Rachel Lin

Mrs. Hope
World Literature
13 January 2016

Romeo and Juliet Allusions Essay

Romeo and Juliet is written by the famous Shakespeare and tells the tragedy of two
lovers destined to be together but many obstacles stand in their way. In the play, a reoccurring
literary device Shakespeare uses are allusions, usually to Roman/Greek gods and goddesses. An
allusion is the reference to something well known, such as a famous piece of artwork or an
author. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare alludes to mythological characters often in order to
convey his message so the reader better understands and to draw connections between Romeo
and Juliet and the figures he alludes to.
Shakespeare uses allusions to Greek/Roman mythological characters because their
stories communicate Shakespeares message in a way that makes it easier for the reader to
understand, if they are familiar with the reference. For instance, when Mercutio and Benvolio try
to convince Romeo to dance and meet other women at Capulets party, Mercutio argues that
since Romeo [is] a lover and he should borrow Cupids wings and soar above the common
bound (1.4.17-18). By alluding to Cupid, the god of love, Shakespeare is helping the reader
understand that since Romeo believes in love, he has the power of the god of love to be greater
than the average man and so he should dance like a man in love. Shakespeare alludes to Cupid

multiple times throughout the play because he is a famous, romantic figure in mythology, which
aids Shakespeare in adding detail and clarity to Romeo and Juliets love story. Furthermore,
Mercutio says mockingly to Romeo, Oh, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you when
Romeo expresses his concerns about an ominous dream he had (1.4.58). Mercutio believes
dreams are fictional, just like Queen Mab, the queen of fairies. When he performs a monologue
about Queen Mab, it is clear that Mercutio is making fun of Romeos childish beliefs. As one can
see, Shakespeares use of allusions assist him in making the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of
the characters clear.
Along with helping readers comprehend the play, allusions also serve another purpose.
Shakespeare uses them to compare and draw connections to Romeo and Juliets story. Notably,
Shakespeare alludes to many characters of tragic love stories. In Mercutio and Romeos battle of
wits, Mercutio compares Romeos girl to Dido . . . Cleopatra . . . Hero . . . Helen . . .
Thisbe . . . [and] Venus (2.4.43-44). All of these allusions are women with a tragic love story,
displaying how Shakespeare is using them to relate Romeos situation to theirs. Furthermore,
Mercutio teases Romeo by alluding to Petrarchs poetry, who was a famous poet who wrote
about his love, Laura, a married woman. In Act 1, Romeo thought he was in love with Rosaline,
who didnt love him back. One can see Romeo and Petrarchs similarities; they both had
unrequited love for women. Moreover, Shakespeare alludes to many Greek and Roman gods and
goddesses. In Act 2, after Romeo has met Juliet, he expresses his astonishment of her beauty by
comparing her to the moon goddess, Diana. He thinks of Juliet as the sun that kill[s] the
envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that . . . her maid art far more fair than
she (2.2.3-6). By depicting Juliet as the beautiful sun and Diana as the jealous moon,
Shakespeare is comparing Diana and Juliets beauty, and according to Romeo, Juliet is far

prettier, despite the fact that Diana is a goddess. Overall, the connections between Shakespeares
allusions and Romeo and Juliet are very significant.
In conclusion, the use of allusions in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet have notable
significance in aiding the reader to understand the plot. Shakespeare uses them not only to make
the message he is trying to convey easier to grasp, but in order to compare and make connections
between the allusions and the characters. If one has prior knowledge about it, the allusions in
Romeo and Juliet provide detail and clarity to the text. Without allusions, a characters intentions
or feelings are not as emphasized. Shakespeares use of allusions are part of what makes the
tragedy of Romeo and Juliet so famously well-written.