Vocabulary Grids for The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet

Knowing the following list of terms will help you meet the learning targets for reading in this unit. Please refer
to the Shakespeare Terminology slide show to take note of the definitions. For those terms not included in the
slideshow, please refer to an online dictionary source and select a definition related to literature.

Step 1: Write a brief definition Step 2: Additional Notes Step 3: Examples from R & J

Drama- tragedy
A story acted out by actors for an
audience

Tragedy- The two young lovers meet and fall

A drama or literary work in which in love, but because of the age-old
the main character is brought to feud between their families, they
ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, are destined for misfortune. Juliet's
especially as a consequence of a cousin Tybalt kills Romeo's friend
tragic flaw, moral weakness, or Mercutio. Romeo kills Tybalt and
inability to cope with unfavorable becomes a criminal.
circumstances.
Tragic Hero- Romeo loves Juliet with kindness
a great or virtuous character in a and generosity, but to love her is
dramatic tragedy who is destined forbidden. Also, he tries to prevent
for downfall, suffering, or defeat; a a second fight between the two
literary character who makes an families in the streets of Verona,
error of judgment or has a fatal but later kills Tybalt, his love's
flaw that, combined with fate and cousin. These things make Romeo
external forces, brings on a tragedy both good and bad, therefore a
tragic hero.
Iambic Pentameter- (p. 740)
A Poetic meter in english writing I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s
retire.
The day is hot; the Capulets,
abroad;
And if we meet we shall not ’scape
a brawl,
For now, these hot days, is the mad
blood stirring. (3.1.1-4)
Blank Verse- (p. 740) "And, when he shall die, / Take
a form of poetry that uses him and cut him out in little
unrhymed lines of iambic stars, / And he will make the
pentameter, lines that ideally have face of heaven so fine / That all
five unstressed syllables, each the world will be in love with
followed by a stressed syllable.
night / And pay no worship to
The pattern is not always perfect;
the garish sun."
sometimes there are breaks in the
pattern.
Exposition- The parts where Romeo shows his
a comprehensive description and lust for Rosaline, normal
explanation of an idea or theory.: Conversation between the
"the exposition and defense of his Capulet's and the Montagues, and
ethics Mercutio makes fun of Romeo
because Rosaline's intent is to
never marry. ... Romeo needs to
secretly marry Juliet, fearing their
parents disapproval.
Soliloquy- O, she doth teach the torches to
A speech given by a charan act of burn bright!
speaking one's thoughts aloud
when by oneself or regardless of It seems she hangs upon the cheek
any hearers, especially by a of night
character in a play.: "Edmund ends
the scene as he had begunacter Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's
alone on the stage; the speech ear;
reveals the character’s most
intimate thoughts.
Beauty too rich for use, for earth
too dear!

So shows a snowy dove trooping

with crows,

As yonder lady o'er her fellows

shows.

The measure done, I'll watch her

place of stand,

And, touching hers, make blessed

my rude hand.

Did my heart love till now?

forswear it, sight!

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this

night.
Aside-a remark or passage in a play I do with all my heart, And yet no
that is intended to be heard by the man like he doth grieve my heart.”
audience but unheard by the other This passionate aside remark is
characters in the play. made by Juliet after she is
informed of Tybalt's brutal murder
by Romeo. To conceal her true
feelings for Romeo, Juliet has to
pretend that she will never forgive
 Romeo for this horrific act in her
family's presence.
Couplet-two lines of verse, usually 'O, she doth teach the torches to
in the same meter and joined by burn bright. / It seems she hangs
rhyme, that form a unit. upon the cheek of night' (Romeo,
1:5). The play also ends with a
rhyming couplet.

Dramatic Irony- (see “irony”) One example of dramatic irony in

occurs when the audience knows Romeo and Juliet is Romeo's
something the characters do not. attempt to dismiss the danger of
Because of this understanding, the his and Juliet's relationship: “Alack,
words of the characters take on a there lies more peril in thine eye /
different meaning. This can create Than twenty of their swords! Look
intense suspense or humor. thou but sweet, / And I am proof
against their enmity” (act 2, scene
2).
Act- it’s a play The entire shakespeare play

