Foreshadowing Examples

Foreshadowing occurs in a literary text when the author gives clues and hints about what is to come in the story. Foreshadowing can occur due to the characters' words or thoughts, or it can occur because of the action of the story. Foreshadowing helps to create suspense in the story.

1. A pipe is going to burst, but before it does, the author writes a scene where the family notices a small dark spot on the ceiling, but ignores it.

2. A character in a story comments on the weather, and says, "I think a storm is coming." This can signify a physical storm or a metaphorical storm that is coming in the story.

Examples of Foreshadowing from Literature

1. In Romeo and Juliet, the death of the two lovers is foreshadowed from the very beginning: "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. Whose misadventures, piteous overthrows, do with their death, bury their parents' strife."

2. Romeo further foreshadows his death just before he and his friends crash the Capulet party: "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."

3. The witches in Macbeth are used to foreshadow that Macbeth is not innocent: "Fair is foul and foul is fair."