Shakespeare’s language is full of literary and dramatic devices. For example, it is rich in imagery and symbols. Whether the characters speak in prose or verse is also important, as it reveals their social status and state of mind. Thus, you will be able to make important analytical points about the play by understanding how each character speaks.
In the following, we take you through some of the most analyzed aspects of the language in Romeo and Juliet.
Here you can read an extract from our study guide:
Prose – ordinary language without meter – can be used to signal low social status, which is why non-nobles or commoners such as Juliet’s nurse or the Capulet servants speak this way.
At the same time, prose can also be used for comical purposes. One example is the cheerful Nurse who is generally a comical character. She frequently makes embarrassing sexual jokes and acts in a silly way, always speaking in prose. A good example is Act 1, Scene 3 where we meet the Nurse for the first time.
However, prose may also be used to show darker sides of the characters by signaling madness or unpredictability. Romeo’s friend Mercutio is an impulsive, hotheaded character, and we get the feeling that he might do or say anything. His uncontrolled nature affects his state of mind and this is reflected in his language: Despite being a nobleman, he mostly speaks in prose instead of iambic pentameter. An example of this is Act 3, Scene 1 where Mercutio fights Tybalt and is killed.
If you need a tip for finding out whether certain lines are written in prose or verse, look at the beginning of each line. If the lines are in verse, each line normally starts with a capital letter. If the lines are in prose, each line typically begins without a capital letter (unless it is the beginning of a new sentence). You should be able to see this for both the Nurse and Mercutio.
