Question

directions: in your notes, elaborate on why each of these is a pun or an oxymoron. what makes them a pun? what makes them an oxymoron? puns: - romeo:
ot i, believe me. you have dancing shoes / with nimble soles. i have a soul of lead...\ (romeo a1s4) - mercutio: \that dreamers often lie.\ (mercutio a1s4)

Explanation:

For Romeo's quote, "soles" of shoes is homophonically played with "soul" of a person. He implies his soul is heavy like lead while others have light - footedness. For Mercutio's quote, "lie" can mean both to tell falsehoods and to recline. Dreamers may lie (recline) in sleep and also lie (tell falsehoods) as dreams can be untrue. An oxymoron combines contradictory terms, and these are puns as they play on word meanings, not contradictions.

Answer:

Romeo's quote is a pun because of the play on "soles" and "soul". Mercutio's quote is a pun because of the double - meaning of "lie". Neither is an oxymoron as there are no contradictory terms combined.