Shakespeare uses metaphors, many allusions, and some conceits in order to evolve characterization. When Romeo stated “It is the east and Juliet is the sun, Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon” Shakespeare is using a metaphor to compare Juliet to the sun. This passage implies that Juliet is as great and as bright as the sun (good) which eliminates darkness (evil) as it arises, He also uses an allusion to metaphorically compare Juliet to Hellos, the sun god, and is asking Juliet to arise and eliminate the evil of darkness, Artemisia, the Greek moon goddess.
Shakespeare also compares Paris to a book when lady Caplet says “Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face” which is a conceit to show the reading that Paris is like a perfect book and “only lacks a cover”. The “cover” of a book is also another conceit which supposedly represents Juliet and her part In marriage to Paris. Shakespeare tries to imply that Paris is almost perfect and needs only Juliet to marry him to become complete. Another example where Shakespeare uses a conceit is when Friar Lawrence is outside of his cell gathering herbs.
He indirectly compares everyday people to “plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities” and saying how alike plants and people are because “Virtue itself turns vice Ewing misapplied, and vice sometimes by action dignified”. This conceit shows how some people can turn good or evil, and characterizes friar Laurence because he tries to convert evil, the two feuding families, to good by using the good of Romeo and Gullet’s love. Shakespeare brings into play the use of imagery.
Romeo relates Juliet to an image of a saint that should be worshiped, a role that Juliet is willing to play. One of the plays most constant visual image is the contrast between light and dark, frequently in conditions of night and day imagery. This contrast doesn’t have a meaning, light isn’t always good, and dark isn’t always evil. On the contrary, light and dark are generally used to supply a comparison and to indicate at different options.
One of the most important cases of this motif is Romeos lengthy contemplation on the sun and the moon during the balcony scene, in which Juliet is metaphorically described as the sun, is seen as “kill[inning] the envious moon” and converting the night into day. A similar vague impression of night and day occurs in the morning after Romeo and Gullet’s night together. Romeo is enforced to depart for exile in the morning, but Juliet, doesn’t want him to leave her room. So the lovers pretended that it is till night, and that the light is actually darkness: “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes. Shakespeare develops character and plot by using a variety of allusions, metaphors, conceits, and foreshadowing events. His diction and use of figurative language greatly contributes to his play and helps the reader to have a better understanding of the characters and plot. Shakespearean use of foreshadowing greatly develops the plot and his conceits and allusions develop characterization.
