Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium Münster-Hiltrup
Schuljahr 2008/2009
LK Englisch 12.2 (Herr Berens)
William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”Can it still be staged today?
Facharbeit
von
Regine Lange
Münster
März 2009
-2-
Index of contents
1. Introduction
p.3
2. Biography of William Shakespeare
3. Theatre, Society and Public
p.4
p.5
3.1 Theatre and the Elizabethan society p.5
3.2 London’s theatres p.6
3.3 The Elizabethan public p.6,7
3.4 What was used to design a performance credible in Shakespeare’s time?
p.7,8
4. “Romeo and Juliet”
p.8
4.1 Content of the play in short p.8
4.2 First performance of the play p.8
4.3 “Romeo and Juliet” today p.9
5. “Romeo and Juliet” life on stage
p.9
5.1 My own experiences with Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
5.2 Can “Romeo and Juliet” still be staged today? p.11,12
6. Bibliography p.13
7. Summary of all conclusions
8. Erklärung
p.15
p.14,15
p.9,10,11
-3-
1. Introduction
Regarding to the development of the subject and of the work itself, I have to appoint
my interest in the theatre’s history and its changing position in society during the
centuries, as the deciding reason for my choice. My desire for working with one of
William Shakespeare’s sonnets was always there especially because of the fact that
they are on the one hand famous and seem to be thematically ageless on the other
hand as well.
The first sonnet I thought about was the tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet”. But the
arising question was: In what way should I work with it and what essence and deeper
matter am I able to conclude out of the play?
In the beginning of my work I was thinking of an analysis in the classical sense by
focusing in particular on the play’s language and the rhetorical devices. After some
time I changed my opinion and based my work on the idea of concentrating on the
problematic of a modern interpretation of the play in our time. What has changed
from the first performance till today? What was the theatre’s social position in
Shakespeare’s time and is “Romeo and Juliet”, in front of the historical change of the
theatre and the play’s different interpretations, applicable to be staged in our time at
all?
For the first examination with this complex topic I read an English and German
edition of “Romeo and Juliet” to get a general overview of the play and its content.
After that, I visited a performance of it, staged by Kathrin Sievers and the English
Theatre Company, in Essen.
In access to that, I went to the City’s library of Münster and procured some material
to William Shakespeare himself, his sonnets and some critical consideration of
“Romeo and Juliet” then and today.
With the help of the library’s material and some internet-sources, I was able to
prepare my work without any real difficulties.
Now, get an impression of the play’s change in performance and interpretation from
then till today and make up your own opinion to the question:
Can “Romeo and Juliet” still be staged today?
-4-
2. Biography of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, and was
baptized in the Holy Trinity Church on April the 26th 1564. His actual birthday is not
known, but one assumes he was born three days earlier on St. George’s day.
William, according to the church register, was the third of eight children in the
Shakespeare household, but only one sister and four of his brothers survived to
adulthood. The family probably lived some one hundred miles northwest of London,
in Henley Street. His father John Shakespeare was a glover and leather merchant and
his mother Mary Arden, who married John Shakespeare in 1557, was a landed local
heiress. Till 1570 John Shakespeare had a remarkable run of success as a merchant,
alderman and high bailiff of Stratford, but then his fortunes declined.
During his childhood William Shakespeare likely visited the New King’s Grammar
School in Stratford, which at that time had a reputation to rival that of Eton. He was
especially educated in Latin and Classical Greek. One is not certain how long
William attended the school, but the literary quality of his works suggests a solid
education. Nevertheless one knows that William Shakespeare never proceeded to
university schooling.
On November 28th, 1582, William Shakespeare, who was 18 years old at that time,
married the 26 years-old and pregnant Anne Hathaway. Their first daughter Susanna
was born on May 26th, 1583. The couple later had twins, Hamnet and Judith, born
February 2nd, 1585. Hamnet died in childhood at the age of 11, 1596.
For the following seven years William Shakespeare disappeared from all records,
finally turning up again in London some time in 1592. It is estimated that
Shakespeare arrived in London around 1588 and began to establish himself as an
actor and playwright. In 1594 he was acting and writing for the Lord Chamberlain’s
Men, who became a favourite London troupe, patronized by royalty. Shakespeare’s
success is apparent compared to other playwrights of his age. Never before had a
playwright enjoyed sufficient acclaim to see his works published and even sold in the
midst of his career.
