Understanding Imagery #1

Use the Internet to find a definition for 'imagery'. Write it here.

Imagery is visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

What does day and light symbolise? What about night and darkness?

Day and light: When Romeo and Juliet express there love to the fullest

Night and darkness: When Romeo and Juliet hides there love for one another

Look at the quotes below. They all use imagery of day and night to represent ideas and emotions.

For each one, highlight the day/night imagery being used and decide what the time of day is being used to
represent. Write your answer in the space provided. 

'...Juliet is the sun.'

Juliet is the day, the highlight of Romeos day. She brings light to him

'What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night...'

Romeo is the night because he hides himeself

'I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes...'

Romeo can hide his love whith his ‘cloak’

'swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon,

That monthly changes in her circle orb...'

The moon is the night

'I am afeard,

Being in night, all this is but a dream...'

Juliet is scared because it is night time and she thinks that this is a dream

Understanding Imagery #2
Shakespeare uses other imagery as well. Highlight the imagery being used and complete these activities on
imagery.  

a) Juliet describes the meeting with Romeo as being

'Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be

Ere one can say 'It lightens'.'

How is this experience like lightning? (Hint: check the line before in the play.)

The lightning is the imagery. It is ‘too rash, too unadvisedly, too suden’

b) Flower imagery is used to describe Romeo.

'What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.'

How does this describe Juliet's opinion of Romeo? 

No matter what his name is he will still be the same person.

c) Juliet also uses flower imagery to describe her connection with Romeo. 

'This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, 

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.'

What does she think will happen next time she sees Romeo? 

Something to do with love.

Understanding Imagery #3

Find a definition for 'oxymoron' and 'hyperbole' and write them here. 

Oxymoron: a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

Hyperbole: exaggerated statements or claims not meant to take literally

In this scene, Romeo and Juliet use a number of contradictory phrases (oxymorons) and exaggerated phrases
(hyperbole). 

This emphasises their extreme emotions as well as the paradox of family hate and young love. 

For each quote below:

 highlight the technique that is being used (hyperbole or oxymoron),

 identify who says it,
 describe the extreme emotion or action it emphasises.

'O speak again, bright angel!'

Oxymoron. He wants to hear Juliets bueatiful voice

'My life were better ended by their hate. 

Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.'

Hyperbole. She would die if she couldn’t love him

'My bounty is as boundless as the sea,

My love as deep.'

Oxymoron. Her love is as deep as the sea

'Tis twenty year till then.'

Hyperbole. She will wait 20 years for him

'Parting is such sweet sorrow...'

She loves doing what she is doing.