Scene- it’s a part of a play Scene one two three and on and
on

Line- is someone’s saying phrase

Prologue-a separate introductory In a fourteen-line sonnet, the

section of a literary or musical Chorus describes two noble
work.: "this idea is outlined in the households (called “houses”) in
prologue" the city of Verona. The houses
hold an “ancient grudge”
(Prologue. 2) against each other
that remains a source of violent
and bloody conflict. The Chorus
states that from these two
houses, two “star-crossed”
(Prologue.
Sonnet a poem of fourteen lines In fair Verona, where we lay our
using any of a number of formal scene, From ancient grudge break
rhyme schemes, in English typically to new mutiny, Where civil blood
having ten syllables per line.- makes civil hands unclean. Do with
their death bury their parents'
strife
Pun-a joke exploiting the different Many puns in Romeo and Juliet can
possible meanings of a word or the be found in Mercutio and Romeo's
fact that there are words which banter. Some of these puns are
sound alike but have different sexual innuendos, like when
meanings.: "the pigs were a squeal Romeo says, “Why, then is my
(if you'll forgive the pun)". pump well flowered” (2.4), and
some are just fun wordplay. Even
when Mercutio is fatally wounded,
he still makes a pun about his
impending death by saying “Ask for
me tomorrow, and you shall find
me a grave man” (3.1).
Oxymoron-a figure of speech in O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
which apparently contradictory Misshapen chaos of well-seeming
terms appear in conjunction forms! Feather of lead, bright
smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-
waking sleep, that is not what it is!
Willing Suspension of Disbelief- All fiction requires suspension of
disbelief because by definition the
story isn't true. For example, to
is the intentional avoidance of critical enjoy Romeo and Juliet, the
thinking or logic in examining
audience has to set aside the fact
something surreal, such as a work of
that there never were Montagues
speculative fiction, in order to believe
it for the sake of enjoyment. and Capulets who lived in Verona,
there was no ancient feud, no
starcrossed lovers doomed to a
tragic fate.
Archaic Language- (p. 733)words Example: "I'll amerce you with so
are no longer in everyday use or strong a fine / That you shall all
have lost a particular meaning in repent . . ." (Romeo and Juliet, 3.1.
current usage 162). ames-ace: Archaic term for
ambs-ace or ambsace, a dice term
for a throw of double aces (in
which each die shows a single dot).
Foil-in any narrative, a foil is a The most famous foil character in
character who contrasts with Romeo and Juliet is Mercutio.
another character; typically, a Mercutio is considered a foil to
character who contrasts with the Romeo. Mercutio is blood kin to
protagonist, in order to better both the Prince and to Count Paris.
highlight or differentiate certain He is close friends with Benvolio
qualities of the protagonist. and Romeo.

Scanning- Scanning a meter

analyze the meter of (a line of
verse) by reading with the
emphasis on its rhythm or by
examining the pattern of feet or
syllables.

Meter- A line with iambic pentameter

the rhythm of a piece of poetry, has 10 syllables with five iamb
determined by the number and feet. Shakespeare wrote the
length of feet in a line.: "the opening prologue of “Romeo
Horatian ode has an intricate and Juliet” using this foot and
governing meter" "unexpected
meter: “Two households, both
changes of stress and meter".
alike in dignity.” When he used
this poetic style, the lines didn't
always rhyme.
Figure of Speech- In act 1, scene 1, for example, the
a word or phrase used in a non-literal Prince uses metaphor to liken the
sense for rhetorical or vivid effect. men to "beasts" and their blood to
"purple fountains issuing from
their veins." Later, Romeo employs
a simile to compare Juliet's beauty
to "a rich jewel in Ethiope's ear."
Simile- There are many similes in Romeo
a figure of speech involving the and Juliet. Romeo uses a simile to
comparison of one thing with describe Juliet's beauty when he
another thing of a different kind, says she is “like a rich jewel in an
used to make a description more Ethiop's ear.” Romeo also uses a
emphatic or vivid simile to compare love to a thorn:
"Is love a tender thing? it is too
rough, / Too rude, too boisterous,
and it pricks like thorn."

Metaphor- Romeo begins by using the sun as a

a figure of speech in which a word metaphor for his beloved Juliet: “It
or phrase is applied to an object or is the east, and Juliet is the sun. In
action to which it is not literally these same lines Romeo has
applicable.: "her poetry depends furthered his metaphor by using
on suggestion and metaphor personification. He creates for us
the idea that the moon is a woman
who is “sick and pale with grief,”
seemingly jealous of Juliet's
beauty.
Personification- Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare uses
the attribution of a personal nature personification throughout Romeo
or human characteristics to and Juliet. One example is in Act 2
something nonhuman, or the when Friar Lawrence is picking
representation of an abstract flowers for his various potions. He
quality in human form. says: "The grey-ey'd morn smiles
on the frowning night, Check'ring
the Eastern clouds with streaks of
light."
Allusion-an expression designed to “O, then I see Queen Mab hath
call something to mind without been with you. In the above quote,
mentioning it explicitly; an indirect Mercutio makes a reference to
or passing reference.: "an allusion Queen Mab, the queen of the
to Shakespeare fairies. He uses the allusion as a
means to mock the huge
significance Romeo places on his
dreams. As a queen of the fairies,
Queen Mab helped people in the
fruition of their dreams.