Romeo And Juliet Oxymoron Analysis

Writers typically use oxymorons, paradoxes, and juxtaposition to help contribute to the indirect characterization of a character. Without the use of these literary devices, character personalities would have a lack of thought and emotion. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, he uses several literary devices to explain characters personalities. This appears throughout the whole play of Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare uses oxymorons, paradoxes and juxtaposition to show the complexity of each character throughout Romeo and Juliet.
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses oxymorons to show how Juliet’s character has complexity throughout the play. In Act III Scene ii of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet shows the use of an oxymoron by saying, “beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical! Dove-feathered raven! Wolvish-ravening lamb!” (Shakespeare 236) In this scene, Juliet speaks in oxymorons to express her feelings about loving Romeo. She is indecisive and is conflicted about Tybalt’s death. Again. in Act III Scene ii, Juliet continues to express

For example, in Act II Scene VI, Friar says “the sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness.” (Shakespeare 226) In this scene, the Friar is trying to explain how you should love moderately. He is talking about how Romeo is so in love with Juliet he becomes sick of himself. The Friar speaks in paradoxes to show how if you love too much, you become sick of yourself and even love. Another way the Friar speaks in paradoxes is in the same act, “too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.” (Shakespeare 226) The whole point of Friar Laurence saying this is to explain how falling in love too fast can cause it to end quickly, but following in love too slowly, could have the same outcome. Overall, Friar Laurence’s character and personality shows many signs of complexity, the way that he sees life and explains it proves his