Friday, March 6, 2015

What is the literary device for "But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart. My will to her consent is but a part"?

This quote is from Act I, Scene iii of Romeo and Juliet, where Paris talks with Lord Capulet about his desire to marry Juliet. The lines are spoken by Capulet and are traditionally written out as such:

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart.
My will to her consent is but a part.

In these particular couple of lines, we can find a literary device in the fact that Shakespeare has created a rhyme and meter, as he so often does in his plays. Ending the lines with the rhyme of heart and part creates an emphasis on the lines, and rhyme and rhythm work together here because these lines are in iambic pentameter. Furthermore, these lines are near the beginning of a speech made by Lord Capulet, which is composed mostly of rhyming couplets. The rhyme scheme within this speech lends to an active rhythm when the lines are spoken out loud, which is, of course, the purpose for which they were written.
We also have the literary device of characterization in these lines. Lord Capulet is indirectly characterized by his own words, which show us that he is a kind man who cares about his daughter's happiness. Paris is directly characterized when Capulet refers to him as "gentle."

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