Lady Capulet says Paris is a book Juliet should read, an unbound lover. The implication is that there is much to him which Juliet can learn and should appreciate.
Romeo and Benvolio are going to enter the Capulet ball. Romeo wants to see Rosaline, but Benvolio says he will show Romeo women that will make him see Rosaline not as a swan, but as a crow.
Romeo compares his lips to pilgrims. Juliet responds that pilgrims can hold hands, a metaphor for kissing she uses to imply kissing should also bring comfort.
Figurative language is a series of literary devices that create meaning by associating one thing with another. William Shakespeare employed the use of figurative language in many of his works. The figurative language in Romeo and Juliet Act 1 helps establish various characters and relationships.
For example, early in the plot the Prince scolds the Montagues and Capulets, calling them, ''you men, you beasts,/ That quench the fire of your pernicious rage.'' Referring to them as beasts implies they are uncivilized and ruled by instincts and passions. Instead of simply calling them unruly, the metaphor adds a specific image and comparison that strengthens the statement.
Two of the most important literary devices in Romeo and Juliet are metaphors and imagery.
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A metaphor is figurative language that states one thing is another without using the words ''is'' or ''like.'' This creates a direct comparison between two things in order to highlight symbolism.
Metaphors in Romeo and Juliet are used liberally by many characters.
When they first arrive at the Capulet ball, Romeo is hoping to catch a glimpse of Rosaline, a Capulet with whom he is deeply in love. Benvolio tells Romeo that he will show Romeo women who ''will make thee think thy swan a crow.'' Benvolio is suggesting that Rosaline is not as attractive as other women. Romeo sees her as beautiful, but if he were to see her next to others, he would see she does not compare. A swan is considered majestic while a crow is considered an omen of death.
Romeo makes several statements about the nature of love in Act 1. He describes it as a ''a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes,'' ''a madness most discreet,/ A choking gall.'' He also notes that love is not tender and ''it pricks like thorn.'' These seemingly contradictory descriptions of love show the complex nature of the emotion. The fire can represent something warm, but it can also represent something destructive. The idea that love is hard and thorny may suggest it is dangerous, but it also implies it is strong and resilient. These images fit in with the play's themes in that the love between Romeo and Juliet could push the young lovers to flee and be happy or it could end in disaster. The latter occurs, though, and both Romeo and Juliet and four others are dead by the end of the play.
Juliet also uses metaphors when referring to love in Act 1. When Romeo tries to ask forgiveness, he calls his lips ''blushing pilgrims'' ready to place a kiss on her. Juliet responds by stating that ''saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,/ And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.'' With her metaphor, she is comparing a kiss to a holy experience, something which can transform. At the same time, her comparison to holding hands implies closeness and comfort. Holding hands is generally less intimate than kissing, so Juliet could also be dismissing kissing as casual.
Lady Capulet also uses a metaphor when she refers to Paris as a book of love and an unbound lover. She is trying to tell Juliet that Paris is rich and complex for her to examine, which she will love once she learns his story. She tells Juliet that he lacks a cover, implying his story is not yet complete.
Romeo and Juliet on the balcony.
