or to a famous person, place or event. Romeo claimed Rosaline wouldn’t let herself fall in love when he told Benvolio, "She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow.”

couplet a pair of rhyming lines usually the same length and meter. For sweet love remember’d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

alliteration The repetition of an initial consonant sound. The slick, slimy snake slithered slowly across the sizzling sidewalk. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Sally sells seashells by the seashore.

iambic pentameter A line of poetry that has 10 syllables. Each lightly-stressed syllable is followed by a heavily-stressed syllable I hopethat Ican goto schooltoday.

blank verse Poetry that does not rhyme, but uses iambic pentameter as its meter. I wish I were a frog on lily pads. Then I could learn about the warming sun. And bask in golden sun on leaves all day.

metaphor a comparison of two things without using the words “like” or “as.” Juliet is the sun When Romeo saw Juliet standing on her balcony he said, “Juliet is the sun.”

simile a comparison of two things using “like” or “as.” Tears flowed down his cheeks like a waterfall. She laughed like a hyena! Mark was as cute as a kitten and as tall as a tree.

foreshadowing When an author includes hints about what will happen later in the story. The prologue foreshadows the events of the play. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

comic relief After the serious love scene between Romeo and Juliet, at the Capulets’ party, Mercutio and Benvolio are a bit drunk and they clown around as they look for Romeo.  a humorous scene, incident, or speech that is included in a serious play to break the tension

hyperbole Juliet tells Romeo, "A thousand times good night.” a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated.

chorus  In Romeo and Juliet, a single actor stepped on stage, before the main action began, and summarized what would happen during the show by speaking the Prologue.  in Greek tragedy, the chorus was a group of actors who commented on the actions of the characters

Sonnet Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.  a fourteen-line lyric poem usually written in iambic pentameter. The English or Shakespearean sonnet consist of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a couplet (two lines), usually rhyming abab cdcd efef gg.