Juliet Flashcards
Act 1 Scene 5
“My grave is likely to be my wedding bed.”
(Juliet)
Showcases meta-theatrical foreshadowing.
Allegorically links the “wedding bed”, symbol of intimacy, sex and love, to a “grave” which is associated with death and decay. Demonstrates how oppositions are intertwined in the play.
Act 2 Scene 2
“Deny thy father and refuse thy name”
(Juliet)
Reveals the pointless nature of the feud that separates them by acknowledging that its only due to a name, demonstrates her wisdom.
“Deny” and “refuse” are imperatives, which suggest a conflict with fate.
She is seen as Intelligent but naive.
Act 2 Scene 2
“If they do see thee, they will murder thee.”
(Juliet)
Simple one liners emphasises her cautious thinking.
Shakespeare establishes Juliet’s character as a reasoned and realistic person.
“Murder” is the simple syntax of the line.
Act 2 Scene 2
“O swear not by the moon…/ Do not swear at all/ Or if thou wilt swear by thy gracious self.”
(Juliet)
She rejects the idea of traditional fake love and encourages Romeo to follow a love more spontaneous and unrehearsed.
Imperative “Do not swear” emphasises her decisive nature.
Act 3 Scene 2
“Can be heaven be so envious?”
(Juliet)
Rhetorical question conveys the contrast between fate and the individual.
This shows how physical matters have no effect on love, but only spiritual alluded to by “heaven”.
Heaven dictates the events on earth.
Act 3 Scene 2
“Is Romeo slaughter’d and is Tybalt dead? My dearest cousin, and my dearer lord?
(Juliet)
Sets up the two characters as oppositions.
The superlative “dearest cousin”, is negated by the comparative “dearer lord”, highlighting Romeo means more to Juliet.
Displays internal conflict.
Act 3 Scene 5
“O fortune, fortune, all men call thee fickle…”
(Juliet)
Anthropomorphism of “Fortune” makes fate’s presence more real.
The form of the address “thou”, shows that Juliet is on equal footing with “fortune”.
Act 3 Scene 5
“Good father i beseech you on my knees”
(Juliet)
Desperately pleads with her father to listen to her by physically kneeling down, signifying her utter submission and desperation to be heard, while still maintaining a respectful tone by addressing him as “good father”.
Act 4 Scene 3
“I pray thee leave me to myself tonight…/ To move the heavens to smile upon my state…”
(Juliet)
Shows her final detachment from the two maternal figures of her life.
Indicates that she asserts her independance and growth into a new level of emotional maturity.
Act 5 Scene 3
“O happy dagger…/ This is thy sheath.”
(Juliet)
Inverted metaphors: the dagger is personified as “happy”, whereas her body becomes its “sheath”. Shows the idea that love and death are inextricably linked.
Oxymoron: “Happy” implies joy and “dagger” represents a deadly weapon, highlighting the tragic situation where Juliet welcomes death as a way to be with Romeo
In Roman tradition, stabbing was the most honourable and noble form of suicide.
Juliet is a tragic hero.
