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Which literary device is used in this quote from Romeo and Juliet: "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun."
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The literary device used in the quote "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun" from Romeo and Juliet is a metaphor. Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, suggesting she brings light and vitality to his life. Some interpretations also consider light breaking through a window as personification, though this is a stretch.
Romeo speaks these words soon after he has jumped over the wall of the Capulet's garden. He wishes to see Juliet again for he is completely infatuated with her. Romeo is standing in the garden when Juliet appears at a window above.
He compares Juliet to a light, using a metaphor to describe her. The fact that he sees Juliet as a light implies that she has enlightened him (brought a new perspective), and brought light back into his life. We must remember that he had been quite depressed about Rosaline having rejected his advances and Juliet has brought back his joy: she has lifted the heavy and sombre mood that he had felt. She has driven away the darkness caused by the despair that he has been feeling because of Rosaline's cold and indifferent attitude.
The metaphor is extended when Romeo mentions that the position from which the light emanates is...
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the east, therefore indicating sunrise. His meeting with Juliet has introduced a new dawn into his life, a new chapter. His life has been refreshed and the dawn signifies a new birth, a new start, which is exactly what Romeo experiences at this point.
Furthermore, the metaphor signifies that Juliet is "the sun": she is the bringer of life, the energy that has revitalized him. Juliet symbolizes a renewal in Romeo's life. She has brought him a new energy. His love for her has re-energized him. There is a new purpose to his existence and Juliet is the source of all this vitality.
This is an example of a metaphor, and even personification. Here's how:
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks - this is a stretch, but could be explained through personification in that light is not a human and is an inanimate object and therefore cannot break through anything.
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun - Here, Shakespeare makes a metaphorical comparison between Juliet and the sun. (It is not a simile as it doesn't use like or as.) Furthermore, a metaphor is a comparison between two entities that are not alike in any way, except in the aspect that they are compared. How are Juliet and the sun alike? They are both bright, and they are both something light in an otherwise dark night.
This scene, as does the rest of play, uses a lot of light/dark imagery to convey just how outstanding and extraordinary Romeo believes Juliet to be.
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.
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.
What literary devices are used in this Romeo and Juliet quote: symbolism, metaphors, or personification?
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon“
This is one of the most well-known quotes in all of Romeo and Juliet. In this quote you can find all three of the literary devices mentioned: symbolism, metaphors, and personification. To understand which devices are used, you need to first understand the meaning of each literary device.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas; it is a comparison made without using the words, like or as.
Personification is a type of metaphor in which a thing or abstraction is represented as a person.
A symbol, as it relates to literature, is an object, picture, written word, sound or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention.
Metaphor: In the famous quote above, Shakespeare writes, "Juliet is the sun." Juliet is being compared to the sun here without using the words like or as, so that is a metaphor.
Personification: When Shakespeare writes, "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon," he is using personification. The sun cannot actually perform the act of killing. This phrase gives the sun human characteristics.
Symbolism: Throughout the play, images of light and dark are used many times; the light symbolizes love, beauty, all that is good. The darkness represents depression, death, all that is bad or evil. In this quote, Shakespeare uses the symbol of light to represent beauty and love; in this case Juliet.