1. William Shakespeare

3.  Literary Terms  Foil A character in literature who has qualities that are in sharp contrast to another character, thus emphasizing the traits of each Example: Paris – responsible and highly regarded vs. Romeo – brash and emotional  Pun A play on words that have similar sounds but more than one possible spelling or meaning Example: Romeo says Mercutio has “nimble soles,” but he himself has “a soul of lead”

4.  Comedy A light play with a happy ending

5.  Malapropism  A comical mistake uttered by certain characters  Example: the Nurse says “confidence” when she means “conference”  Soliloquy  When the character reveals his or her thoughts out loud  Usually character is alone on stage. If not, other characters do not “hear” the speech.

6.  Metaphor  A comparison between things that are unlike each other  Example: “It is the east and Juliet is the sun.”

7.  Oxymoron  Occurs when contradictory words are paired  Example: “O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!”  Repetition (of words and phrases)  Increases tension and emotional impact  Example: Romeo keeps repeating the word “banishment” in his conversation with Friar Lawrence, why?

8.  Aside  When a character talks to the audience and the other characters do not hear

9.  Comic Relief  Adding humor to serious and dramatic scenes  Example: the Nurse  Allusion  A reference to a historical, literary, happening or event  Example: Paris tells Friar Lawrence that “Venus smiles not in a house of tears.” as a reference to the Venus, the goddess of love

10.  Dramatic irony  When the audience knows what the characters do not  Example: we know that Romeo and Juliet are married

11.  Tragedy  A serious play having an unhappy ending  Tragic Hero  Has a downfall in a tragedy  Usually of noble birth  Tragic Flaw  A character’s trait that leads to his or her downfall/destruction

12.  Theme  Main idea in a work of fiction (underlying meaning or message)  Examples: the obstacles of young love There are forces in life over which people have no control. Even well-intended deceptions and secrets can be destructive. Revenge can destroy both avenger and victim. Human beings – even parents – are fallible. Wisdom and knowledge can be gained from a tragic experience. At times, young people have more passion than wisdom, while older people forget the power of love.