In Shakespeare's plays, rhymed couplets serve several functions. They can be used to:
* Signal the end of a scene or act: Rhymed couplets are often used to mark the end of a scene or act, creating a sense of closure.
* Draw attention to important lines: Rhymed couplets can be used to emphasize key lines or passages in the play.
* Create a sense of beauty or lyricism: Rhymed couplets can create a sense of beauty or lyricism, adding to the richness and pleasure of the play.
* Convey a range of emotions: Rhymed couplets can be used to convey a wide range of emotions, from joy and love to sadness and despair.
Rhymed couplets are just one of the many poetic devices that Shakespeare uses in his plays. These devices add depth and meaning to the plays, making them some of the most beloved works of literature in the world.
Here are some examples of rhymed couplets from Shakespeare's plays:
* "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2)
* "The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes." (The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1)
* "All that glisters is not gold.
Oftentimes, to our hurt, we take the false
For the true thing." (The Merchant of Venice, Act 2, Scene 7)