William Shakespeare allegedly died on his birthday, April 23rd, 1616 and was
interred at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford on April 15th.
* internet-sources
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3. Theatre, Society and Public
3.1 Theatre and the Elizabethan Society
Theatres were a part in the urban life that could not be ignored in the 16th century.
Passengers reported on the fact that there were more theatres in London than
anywhere else. Every day several playhouses were playing in competition. There
were performances over the whole year with just one exception during the Lent. In
most of the European Countries on the contrary there were only performances on
certain occasions and festivals. Everyone could visit the theatre, not only masses of
ordinary people but more women and men together as viewers.
In the Elizabethan society the “drama” was the highlight of culture. Thus one could
assume that theatres of Shakespeare’s time had a similar social position as they have
it in the today’s modern cities. That the playhouses and metropolitan theatres were
constantly established functional parts of London’s society. But actually the position
of the theatre constitution in Shakespeare’s London was completely different.
Theatres had no acknowledged post as a cultural- and educational institution or as a
medium of important social functions. They were commercial entertainment- theatre
actuated by a private enterprise and bullied or endured by the authorities. But not on
any account an expression of communal self assurance or an object of civic elation.
There were even disputes between the Elizabethans if the theatre should be forbidden
every day and for everyone and if it was tolerable at all. But it was already certain
that the theatre in the hierarchy of objects was a minor matter and a marginal system.
Nevertheless the theatre was, because of its position, neither suffering from lacking
patronage nor from lacking attention. The space in London’s playhouses around
1600 was not considerably larger than the space of playhouses in other modern
cities. The rate of playgoers from the total population is even considerably higher
than today, although it was a minority even at that time. Who did not visit the
theatre, heard about it because theatre questions were a favourite issue of discussion
in public. The playhouses always were a topic to talk about even for the public
district, but for them they were a thorn in their side.
*Shakespeares Dramen
-6-
3.2 London’s theatres
The public theatres were high and massive castes of three to four floors. They looked
like warehouses and were consequently in no case representative buildings.
With one exception they were all located in the suburbs beyond the city limits. This
location was chosen because of financial and budgetary reasons: the lot was cheaper
and there was more space for the lodging of horses and carriages. But the basic
reason was the judicial factor: because of their location beyond the city limits, the
magistrates of London had no immediate access to the theatre company.
The first theatres by James Burbage, who modified from a master carpenter to a
member of the theatre business, were built in the north-eastern part of London. They
were called “The Theatre” (1567) and “The Curtain” (1567). Two other buildings
were following and constructed in the north-western part of the city: “The Fortune”
(1600) and “The Red Bull Theatre” (1605). But the most important and completed
theatre buildings were located in the South, in Southwark beyond the Thames in an
amusement district. Other attractions there were cockfights, bear hunting and
prostitutes. In this bank the stages “The Rose” (1587), “The Swan” (1595), the
theatre of the Shakespeare group “The Globe” (1599) and “The Hope” (1613) were
located. The bank was easy to reach from the city either above the London Bridge or
faster and more comfortable by one of the many ferry boats. Most of the theatres
were constructed during the time of Shakespeare’s actions between ca. 1590 and
1612. Shakespeare and his ensemble were actually playing in the first and oldest
theatre of London because “The Globe” was no other theatre than “The Theatre”
from 1576 that was demolished and rebuilt in Southwark.
All things considered the theatre business was a non-fixed and constantly changing
branch, risky and at best very profitable with hard competition and often non-noble
practices. It was no future-business and no solid establishment.
3.3 The Elizabethan Public
The public of the Elizabethan theatre was assorted. All social levels were
represented: from apprentices and day labourers to members of the high nobility.
* Shakespeares Dramen
-7There were no social restrictions to visit the theatre; who was able to pay was
welcome. The general basic charge was 1 Penny, about one tenth of average daily
earnings. In the auditorium capitulated a combination of different groups that
properly were belonging to a hierarchic and separately living community. That is
why one characterized the theatre as the democratic institution of England.
But the Elizabethans accounted this community more as a social anomaly and as a
momentary state of emergency.
