What variation exists between Lady Capulet’s speech, “Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe”, and a servant’s language, “My / master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not / of the house of Montagues…” (I.i.82; I.ii.85-87)? The main difference occurs in the verse; Lady Capulet speaks in iambic pentameter while the servant does not. This slight variation in writing impacts character development and the portrayal of social standing. In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare reveals social class and develops character through descriptions and styles of speech.
To begin, Shakespeare illustrates social eminence and elaborates character through descriptions. Descriptions include appellations and actions of characters. First, names advance …show more content…
Speech includes types of speech and complexity. First, the the form of dialogue includes literary elements and whether the diction resembles a command or a response. Literary elements include iambic pentameter, puns, asides, monologues and soliloquies. Speech in iambic pentameter portrays that the speaker must be well-educated, likely of high-class. For example, Lady Montague speaks in verse, chiefly seen when she discourages a street fight, “Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe” (I.i.82). The conversation in iambic pentameter not only depicts upper-class qualities but also broadens her character of not desiring to engage in fighting. Contrasting to the iambic pentameter of Lady Montague, Abram, a servant of Montague, does not speak verse. He expatiates in normal prose, “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” (I.i.45). In Romeo and Juliet, the servants often speak in normal prose while the other characters articulates in verse. Slight differences in speech articulation signify social reputation. Similarly, puns reveal character and display social position. If the parlance contains puns, it specifies that the speaker manipulates words. Mercutio reveals character when he declares after being stabbed, “No, ‘tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as / a church door, but ‘tis enough. ‘Twill serve. Ask for / me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man” (III.i.100-103). This …show more content…
Capulet and Montague prevail as “Two households, both alike in dignity” (I.Prologue.1). This asserts that Capulet and Montague possess equal social stature. In addition, “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny” displays that the families assume long ancestry in Verona (I.Prologue.3). Additionally, “Three civil brawls bred of an airy word” designates that these families savor fighting and engaging in brawls (I.i.91). Also, when Paris talks of Montague and Capulet with, “Of honorable reckoning are you both”, this again projects the equal honor of the Montagues and Capulets (I.ii.4). Likewise, when a servant tells Romeo, “My / master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not / of the house of Montagues…” this illustrates the character of the families (I.ii.85-87). The two kins despise and openly criticize each other. Further, when Tybalt encounters Romeo at the masquerade ball, he hungers to fight him, which further delineates this rancor. In addition, Tybalt desires Capulet to expel Romeo from the party, but Capulet tells
To begin, Shakespeare illustrates social eminence and elaborates character through descriptions. Descriptions include appellations and actions of characters. First, names advance …show more content…
Speech includes types of speech and complexity. First, the the form of dialogue includes literary elements and whether the diction resembles a command or a response. Literary elements include iambic pentameter, puns, asides, monologues and soliloquies. Speech in iambic pentameter portrays that the speaker must be well-educated, likely of high-class. For example, Lady Montague speaks in verse, chiefly seen when she discourages a street fight, “Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe” (I.i.82). The conversation in iambic pentameter not only depicts upper-class qualities but also broadens her character of not desiring to engage in fighting. Contrasting to the iambic pentameter of Lady Montague, Abram, a servant of Montague, does not speak verse. He expatiates in normal prose, “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” (I.i.45). In Romeo and Juliet, the servants often speak in normal prose while the other characters articulates in verse. Slight differences in speech articulation signify social reputation. Similarly, puns reveal character and display social position. If the parlance contains puns, it specifies that the speaker manipulates words. Mercutio reveals character when he declares after being stabbed, “No, ‘tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as / a church door, but ‘tis enough. ‘Twill serve. Ask for / me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man” (III.i.100-103). This …show more content…
Capulet and Montague prevail as “Two households, both alike in dignity” (I.Prologue.1). This asserts that Capulet and Montague possess equal social stature. In addition, “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny” displays that the families assume long ancestry in Verona (I.Prologue.3). Additionally, “Three civil brawls bred of an airy word” designates that these families savor fighting and engaging in brawls (I.i.91). Also, when Paris talks of Montague and Capulet with, “Of honorable reckoning are you both”, this again projects the equal honor of the Montagues and Capulets (I.ii.4). Likewise, when a servant tells Romeo, “My / master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not / of the house of Montagues…” this illustrates the character of the families (I.ii.85-87). The two kins despise and openly criticize each other. Further, when Tybalt encounters Romeo at the masquerade ball, he hungers to fight him, which further delineates this rancor. In addition, Tybalt desires Capulet to expel Romeo from the party, but Capulet tells