R&J Terms and Vocabulary
Romeo and Juliet Vocabulary and Literary Terms
I. Vocabulary
adversary opponent; enemy
ambiguity statement or event in which meaning is unclear
banishment exile
boisterous stormy; violent; rowdy
dexterity skill; cleverness
idolatry extreme devotion to a person or thing
lament to grieve for
nuptial wedding
peruse look over
reconcile to become friendly again
shroud a burial cloth
II. Literary Terms:
allusion a reference in one work of literature to a person, place, or event in another work of literature or in history, art, or music
analogy an extended comparison showing the similarities between two things
antagonist the character or force that works against the protagonist; introduces the conflict
aside words spoken by a character in a play, usually in an undertone and not intended
blank verse unrhymed iambic pentameter
characterization the personality a character displays; also, the means by which the author reveals that personality
climax the point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in a narrative
conflict a struggle (between two opposing forces or characters)
couplet two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme
diction a writer’s choice of words for clarity, effectiveness, and precision
dramatic irony a contrast between what the audience perceives and what a character does not know
dramatic structure the structure of a play
epithet a descriptive adjective or phrase used to characterize someone or something. (Peter the Great).
figurative language language that is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense
foil a character who sets off another character by contrast
foreshadowing the use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is to come
iambic meter unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable
iambic pentameter five verse feet with each foot an iamb (a total of ten syllables)
imagery language that appeals to any sense (sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell) or any combination of the senses
irony literary technique that portrays differences between appearance and reality (dramatic irony; situational irony; verbal irony)
metaphor comparison between two unlike things with the intent of giving added meaning to one of them
motivation a reason that explains or partially explains why a character thinks, feels, acts, or behaves in a certain way (Motivation results from a combination of the characters personality and the situation to be dealt with.)
protagonist the main character in a play or story
pun the humorous use of a word or phrase to suggest to or more meanings at the same time
repetition the return of a word, phrase, stanza form, or effect in any form of literature (forms: alliteration; rhyme; refrain)
monologue a long, uninterrupted speech presented in front of other characters
oxymoron a figure of speech that combines apparently contradictory terms
simile a comparison made between two dissimilar things through the use of a specific word of comparison such as like and as
situational irony a contrast between what is expected and what really happens
soliloquy a speech in which a character is alone on stage and expresses thoughts out loud
sonnet a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, that has one of several rhyme schemes. A sonnet form used by William Shakespeare is called the Shakespearean sonnet. It has three four-line units (quatrains) followed by a concluding two-line unit (couplet). The most common rhyme scheme for the Shakespearean sonnet is abab cdcd efef gg.
symbol any object, person, place, or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger than itself—such as a quality, attitude, belief, or value.
suspense that quality of a literary work that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events
theme the central idea of a work of literature
verbal irony a contrast between what is said and what is meant