“…the place is so free in entertainment, allowing a stoole as well to the Farmers sonne as to your
Templer: that your Stinkard has the selfe same libertie to be there in his Tobacco- Fumes, which your
sweet Courtier hath: and that your Carman and Tinker claime as strong a voice in their suffrage, and
sit to giue iudgement on the plaies life and death, as well as the prowdest Momus among the tribe of
Critick… .”
Gull’s Hornbook, 1609*
The meeting of the high nobility and the lower social level was not permanent and
kept up only for a few decades.
In addition to the “public theatres” so-called “private theatres” were constructed.
They were “public” theatres as well, but the admission charge was so high that great
parts of the population were kept at bay.
During the last years of Shakespeare’s theatre-career his group commanded two
houses: the “Hall-Theatre” and “The Globe”. The audience mainly consisted of the
underclass and low bourgeoisie. Nevertheless the upper-class was represented
relatively intense as well. Noticeable was the participation of the young generation in
both social layers. The rarest visit of the theatre did the middle-class that was setting
the tone in the City as well in economic- as in social questions.
3.4 What was used to design a performance credible in Shakespeare’s time?
Audiences from early modern times to the present have had their own expectations
of what makes the representation of a play credible. What mattered in Shakespeare’s
time was that the story was told and that the action kept moving. Costumes, handheld props or extra characters would identify a place if it was necessary. If a jailer
came on leading a prisoner in chains, it was clear where the action was situated.
* Edmund K. Chambers, The Elizabethan Stage, rev. ed. (Oxford, 1951), Bd. 4. S.366.
* Shakespeares Dramen
-8Scenes which take place in the dark, might seem to be a problem in an outdoor
theatre where all performances took place in daylight. But the convention of torches
being carried, or characters appearing in night-gowns worked perfectly well. There
were three openings at the back of the stage, one in the centre and one on each side.
A thick curtain hid the openings.
The stage-floor also had one or more trap doors, useful for the speedy disappearance
or re-appearance of characters, especially ghosts. Above the stage was a balcony,
usually used for love scenes. Referring to particularly that balcony one is led to one
of Shakespeare’s most famous plays: “Romeo and Juliet”.
*Shakespeares Dramen
4. “Romeo and Juliet”
4.1 Content of the play in short
“Romeo and Juliet” was based on real lovers who lived in Verona, Italy who died for
each other in the year 1303. At that time the Capulets and Montagues were among
the inhabitants of Verona.
This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. It is
the famous story of the "star-crossed" young lovers Romeo Montague and Juliet
Capulet. The themes, running through the play, address the issues of the
consequences of immature blind passion, enmity and prejudice. Romeo Montague
and Juliet Capulet are young teenagers who fall deeply in love, but their families are
bitter enemies. Regardless of the feud between their families they marry in secret.
They make every effort to conceal their actions, but the story ends in tragedy when
Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio and Paris all die.
4.2 First performance of the play
The first performance of “Romeo and Juliet” took place in the autumn/winter of
1594, when the playhouses reopened for the first time, after a sustained outbreak of
the plague had forced the authorities to close all the playhouses in London in January
1593. During this period, over 10,000 people in London died from the disease.
-9-
4.3 “Romeo and Juliet” today
Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous love stories in the world. Today, more
than four hundred years after it was written, it is as popular as in Shakespeare’s time.
Perhaps this is because the play is more than a great love story. It is also about
murder, life and death, happiness and sadness, problems between parents and
children, and the terrible hate between two great families.
Today this famous play is not only performed in a theatre but more it has reached the
opera, musical, the ballet and in particular it is an animation for the film.
For example in the year 1996 “Romeo + Juliet” was filmed by Baz Luhrmann who
put Shakespeare's famous play to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its
original dialogue. The gun-toting members of the families wage a vicious war on the
streets. It is the classic story of “Romeo and Juliet”, set in a modern-day city of
Verona Beach.
5. “Romeo and Juliet” live on stage
5.1 My own experiences with Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
On January 26th this year I visited the play “Romeo and Juliet” performed by the
English Theatre Company in Essen. Because of the fact that I had no real contact to
Shakespeare’s plays before, I imagined this performance to be very difficult to
understand and consequently even to be a bit sagging.
