CHARACTER ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
Play Title: Romeo and Juliet
Date : January 17, 2016
Actor: Miss Kelleher
Character: Juliet
DRAMATIC ACTION for the play
Remember that a character is determined ONLY AFTER his actions, not before. First, analyze the
character’s wants and desires. What is the character’s THROUGH LINE OF ACTION for the entire play.
Looking over the course of the script, what is the through line for each character?
OBJECTIVE (Desire or Victory)
This is a statement of what a character wants most; power, dominance over others, love for another,
elf-integrity, dominance over fear, etc.
Answer these questions:
What do I really want? - I want to be with Romeo (I want to be in love)
Why? - Because he makes me feel good. I like the feeling of being in love
When do I want it? - Immediately
Why?- Because I cannot wait. I would rather die than not be with him.
OBSTACLE (Other)
This is the person or thing that is preventing him from getting what he wants. What or who is
standing in his way? From whom (in the play) does he want it? Who in the play can help him? Who
in the play can hurt him?
Answer these questions:
From whom (in the play) do I want it? Why?- I want Romeo because he is my true love.
Who in the play can help me? Why? - My Nurse can help me and The Friar can help because
the nurse can meet with Romeo during the day when I cannot and will do what I ask because she
loves me and the Friar because he can marry us even without my Father’s permission.
Who in the play can hurt me? Why? – My father can hurt me and Count Paris because my
father has arranged my marriage to Count Paris and I cannot tell my secret that I love and marry
Romeo without being dis-inherited and thrown out on the street, or possibly killed.
What are my deepest fears? Why? – My deepest fear is that I will be unable to be with
Romeo because of our families feud .
TACTIC (Will)
This is a character’s relative strength in attaining his wants or desires. How can he get what he
wants? How (and whom) can he threaten? How (and whom) can he induce? How strong or weak is
his inner strength? Is it strong enough to push him the full limit, or will he compromise? Does he
have any sense of moral responsibility to others? How honest is he with others and with himself?
(a character’s moral stance will affect the attainment of his wants and desires)
Answer these questions:
How can I get it? Why? - I can get it when Romeo meets me in secret at night and when we
sneak away at night to be married. I can be with him when he is banished by pretending to be
dead and sneaking away at night. I can also be with him in death since I cannot stand to live or
be without him.
How (and whom) can I threaten? Why? - I can threaten my nurse and the Friar to do what I
want by threatening to take my life if I cannot be with Romeo.
How (and whom) can I induce? Why? – I can induce Romeo because he loves me and will do
what I ask, just as I will do what he asks.
EXPECTATION (Resolution)
Every character has 5 basic Human Needs. These, in one way or another, ultimately become what
the character expects to get. What does the character expect in the end? Why does he expect to get
it? Why does it excite him? What will he do when he gets it?
1) Winning 2) Survival 3) Validation 4) Love 5) Happiness
Answer these questions:
Why do I expect to get it? -I expect to be with Romeo or die
Why does it excite me? - Because I like to live with Passion and without I do not see the point
in living.
What will I do when I get it? – I will do whatever I must, including taking my own life.
DRAMATIC ACTION within a scene
1. What do others say about this character?
Young, Beautiful, Innocent, naive, selfish, headstrong
2. What does this character say about others?
Her words will change depending on if they are helping her with her objective or stopping her. She is
kind to the nurse when she believes she is helping her to be with Romeo and then chastises her when
she does not. She is hard on her father and Paris since she does not want to follow their commands.
She always speaks kindly to and about Romeo, but hates that his last name is Montague and her’s
Capulet.
3. What discoveries does this character make?
She discovers her love for Romeo and the deep passion that awakens within her when she does. She
also discovers how she will go to any lengths to be with him, placing him above her family and even
her own life.
4. How does this information affect each character? Does it change their behavior, way of thinking,
needs?
She begins as a pretty normal girl, not looking for love, but then turns into an obsessive drive that
burns within. She is at first respectful and kind to her family and friends, and becomes a rebellious
fanatic who will do whatever it takes to be with the boy she loves.
