Aside used in Romeo and Juliet?

Aside refers to a dramatic convention when a character speaks to the audience while the other characters on the stage are not supposed to hear them. It involves the character turning away from the other characters and speaking directly to the audience. In the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, there are several asides used by various characters throughout the play.

Here are some notable asides in Romeo and Juliet:

Romeo's Aside:

Act 2, Scene 2

During the famous balkon scene, Romeo delivers an aside after Juliet says, "_What man art thou, that, thus bescreened in night/So stumblest on my councel?"

_ROMEO: (aside) She speaks./O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art/As glorious to this night, being o'er my head/As is a wingèd messenger of heaven/Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes/Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him/When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds/And sails upon the bosom of the air.

Juliet's Aside:

Act 3, Scene 1

After Friar Laurence suggests giving Juliet a potion that will mimic death, she delivers an aside expressing hesitation and fear about the plan:

_JULIET: (aside) What if it be a poison, which the friar/Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead;/Lest in this marriage he should be dishonor'd/Because he married me before to Romeo?

Friar Laurence's Aside:

Act 4, Scene 2

As Juliet's body is being carried away from her bedroom, Friar Laurence reflects on the tragic consequences that have unfolded due to the lovers' deaths.

_FRIAR LAURENCE: (aside) All things that we ordained festival,

Turn from their office to black funeral. Our instruments, to melancholy bells; Our wedding cheer, to a sad burial feast; Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change; Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse; And all things change them to the contrary

These asides offer insights into the thoughts, emotions, and motivations of the characters, and they allow the audience to understand their perspectives beyond what is revealed in the dialogue between the characters. The utilization of asides adds depth and complexity to the play, enhancing the audience's engagement with the story and characters.