Two quotes dealing with puns in act one and two in Romeo and Juliet.And a 3-5 analysis.
Best look in the text for these items. Here's a link in case you left your book at school:
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/index.html
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Mercutio--"Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance."
Romeo--"Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes / With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead…"(I iv 13-5)
Romeo has used the word "sole" when referring to Mercutio's shoes, then made a pun by referring to his own "soul."
Would that be right ?
Yes, that's right. Good work.
What else have you found?
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In Act II, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet, there is another example of a pun:
Mercutio - "If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark."
This is a pun because the word "mark" has a double meaning. On one hand, Mercutio is referring to love not being able to aim accurately, but on the other hand, the word "mark" can also refer to a target. So, by saying "love cannot hit the mark," Mercutio is making a wordplay suggesting that love cannot hit the target of his affection.
For the analysis:
Both of these quotes demonstrate the use of puns in Romeo and Juliet. Puns are a common device used by Shakespeare to create humor and playfulness in his plays. The pun in Act I, Scene 4 between Romeo and Mercutio highlights their contrasting attitudes towards love. While Mercutio is encouraging Romeo to dance and pursue love, Romeo, being melancholic, responds with a pun on the word "sole" and "soul," emphasizing his heavy-heartedness and unwillingness to participate in frivolous activities like dancing.
The pun in Act II, Scene 4 made by Mercutio expands on the theme of love. By saying "love cannot hit the mark," Mercutio plays on the dual meaning of "mark" as both a target and a romantic interest. This pun suggests that love is often blind and fails to achieve its desired objective.
Overall, these puns add depth and complexity to the characters' interactions and contribute to the overall comedic tone of the play. They showcase Shakespeare's wit and skill in using language to convey multiple meanings and create layers of interpretation.