5. Does this information signal a victory? a defeat? a reason for reevaluation?
It ends in both victory and defeat. She achieves her objective of being with Romeo but it is at the
cost of her life.
6. Character’s objective, obstacle and tactic
-To be with Romeo, Her family will not allow it, she runs away and kills herself.
7. What is the character’s subtext
To be with ones love is the ultimate. It is better to die then to be without ones love. Passion drives all
actions.
8. Character-mood-intensity upon entering the scene (this is the physical or body-state of the
character)
* heartbeat: rate * perspiration: heavy, light, etc. * stomach condition
* muscle tension * breathing: rate, depth
CHARACTERIZATION
INTERNALS
1. Background (culture, childhood, upbringing, special memories)
Raised by nurse in an upper class house, always taught to hate the Montagues, in a deadly
feud with them. Remember losing family members to their bloody hands. Little formal education, able to
read and write and count but that is it. Italian family upbringing.
2. Mental (intellect/common sense, right/left brain…)
Little common sense, very right brained, act first/think later, do not think about the
consequences of things or how my actions might affect others.
3. Spiritual (religion, beliefs and values)
Protestant, believes in true love above all things.
4. Emotional (calm, angry, gentle, .. when and why)
Excited, ansy, passionate, depressed, anxious, deeply in love, selfish
EXTERNALS
1. Dress (casual/formal, day/night…)
Formal, upperclass, red to represent her family name.
2. Movement (bounce, sway, swagger, …)
Sway, does not plant but leans and holds onto things as she might fall from her passion
3. Posture (slouched, straight, leads with head/hips/chest….)
Straight, leads with heart
4. Voice (pitch, rate, volume, inflection, quality)
Higher pitched to show youth, strong, confident speaker.
5. Mannerisms (habits the character does without a prop)
Lots of talking with hands, exaggerates, hands usually higher on the body, by the head/chest
CHARACTER PROFILE QUESTIONS
1. What is your full name?
Juliet Capulet
2. What does your name mean? origin?
British, means youthful
3. When & where were you born? current age?
Verona, Italy, 1530
4. What is your occupation?
Daugher of an Aristocrat
5. Who is your greatest role model?
Aphrodite (follows her passion and love)
6. What excites you?
Passion, love, Romeo
7. What secrets do you have?
I am in love/ married to Romeo
8. What are your deepest fears?
That he and I cannot be together because of the forces of this world
9. Who do you hate? love?
I hate the things that keep Romeo and I apart. I love the things that bring us together.
10. List 10 adjectives to describe you.
Passionate, young, excitable, impulsive, nieve, unstable, inexperienced, dramatic, loyal, thickheaded
11. What are your hobbies?
I sew, read, dancing, singing, daydreaming
12. What food best describes you?
Chocolate mousse. (rich, decadent, light)
13. What discoveries have you made in the last year?
That I am interested in men romantically and that I am entering into an age where I might be
married soon. I am no longer considered a child, even though I am still young. I like to be with people
who excite me, I have a rebel side.
14. What animal would best describe you? why?
Turtle dove (romantic, flighty, partners for life)
15. What is your favorite :
color? Red for my house then blue for Romeo’s house when I marry him
animal? Night lark (because night is when I get to be with Romeo)
food? Any dessert.
book? Phyramis and Thisbe (greek play which R&J is based off)
movie? n/a
music? Renassance dance music that played when I first danced with Romeo
ANYTHING ELSE..........
PREVIOUS ACTION
This is specific information from the script, which details the events and action which occurred prior to the
play beginning. Note specifically YOUR CHARACTER’S previous action. It is not necessary to know
others’ previous action.
Before the play begins- My house hold and the Montagues are in a deadly battle to kill each other.
Act1 Scene 3- (in Capulet’s House) Reading in a previous room , enter’s upon being called.
Act 1 Scene 5- (Hall in Capulet House) Prepared for the dance, ready to make a grand entrance to begin the
feast.
Act 2 Scene 2- (Balcony) Just prepared for bed, changed into my nightgown
ETC….