What are the elements of literature as related to Romeo and Juliet?

The elements of literature are a set of standard elements that authors use to make their writing more interesting or easier to relate to.

At the secondary school level students are often required to analyze literature using these literary elements. You've probably been talking about them in class all along, and just didn't realize they were the elements of literature. Things such as setting, plot, conflict, metaphor, and climax are often used during discussion of a novel.

Specifically, in Romeo and Juliet, you will find many of these elements are deeply explored.

It is first important to understand the genre of the story is drama. This helps us to also be able to more readily understand the plot pattern. Since Romeo and Juliet is a 5 Act play, we know that the exposition occurs in Act 1, rising action and conflict follow, generally the climax occurs close to Act 3 and the falling action and resolution follow that.

Shakespeare utilizes multiple instances of Allusion in his plays. This is no different in Romeo and Juliet. You will frequently find references to the names of people or creatures from the Bible and from the mythology of Ancient Greece and Rome. Whenever an author references another popular work of literature or culture we call this an allusion. Allusions are typically added to make a comparison to something that readers would already understand.

For example:

"Well, in that hit you miss; she'll not be hit
with Cupid's arrow; she has Dian's wit..."

Shakespeare references both Cupid and Diana in this explanation of love in Act 1, Scene 1.

In addition, one could talk at length about Shakespeare's use of Oxymoron. Shakespeare really liked to play with words, so his plays are full of all kinds of figurative language and Romeo and Juliet is no exception. An Oxymoron is simply when successive words seem to contradict one another to make an impression on the reader. In Act 1, Scene 1, Romeo gives us a great example of this.

"...O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything, of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness, serious vanity!
...Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep..."

Shakespeare also relies on imagery to help paint a picture in the minds of readers. In Romeo and Juliet we are constantly presented with the concepts of dark vs light, which we are meant to relate to the themes of love vs. hate.

For example:

Capulet: At my poor house loot to behold this night,
earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light.

The image we are presented with here are bright stars against a dark sky.

Other great ideas of the elements of literature which are exemplified well in this story:

• 
  Irony: the feud does not end until the death of the children


• 
  Tragedy: elements of Greek tragedy adapted by Shakespeare


• 
  Metaphor/Simile: Eloquent use of figurative language throughout


• 
  Pun: Another one of the ways Shakespeare plays with words