Metaphor in romeo and juliet?

Question:act 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: act 1

When Romeo sees Juliet he speaks about her, using metaphor: “She doth teach the torches to burn bright”. This tells us that Juliet's beauty is much brighter than that of the torches - so she is very beautiful. She is so much brighter that she teaches the torches how to shine - a poetic exaggeration, since torches can't really be taught. It is important for Romeo to say this, as the audience cannot see Juliet's beauty directly - in Shakespeare's theatre a boy, perhaps seen at some distance, plays Juliet. But the metaphor also tells us that it is night, as Romeo can see the torches he compares her to. The audience must imagine this, as the play is performed by daylight, and no lighted torch would be safe in the theatre (the real Globe theatre was eventually destroyed by fire). At a private performance, at night in a rich person's house, there might be real torches on the walls, of course.

Or when Juliet says "My lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand.." is a great metaphor, because both Romeo and herself are using clever religious metaphors to show their feelings for each other. She is saying that her lips ARE two blushing pilgrims ready to sin in the act of kissing him.

Hope this is of help.