English Literary Devices Questions Medium
Foreshadowing is a literary device used by authors to hint or suggest future events or outcomes in a story. It creates suspense and anticipation in the reader, allowing them to make predictions about what might happen next.
One famous example of foreshadowing can be found in William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet." In Act 1, Scene 4, Romeo has a premonition about his own death, which foreshadows the tragic ending of the play. He says, "I fear, too early; for my mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars / Shall bitterly begin his fearful date / With this night's revels and expire the term / Of a despised life, closed in my breast, / By some vile forfeit of untimely death." This foreshadows the eventual deaths of Romeo and Juliet, as their love is doomed from the start. Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing in this scene builds tension and prepares the audience for the tragic events that will unfold.