Composition #4 Many forms of art had existed in the times of the Renaissance, but none were as eloquent and well-crafted as those crafted by Shakespeare. His elaborate style of word play and hidden meanings helped to fully immerse the reader into his stories. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses literary devices to develop the theme of how fate cannot be escaped, no matter how hard one tries. The first literary device that Shakespeare incorporates into his writing is the element of motifs. Shakespeare uses the motif of light and darkness to show how Romeo and Juliet are fated to always be apart. Romeo states to Juliet, “A thousand times the worse, to want thy light” (Shakespeare II.ii.155). Romeo feels a thousand times better when he is near the “light”
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A superb example of this is when Romeo is talking to Benvolio and Mercutio, who are trying to convince Romeo to go to the party, “Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling. / Being but heavy, I will bear the light” (Shakespeare I.iv.11-12). Romeo feels as if nothing shall work out for him and that his fate is doomed as he will never find another true love. Regardless of this, he still makes this pun, showing that even in the most somber of times, characters can be carefree and continue to move the theme forward towards the rising action of the plot. Another way Shakespeare used puns was to show the reader that a character truly feels an emotion, having two different ways to express this. Romeo says to Mercutio, “Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes / With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead” (Shakespeare I.iv.14-15) Romeo is depressed, expressed not only in his desire not to dance, but also in the fact with his refusal to dance. This shows the reader that the characters are not always in positive fortune, but also can feel sadness and the desire for a better
A superb example of this is when Romeo is talking to Benvolio and Mercutio, who are trying to convince Romeo to go to the party, “Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling. / Being but heavy, I will bear the light” (Shakespeare I.iv.11-12). Romeo feels as if nothing shall work out for him and that his fate is doomed as he will never find another true love. Regardless of this, he still makes this pun, showing that even in the most somber of times, characters can be carefree and continue to move the theme forward towards the rising action of the plot. Another way Shakespeare used puns was to show the reader that a character truly feels an emotion, having two different ways to express this. Romeo says to Mercutio, “Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes / With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead” (Shakespeare I.iv.14-15) Romeo is depressed, expressed not only in his desire not to dance, but also in the fact with his refusal to dance. This shows the reader that the characters are not always in positive fortune, but also can feel sadness and the desire for a better