What literary devices used in Act one of Romeo and Juliet?

Answer 1

It's not all that difficult.

1) Watch actors putting on the play, or a film using Shakespeare's lines. The actors' gestures and facial expressions will help you to understand what they are saying. You can see where the plot is going by what the people are doing, and the context helps explain the words.

2) When you read it, use the notes at the bottom of the page. They help understand words or phrases which may be totally unfamiliar to you.

3) Always assume at first that words mean exactly what you think they mean. It is true that sometimes you can get fooled by a word that has changed meaning, but mostly words mean what you think. The notes will tell you if it means something different.

4) If a sentence is long and complicated, break it down. Shakespeare liked to get into long sentences sometimes, and you can get stuck in the sentence structure. Look for the main verb, the main action of the sentence.

5) Watch out for poetic reversals. "What light through yonder window breaks" probably makes more sense to you as "What light breaks through yonder window" It's the same thing though.

6) Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself. You know how to use the English language already, so you should be able to understand something which is written in Modern English (as Romeo and Juliet is), even though the dialect may be unfamiliar and the vocabulary larger than you are used to. The younger you are, the easier you will find it to pick up the dialect.

Answer 2

The original script would be obviously written in english, but since it was set in Verona then Romeo and Juliet would speak Italian.

Answer 3

It approximates the way people speak in normal conversation.

Answer 4

The prologue is one. The dialogue between Romeo and Juliet commencing with the line "If I profane with my unworthies hand" is another.

Answer 5

Shakespeare uses language to write the play, since it is awfully difficult to have your characters speak or describe what they are doing without language.

Answer 6

Nothing, it doesn't exist

Answer 7

Hyperpole

Answer 8

English.