Romeo and Juliet-Parallel Structure

Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level
of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is
with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or."

Words and Phrases Clauses

Parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and bicycling. Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of
With infinitive phrases: sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they
- Mary likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a bicycle. should do some warm-up exercises before the game
OR
-Mary likes to hike, swim, and ride a bicycle.
(Note: You can use "to" before all the verbs in a sentence or only before
the first one.)

Directions: Underline the parallel structure in the following lines from Romeo and Juliet.

1) “One fire burns out another’s burning;

One pain is less’ned by another’s anguish”
2) O, shut the door! And when thou hast done so,
Come weep with me, past hope, past cure, past help.”
3) "Here is much to do with hate, but more with love,
Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate,
Of anything, of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,
Feather of lead, bright-smoke; cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this."

4) "I have no joy of this contract tonight.

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning..."

5) "Till we can clear these ambiguities

And know their spring, their lead, their true descent;"
 Romeo and Juliet-Allusions
An allusion is any reference to a historical, religious, literary, artistic, or cultural figure, event or text. Because
writers use allusions to access the knowledge and memories of their audience, awareness of allusions will add
meaning to your reading, listening, or viewing experience.

Examples: find and explain the allusion in each sentence.

Ex 1: I really admire Lucinda’s business sense; clearly, she has the Midas touch.

Ex 2: “Hey, Prince Charming, get over here and wash the dishes!” exclaimed Ralph’s
mother.

Directions: Identify the allusions in the following lines from Romeo and Juliet. Then, label whether the word
is alluding to something Historical, Mythological, Religious or Folklore and superstition.

_________________1. “but all so soon as the all-cheering sun should in the farthest East begin
to draw the shady curtains from Aurora’s bed, away from light steals home
my heavy son . . .”

_________________2. “She’ll not be hit with Cupid’s arrow.”

_________________3. “come Pentecost as quickly as it will, some five-and-twenty years, and

then we masked.”

_________________4. “O, speak again bright angel! for thou art as glorious to this night, being o’er
my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven . . .”

_________________5. “Bondage is hoarse and my not speak aloud, else would I tear the cave where
Echo lies and make her airy tongue more hoarse than min with repetition
of ‘Romeo’!”

_________________6. “and flecked darkness like a drunkard reels from forth day’s path and
Titan’s fiery wheels.”

_________________7. “Laura, to his lady, was a kitchen wench (marry, she had a better love to
berhyme her), Dido a dowdy, Cleopatra a gypsy, Helen and Hero hildings
and harlots, Thisbe a grew eye or so, but not to the purpose.”

_________________8. “O serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a
cave?”

_________________9. “There is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself.”

_________________10. “Saint Francis be my speed! how oft to-night have my old feet stumbled
at graves!”