OXYMORON in Romeo and Juliet




  • The use of OXYMORON in Romeo and Juliet:
  • The phrase and the sentences are tow types of oxymoron.  An oxymoron combines words that are contradictory to each other in order to express an idea whether humorous or tragic that seems to too profound, too big, to express in normal language.

Few examples for oxymoron from Romeo and Juliet:

1. “then, o brawling love, o loving hate”

  • Expressed by Romeo when he was rejected by Rosaline.  Benvolio advises him to forget Rosaline.  LOVING HATE expresses his inner agony, love and hate can coexist simultaneously; unrequited love can breed hatred.  It completely exposes Romeo’s emotions.

2. “feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire sick health still-waking, sleep that is not what it.”

  • Exposes the condition of Romeo.  Love is like a feather very light.  But after the rejection it feels like a heavy lead.  Sick health denotes he is sick as he was rejected by Rosaline.

3. “Good night, good night.  Parting is such sweet, sorrow”

  • Said by Juliet as they parted after the party.  Sweet sorrow means unsettling sorrow and a sweet sense of hopefulness to meet him again.   It’s a combination of sad and joy.Hope to see him again Is Joy, temporary separation is sad.  Both feelings are well expressed.

4. “Mercury but murders, pardoning those that kill.”

  • The Prince said with sad note.  The prince punishes Romeo with banishment from Verona but feel for him as the murder is mere accidental incident.  Benvolio explains the real situation to the Prince.

5.       “O serpent heart, hid with flow’ ring face!

          Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?

          Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical (iii.ii)

  • Said by Juliet to the Nurse.  The killing of Tybalt by Romeo upsets her.  She refers Romeo as “beautiful tyrant”. Romeo looks innocent but the murder kills that opinion.

6. “A damned Saint, an honorable villain!” (iii.ii)

  • Juliet could not believe and she refers to Romeo, she is confused between belief and disbelief.  inner conflict in Juliet. She was unable to conclude Romeo as villain or Saint.

7. “Was ever book containing such vile matter

      So fairly bound? O, that deceit should dwell

       In such a gorgeous palace?”  (iii.ii)

  • Again, Juliet refers Romeo’s trustworthy amicable exterior and the harsh impulsive feature.  “fairly bound”, book,” comprised” vile matter refers to her confusion of Romeo’s appearance and reality.

8. “Just in her case, o woeful sympathy.” (iii.iii)

  • The Nurse feels pity for the separation of the lovers.  It’s a pathetic condition of Romeo and Juliet.

9. “And thou art wedded to calamity.” (iii.iii)

  • Expressed by Friar Lawrence.  He refers to the misfortune and disaster that chases Romeo wherever he goes. Wedded means a joyous celebration, and calamity is a pain and anguish.

10. “that almost freezes up the heat of life” (iv.iii)

  • Juliet before drinking sleeping potion says these words.  Freezes up is fear in Juliet’s heart.  It was an overwhelming anxiety by Juliet that awful might happen and jeopardize her life.

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