Romeo and Juliet Group

Question:

keikileem
keikileem
Student

In the play Romeo and Juliet who says "But, soft! What light through wonder window breaks"? What literary device isused?

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Posted by keikileem on Monday April 2, 2007 at 8:22 PM and tagged with characters, juliet, literary device, metaphor, quotes, romeo.

Answers:


  1. blazedale

    Romeo says that in Act II, Scene 2. To extend the quote:

    But soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
    It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!

    He is using a metaphor to describe Juliet and his feelings for her.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/literary-terms/37795
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo-text/3380

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    Posted by blazedale on Monday April 2, 2007 at 8:53 PM


  2. jamie-wheeler Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    Romeo utters this Act II, Scene II, lines 2-3 "But soft! What light..." could be taken literally, that is, Juliet moves the curtain and Romeo sees the candle light filtering through. Or you may see this as symbolic, that is, Julia's "soft" womanliness and the "light" that Romeo senses she radiates.

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    Posted by jamie-wheeler on Tuesday April 3, 2007 at 10:12 AM


  3. mstinson Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    If you want to know just about the line you quote, "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?" Romeo is personifying the light and giving it the power to break through the window. This light is actually the candle light and you are to assume it is the light that is also illuminating Juliet as she emerges onto the balcony.

    Romeo then states, "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!" "It" refers to the balcony, therefore the balcony symbolizes an eastern land (eastern also representing the exotic) and Juliet is the sun that is rising out of the east, or literaly walks out onto the balcony (remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west).

    Shakespeare uses light and dark images to symbolize good and evil. Juliet, being the brightest object, the sun, represents the best of all good things.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo-text/3380

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    Posted by mstinson on Tuesday April 3, 2007 at 6:12 PM


  4. alymoemally Student
    High School - 10th Grade

    He is saying that juliet is like the sun so beautiful in her beauty...ya

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    Posted by alymoemally on Thursday May 17, 2007 at 4:24 PM

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