How Does Shakespeare Use Figurative Language In Romeo And Juliet

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet there is an abundance of figurative language. Shakespeare's most popular metaphor is the comparison of love and marriage to death. The use of figurative language reveals many themes.
Juliet compares her love and marriage to Romeo and her marriage to Paris during the play. These comparisons lead us to believe that their death is inevitable. Juliet is a fourteen year old girl who is forced to marry a much older man after she is already secretly married to the son of her family's enemy. In act one when Juliet has realized that her new love is a Montague, she says that “my grave is like to be my wedding bed”(1.5.149). This quote describes that Juliet is likely to die if she marries Romeo. The end of this act seems to create a common theme that Juliet and Romeo being together could cause many problems, possibly including death. Once Juliet

Romeo’s comparisons create similar themes as Juliet. In act two, scene two, Romeo and Juliet acknowledge their love for each other and the desire to be married. Once they have discussed their family’s hatred Romeo says that “my life were better ended by your love/than death prorogued lacking your love” (2.2.82-83.) This shows that Romeo would rather die loved by Juliet than die unloved. This carries out a similar theme as stated before, they would rather die than be apart. In act three, once Romeo has been exiled for killing Tybalt he goes to the Friar. He tells the Friar that he would rather die than live in Mantua without Juliet, when he says “Ha banishment? Be merciful say “death”/For exile hath more terror in his look/Much more than death banishment.”(3.3.13-15.) This is similar to when Juliet went to the Friar and talked to him about not being with Romeo. This develops the theme that Romeo thinks that being alone is worse than death. Shakespeare uses similar themes for Romeo and Juliet because they are both faced with similar