English Literature Paper 1 Romeo and
Juliet
'O brawling love, O loving hate.' - correct answer-Act 1 Scene 1 (Romeo)
Fickle love, Shakespeare uses this series of oxymoron's to present Romeo's state of mind
contradicting each other, confusing the joys of love with the emotional unrequited love
towards Rosaline. This also emphasises his immaturity and potential for deeper love.
'Did my heart love till now......For i ne'er saw true beauty till this night,' - correct answer-Act 1
Scene 5 (Romeo)
Fickle/Superficial love, Romeo has just seen Juliet from the masquerade ball after having
sulked about Rosaline. He then becomes overwhelmed by her beauty presenting his
superficial love which he believes equates to love.
'My only love sprung from my only hate' - correct answer-Act 1 Scene 5 (Juliet about
Romeo)
Fickle love, Juliet says this when she's expressing her emotions about Romeo stating how
its her only love and how she has fallen in love too quick with the 'enemy' the Montagues.
This also represents how conflict is intertwined with love.
'A pair of star cross'd lovers take their life' - correct answer-Prologue
Personification
Fate, This personification foreshadows the death of Juliet and Romeo and laying out the
genre of the play "Tragedy". This personification suggests how Romeo and Juliet were
'crossed by the stars'
'O! I am fortune's fool' - correct answer-Act 3 Scene 1 (Romeo)
Alliteration
Fate , Romeo has just married Juliet and calls himself a 'fool' for murdering Tybalt as this
conflict causes the banishment of Romeo to Verona. This could foreshadow the end of the
play in which Romeo has been fortunate to love Juliet, but a fool as it ends up in his death
with him not knowing about Juliet faking her death. This a reiteration of the fate introduced
for Romeo in the Prologue of which mentions 'star cross'd lovers'
'A plague a'both your houses' - correct answer-Act 3 Scene 1 (Mercutio)
Metaphor
Fate, Mercutio has defended Romeo when Tybalt attempts to search for conflict with Romeo
not knowing that he has married Juliet but to give payback for attending the masquerade
ball. Enraged that Tybalt kills Mercutio, his final words foreshadows the death of Romeo and
Juliet. This moment of the play is the Volta where everything goes wrong for Romeo and
Juliet.
'A glooming peace this morning with it brings the sun, for sorrow' - correct answer-Act 5
Scene 3 (Prince)
Oxymoron
Juliet
'O brawling love, O loving hate.' - correct answer-Act 1 Scene 1 (Romeo)
Fickle love, Shakespeare uses this series of oxymoron's to present Romeo's state of mind
contradicting each other, confusing the joys of love with the emotional unrequited love
towards Rosaline. This also emphasises his immaturity and potential for deeper love.
'Did my heart love till now......For i ne'er saw true beauty till this night,' - correct answer-Act 1
Scene 5 (Romeo)
Fickle/Superficial love, Romeo has just seen Juliet from the masquerade ball after having
sulked about Rosaline. He then becomes overwhelmed by her beauty presenting his
superficial love which he believes equates to love.
'My only love sprung from my only hate' - correct answer-Act 1 Scene 5 (Juliet about
Romeo)
Fickle love, Juliet says this when she's expressing her emotions about Romeo stating how
its her only love and how she has fallen in love too quick with the 'enemy' the Montagues.
This also represents how conflict is intertwined with love.
'A pair of star cross'd lovers take their life' - correct answer-Prologue
Personification
Fate, This personification foreshadows the death of Juliet and Romeo and laying out the
genre of the play "Tragedy". This personification suggests how Romeo and Juliet were
'crossed by the stars'
'O! I am fortune's fool' - correct answer-Act 3 Scene 1 (Romeo)
Alliteration
Fate , Romeo has just married Juliet and calls himself a 'fool' for murdering Tybalt as this
conflict causes the banishment of Romeo to Verona. This could foreshadow the end of the
play in which Romeo has been fortunate to love Juliet, but a fool as it ends up in his death
with him not knowing about Juliet faking her death. This a reiteration of the fate introduced
for Romeo in the Prologue of which mentions 'star cross'd lovers'
'A plague a'both your houses' - correct answer-Act 3 Scene 1 (Mercutio)
Metaphor
Fate, Mercutio has defended Romeo when Tybalt attempts to search for conflict with Romeo
not knowing that he has married Juliet but to give payback for attending the masquerade
ball. Enraged that Tybalt kills Mercutio, his final words foreshadows the death of Romeo and
Juliet. This moment of the play is the Volta where everything goes wrong for Romeo and
Juliet.
'A glooming peace this morning with it brings the sun, for sorrow' - correct answer-Act 5
Scene 3 (Prince)
Oxymoron