When the performance began the first thing I really was surprised about was the
arrangement of props on the stage. I had expected a balcony and old architecture but
on the contrary there was a playground, a trolley, some bottles, benches and a lot of
rubbish. I got the impression that this could be an interpretation of “Romeo and
Juliet” situated in the time of today, but would the actors use the original text or
would this performance only be based on Shakespeare’s story of the “star-crossed”
young lovers?
The audience laughed, when a dirty-looking man suddenly appeared out of the
trolley and began to speak the prologue of the play:
-10“Two households, both alike in dignity
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love
And the continuance of their parents’ rage,
Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove,
Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.”
* Reclam
During the performance of the play one got to know on the one hand Romeo
Montague, played as the son of a family from a low social level, who was wearing
hip-hop clothes and on the other hand Juliet Capulet, shown as the daughter of a very
rich family, always wearing brand-clothes and jewels. Lady Capulet was interpreted
as a discontent, alcohol-addicted woman who seemed to try to live her life the way
she wanted it, but her husband Old Capulet, a very strong, serious and loud
character, controlled every step she made.
Surprising was the fact that Tybalt, the nephew of Lady Capulet, was actually played
by a woman as well as Benvolio, the nephew of Montague and friend of Romeo and
Mercutio. Compared to the performance of the play in Shakespeare’s time, where
men also played the roles of women, this is refreshing different.
The end of the play was not different to others. Concerning the use of language this
performance tried to put the focus on the intervention of the story to the viewers.
Sometimes Shakespeare’s language was made less difficult on the one hand and on
the other hand it was complemented with modern daily expressions and colloquial.
For example in one scene, located on the playground, Romeo, Benvolio and
Mercutio were sitting on a bench, listening to “hot’n cold” from Katy Perry and
discussing the charts. Another time Romeo was talking to Benvolio about Rosaline, a
girl he liked very much, and explained that he had taken the cookie and the lipstick
-11of her, which she had left in a café, to feel her nearness. In the next moment he ate
the cookie and put the lipstick in his face more than on his mouth where it should be.
*Shakespeare 1994, p. 9
All these very refreshing and easy parts of that interpretation, caused a very positive
reaction of the viewers. I would not have supposed that the tragedy of “Romeo and
Juliet” could be performed by using such funny elements on the one hand but also by
imparting the whole story with all its implemented feelings.
Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio and Paris all died. But although this interpretation
was out of the perspective of the youth today and although the whole story was
situated in our today’s ambiance, nothing of the stories’ tragedy got lost. The use of
the original text complemented with some modern colloquial, created a very
interesting, dynamic and enthralling performance of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and
Juliet”, that I had not expected like that.
5.2 Can “Romeo and Juliet” still be staged today?
Although the story of “Romeo and Juliet is over 500 years old, it is as relevant and
appealing today, as it was, when it was first performed. The play still holds great
appeal and relevance to today’s society, despite the differences in morals and values
between William Shakespeare’s audience 500 years ago and Kathrin Siever’s
audience today. The issues of order and authority entertain and appeal to both
viewers in different ways.
Shakespeare’s original play “Romeo and Juliet” reflected the important Elizabethan
concerns in relation to authority, law and order. That made it relevant to the
audiences’ morals and values of the time.
Shakespeare explored the consequences of order breaking down in society,
demonstrated through many disobediences of the characters, with the result of chaos
and the ultimate consequence being the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
All characters were disobedient in some way. For example Romeo and Juliet both
deceived their parents by getting married, Romeo killed Tybalt and Juliet faked
death.
-12Shakespeare offers the simple solution to this chaos as being obedient and by
respecting authority. The punishment of Romeo and Juliet is ultimately seen at the
end of the play, when they both die.
In this sense, Shakespeare’s play sets morals for the Elizabethan era, displaying the
results of disobedience and chaos.
Consequently the question arises, if this famous play still can be staged today, as the
interpretation of Kathrin Sievers for instance?
The fact that Kathrin Sievers and the English Theatre Company performed the play
as the representation of today’s society, out of the youths’ perspective and for the
today’s audience, emphasizes the difficulty of a modern interpretation of “Romeo
and Juliet”.
Shakespeare’s original play was a very appealing love story, and when it is read
today, it reveals the Elizabethan attitudes towards love. Today the audience feels
sorry for the tragic circumstances of Romeo and Juliet’s love and for the treatment of
Juliet from her father in regards to her arranged marriage to Paris. However, the
audience of Shakespeare’s time would empathise with Old Capulet because his
behaviour is common and acceptable of the era, as well as feeling sorry for the
young lovers. In this way one experiences the types of love and the acceptance of
love in the Elizabethan era.
