The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
             The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is a captivating story filled with sword fights, enemies, trickery, despair, death, tragedy, but above all love. I have chosen to talk about an important monologue by one of the main characters, Friar Lawrence, a kindhearted priest who continually helps Romeo and Juliet throughout the play. In this specific monologue, the friar begins to fill his basket with weeds, herbs and flowers while talking out loud about their meanings. He goes on to say: "O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies, in plants, herbs, stones and their true qualities. For not so vile that on the earth doth live, but to the earth some special good doth give; Nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use, revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse."(2.3.15-20). In talking about medicinal plants, he contemplates the balance of good and evil in all natural things. The speech suggests that good and evil exists in every living thing and that the common tie between the two is nature. He concludes his monologue by leaving us with the underlying idea that good may be perverted by evil, but evil may also be purified by good.
             William Shakespeare is known for being the most influential writer in the English language. He connects with us through the intensity and richness of his language, which is filled with literary devices we have never seen before. Friar Laurence starts off his speech with a personification, treating the morning like a person in saying it smiles. "The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night."(2.3.1). While he uses simple language devices such as this metaphor: "check' ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light."(2.3.2), he then moves into more complex devices. The idea of reversing thoughts, words, and sentence construction, is a main influence of this speech. "The earth that's natures mother is her tomb; what ...