de Venoge – ELA
Opposing Forces in Romeo and Juliet
Important Terms
Dichotomy (noun): a division into two mutually exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups
Ex: In The Crucible, Danforth says, “a person is either with this court or he must be counted
against it - there will be no road between.” He means that you are either with the court, and therefore
with God, or you are against it, and therefore the Devil by extension. He sets up a strict dichotomy that
everyone must fit into. Proctor unsuccessfully tries to remain the ‘road between’ but is forced to choose
sides and be a part of the dichotomy when his wife’s live is at stake. The Crucible’s central conflict is
produced by it’s main dichotomy: WITH THE COURT/WITH GOD v. AGAINST THE COURT/WITH SATAN.
Juxtaposition (noun): an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for
comparison or contrast
Ex: Arthur Miller chooses to juxtapose two opposite characters, or opposing characters, like
Danforth and Proctor (each representing a different side of Salem’s dichotomy) for the purpose of
highlighting the hysteria and insanity of the Salem witch trials. Proctor’s character shines a light on
Danforth’s rigid and irrational logic – and by extension, the hypocrisy of the court as a whole – whereas
Danforth serves to emphasize Proctor’s level-headed nature. They represent two different sides of the
dichotomy, opposite ends of the spectrum.
Oxymoron (noun): a figure of speech by which a word or phrase produces an incongruous, seemingly
contradictory effect
Ex: It’s not only characters or concepts that can be juxtaposed for comparison – this is something
that can be done at the most basic level of language: words. Oxymora are used by authors to again create
a comparison, but oxymora often specifically create a paradox. A paradox is a statement that contradicts
itself, and yet is true. Specific examples of oxymora in Romeo and Juliet can be found in Romeo’s dialogue
at the end of Act 1, Scene 1 when he is talking about love: “O brawling love/O loving hate!”
1. Write an explanation as to how these three terms (dichotomy, juxtaposition, oxymoron) are related.
2. Write an example for a dichotomy involving the characters and an explanation as to its purpose in the play.
3. Write an example of a dichotomy related to a prevalent motif and an explanation as to its purpose in the
play.