All together, Shakespeare’s original play and Kathrin Sievers modern interpretation
is a relevant and appealing insight into the Elizabethan era as well as modern society.
But obvious to see are the changes and differences in morals and values over 500
years.
-13-
6. Bibliography
Suerbaum, Ulrich: Shakesperes Dramen, 2. Auflage2001, 1. Auflage 1996,
Tübingen; Basel: A.Franke, 2001
Mcevoy, Sean: the basics. Shakespeare. 2. edition. 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Oxon
OX14 4RN: Routledge, 2006
Shakespeare, William: Romeo and Juliet, Romeo und Julia. Englisch/Deutsch.
Stuttgart: Philip Reclam jun. GmbH & Co., 1994
Edmund K. Chambers, The Elizabethan Stage, rev. ed. (Oxford, 1951), Bd. 4.
S.366.
http://www.bardweb.net/man.htmal
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/biography/shakespeare_biography.htm
Romeo and Juliet. ( 2 hours)
Movie by Baz Luhrmann, 1996
Shakespeare In Love. ( 2 hours)
Movie by John Madden, 1998
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7. Summary of all conclusions
William Shakespeare, born in Stratford-on-Avon, whose birthday and obit is on
April 23rd, on St. George’s day, was an English poet and one of the most famous
playwrights of the world’s literature.
He wrote the tragedy “Romeo and Juliet” in the year 1595 and it was first printed in
the year 1597.
For the Elizabethan society the “drama” was the highlight of culture. Consequently
theatres were a part in the urban life that could not be ignored in the 16th century.
The rate of playgoers was considerably higher than today and the playhouses were in
competition to attractions like cockfights, bear hunting and prostitutes because of
their location in an amusement district.
All things considered, the theatre business was a non-fixed and constantly changing
branch. It was no future business and no solid establishment.
In the Elizabethan theatre all social levels were represented and that is the reason for
a characterization of the theatre as the democratic institution of England.
To design a performance credible in Shakespeare’s time, it was important that the
story was told and that the action kept moving.
The tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet is based on real lovers who lived in Verona, Italy
and who died for each other in the year 1303. The Capulets and Montagues were
among the inhabitants of Verona.
The first performance of the play was in autumn/winter of 1594.
Today the Shakespeare’s famous “Romeo and Juliet” is not only performed in a
theatre but more it has reached the opera, the musical, the ballet and the film.
When I first saw a performance of “Romeo and Juliet” on stage, I made the
experience of a very dynamic and enthralling production of the play, staged by
Kathrin Sievers and the English Theatre Company, in Essen. But although the play
still holds great appeal and relevance to today’s society, there are obvious differences
in morals and values between William Shakespeare’s audience 500 years ago and
Kathrin Siever’s audience today.
-15Shakespeare’s original play reveals the Elizabethan attitudes towards love, so it is as
well as the modern interpretation, a relevant and appealing insight into the
Elizabethan era and modern society.
So, can “Romeo and Juliet” it still be staged today?
From my point of view it still can and must be staged today. Although there are very
obvious differences in our today’s values and morals compared to those of
Shakespeare’s audience 500 years ago, it still deals with a topic that is ageless and
current even today. The original texts should not be ignored because people think
their intention could be misunderstood in our today’s society. What matters is the
fact that there were different point of views, different values and morals some time.
With the help of this play one gets to know so many insights in a long ago era. So
why should “Romeo and Juliet” not be staged even today? Why should the modern
age not have the chance to take an advantage out of the history and its perspectives,
to compare it to our time, our values and morals of society?
The knowledge one achieves through “Romeo and Juliet” is able to help someone to
examine things critically and to develop an own opinion.
That is why, to my mind, “Romeo and Juliet” can and must still be staged today.
-16-
Erklärung
Ich versichere hiermit, dass ich diese Arbeit selbstständig angefertigt und keine
anderen als die von mir angegebenen Quellen und Hilfsmittel verwendet habe. Die
den benutzten Werken wörtlich oder inhaltlich entnommenen Stellen sind als solche
gekennzeichnet.
Münster, 8.03.2009,