Structural Devices
Scene Quotation Idea Analysis Device
Act 1 ‘what fray was Love, hate The Prince has just described a Structural
Scene 1 here?’ bloody scene. Romeo has been
blinded by love - or rather, what
love is. He has not noticed the
blood on the scene.
‘I have lost myself’ Love Romeo admits himself that he is Structural
‘this is not Romeo’ not being himself. In the play,
‘I am not here’ the playwright changes his
personality to show the contrast
between Rosalind’s and Juliet’s
love. Shows how the latter’s love
is positive. Also makes audience
anticipate what his actual
character is like.
Act 1 ‘two more’ ‘all my Starts off with ‘in media res’; it Dramatic
Scene 2 hopes’ ‘woo her’ starts off with opening into a Structural
conversation. Realism. Capulet
wants ‘two more’ years for Juliet
until she marries. He also dotes
on her because she is his only
child; ‘all my hopes’. He also
wants Paris to ‘woo her’.
Structural contrast since later in
the play, he wants Juliet to get
married as soon as possible.
‘she was wean’d’ She reminisces about Juliet’s Structural
childhood; she was a wet nurse
so in this quotation she is talking
about breastfeeding. Her long
speech is a structural device
because she speaks and knows
more about Juliet than her
mother (in contrast, her speech
is formal and short)
Act 1 Elevation He speaks in poetic imagery – Linguistic
Scene 5 Love rhyming couplets and poetic Structural
imagery. Shakespeare elevates
him because he is in love.
‘hand’ ‘stand’ Love First meeting introduced as a Structural
‘this’ ‘kiss’ sonnet. Fits theme of love.
‘Fetch me my Tybalt’s entrance is marked with Structural
rapier’ violence and aggression.
Structural contrast to Romeo’s
imagery.
‘holy palmers' kiss’ Requited Love Sexually, intellectually, Linguistic
spiritually very well matched. Structural
Throughout the play, both of
, them are elevated (imagery).
They have a physical attraction
to each other, speak in poetry
(education and class) and also
use religious imagery.
Shakespeare has deliberately
made them the symbol of all
lovers that are well matched to
make their death more tragic.
Shows how futile the feud was.
Requited love They finish each other’s rhyming Structural
couplets which show that they
respond to each other. It is not
unrequited love.
Love Shakespeare uses a literary Structural
convention of the sonnet.
Technical. It is effective since it
shows how well suited they are
to each other. Written in iambic
pentameter which sounds like a
heartbeat. Appropriate since the
prologue is about love.
‘Go to, go to’ He is angry that his party might Structural
‘You must contrary be upset and also at Tybalt’s
me!’ disobedience. At the beginning,
‘Be quiet, or--More he rhymes fluently. Now, use of
light, more light!’ exclamation marks and short
phrases with caesuras ‘Go to, go
to’. Quick punctuation shows the
fast pace. Angry so speaks in
prose. Dashes show a change in
thought process and his fear
that his party might be
interrupted as well as his anger
at Tybalt. Anticipation for
further anger.
Act 2 ‘all these fruit-tree Unconventional She cuts off Romeo, showing Structural
Scene 2 tops-‘ Strength that she is a strong woman due
‘Balcony to her practicality. Makes the
Scene’ audience anticipate that she will
be the stronger character out of
the two. Very unconventional.
‘what shall I swear Romeo looks to her for answers. Structural
by?’ Structurally, she speaks a lot
more than him.
Parallels Parallels between the two; they Structural
Premonitions both have premonitions. She
likens ‘their contract’ to
‘lightening’, which is ‘too rash,
too unadvised, too sudden’.
Romeo has a premonition before
Scene Quotation Idea Analysis Device
Act 1 ‘what fray was Love, hate The Prince has just described a Structural
Scene 1 here?’ bloody scene. Romeo has been
blinded by love - or rather, what
love is. He has not noticed the
blood on the scene.
‘I have lost myself’ Love Romeo admits himself that he is Structural
‘this is not Romeo’ not being himself. In the play,
‘I am not here’ the playwright changes his
personality to show the contrast
between Rosalind’s and Juliet’s
love. Shows how the latter’s love
is positive. Also makes audience
anticipate what his actual
character is like.
Act 1 ‘two more’ ‘all my Starts off with ‘in media res’; it Dramatic
Scene 2 hopes’ ‘woo her’ starts off with opening into a Structural
conversation. Realism. Capulet
wants ‘two more’ years for Juliet
until she marries. He also dotes
on her because she is his only
child; ‘all my hopes’. He also
wants Paris to ‘woo her’.
Structural contrast since later in
the play, he wants Juliet to get
married as soon as possible.
‘she was wean’d’ She reminisces about Juliet’s Structural
childhood; she was a wet nurse
so in this quotation she is talking
about breastfeeding. Her long
speech is a structural device
because she speaks and knows
more about Juliet than her
mother (in contrast, her speech
is formal and short)
Act 1 Elevation He speaks in poetic imagery – Linguistic
Scene 5 Love rhyming couplets and poetic Structural
imagery. Shakespeare elevates
him because he is in love.
‘hand’ ‘stand’ Love First meeting introduced as a Structural
‘this’ ‘kiss’ sonnet. Fits theme of love.
‘Fetch me my Tybalt’s entrance is marked with Structural
rapier’ violence and aggression.
Structural contrast to Romeo’s
imagery.
‘holy palmers' kiss’ Requited Love Sexually, intellectually, Linguistic
spiritually very well matched. Structural
Throughout the play, both of
, them are elevated (imagery).
They have a physical attraction
to each other, speak in poetry
(education and class) and also
use religious imagery.
Shakespeare has deliberately
made them the symbol of all
lovers that are well matched to
make their death more tragic.
Shows how futile the feud was.
Requited love They finish each other’s rhyming Structural
couplets which show that they
respond to each other. It is not
unrequited love.
Love Shakespeare uses a literary Structural
convention of the sonnet.
Technical. It is effective since it
shows how well suited they are
to each other. Written in iambic
pentameter which sounds like a
heartbeat. Appropriate since the
prologue is about love.
‘Go to, go to’ He is angry that his party might Structural
‘You must contrary be upset and also at Tybalt’s
me!’ disobedience. At the beginning,
‘Be quiet, or--More he rhymes fluently. Now, use of
light, more light!’ exclamation marks and short
phrases with caesuras ‘Go to, go
to’. Quick punctuation shows the
fast pace. Angry so speaks in
prose. Dashes show a change in
thought process and his fear
that his party might be
interrupted as well as his anger
at Tybalt. Anticipation for
further anger.
Act 2 ‘all these fruit-tree Unconventional She cuts off Romeo, showing Structural
Scene 2 tops-‘ Strength that she is a strong woman due
‘Balcony to her practicality. Makes the
Scene’ audience anticipate that she will
be the stronger character out of
the two. Very unconventional.
‘what shall I swear Romeo looks to her for answers. Structural
by?’ Structurally, she speaks a lot
more than him.
Parallels Parallels between the two; they Structural
Premonitions both have premonitions. She
likens ‘their contract’ to
‘lightening’, which is ‘too rash,
too unadvised, too sudden’.
Romeo has a premonition before
