Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Mrs. Holt
English I/English I Honors
2014
ROMEO AND JULIET
Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Romeo Juliet (1996)
Summary
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Romeo and Juliet is a story about two
teenagers who fall in love but are forbidden
to see each other by their parents. They
meet one night at a party (Romeo is
actually there to check out another girl,
Rosaline) and quickly fall in love.
Unfortunately, Juliet’s parents already have
a husband picked out for her. So, the two
decide to get married and enlist the help of
Juliet’s nurse to act as a messenger between
the two and Friar Laurence who agrees to
marry them. However, plans go awry after
Romeo is banished from Verona and
doesn’t get filled in on the plans that Juliet
has for them to live happily ever after…
Prologue
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-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
and the continuance of their parents' rage,
which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
is now the two hours' traffic of our stage.
Assignment
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Get into small groups. Each group will be
assigned 2 lines from the prologue. Try and
paraphrase the lines in your own words.
Be prepared to share with the class.
The Montagues & Capulets
Both very wealthy & powerful families.
Italian city
The old feud between the
families. No one knows the
reason why they fell out.
The feud continues with new
generations of Montagues &
Capulets
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.
Suggesting that many
civilians are guilty for killing
others.
Loins are your privates! What they
do with their loins results in their
death.
enemies
Their meeting was
destined to happen
through fate.
It was an adventure
that went wrong
suicide
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
But one good thing
came from it in that it
stopped all the hate &
bloodshed
The time they had
together was very
dangerous
Suggests they died at the
hands of fate.
Rage at the other families.
Their parents never knew
of the romance until they
were dead.
Only the death of their own
children would make them
stop hating the other family
& make them call a truce.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could
remove,
The play lasts for two hours
You need to listen & be patient
If you don’t quite understand
what I’ve just said in this
prologue...
I’ll work hard to help you
understand in the action
that’s about to happen!
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.
The Feud
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Romeo’s family, the
Montagues, have a long
standing feud with
Juliet’s family, the
Capulets. While the
audience never learns
about the source of the
ancient quarrel, we do
learn that it has recently
grown stronger.
A Pair of Star Crossed Lovers…
“My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown , and known too late!”
~ Juliet; Act I, Scene V
Shakespeare’s Source
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Play based on a poem published in 1562 written by
Arthur Brooke
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Highly moral tone
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3,000 line poem
About star-crossed lovers from feuding Italian Family
Disobedience, as well as fate, leads to the death of the
two young lovers
Shakespeare was more sympathetic

elevated the everyday characters by presenting the story
of a tragedy (usually story that involve kinds, emperors
not regular people.)
Frequent Elizabethan Words
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Against for; in preparation 
for
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Alack alas (an exclamation 
of sorrow)
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Anon soon
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Aye yes
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But only; except
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E’en even
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E’er ever
Haply perhaps
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Happy fortunate
Hence away; from here
Hie hurry
Hither here
Marry indeed
Whence where
Wherefore why
Wilt will
Withal in addition,
notwithstanding
Would wish
Characters
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Round Character – shows many different traits –
faults as well as virtues
Flat Character – shows only one trait
Dynamic Character – develops and grows during
the course of the story
Static Character – stays the same
Characterization
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Direct characterization – the author directly
states a character’s traits
Indirect Characterization – an author provides
clues about a character by describing what a
character looks like, does, and says, as well as
how other characters react to him or her.
It is up to the reader to draw conclusions about the
character based on this indirect information.
 The most effective indirect characterization usually
results from showing characters acting or speaking.
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Characters
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Chorus
Escalus, Prince of Verona
Paris, a young count, kinsman to the
Prince
Montague
Capulet
An old man, of the Capulet family
Romeo, son of Montague
Mercutio, kinsman to the Prince and
friend to Romeo
Benvolio, nephew to Montague and
friend to Romeo
Tybalt, nephew to Lady Capulet
Friar Lawrence, Franciscan priest
Friar John, Franciscan
Balthasar, servant to Romeo
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Sampson, servant to Capulet
Gregory, servant to Capulet
Peter, servant to Juliet’s nurse
Abram, servant to Montague
An Apothecary
Three Musicians
An Officer
Lady Montague, wife to Montegue
Lady Capulet, wife to Capulet
Juliet, daughter to Capulet
Nurse to Juliet
Citizens of Verona, Gentleman and
Gentlewomen of both houses, maskers,
Torchbearers, Pages, Guards, Watchmen,
Servants and Attendants
Montague
Capulets
Citizens of Verona
Character Map
Escalus
PRINCE
Of
Verona
Lady Montague & Montague
Lady Capulet & Capulet
Romeo
Juliet
FRIAR LAWRENCE
APOTHECA
RY of
Mantua
Conflict
Internal Conflict versus External Conflict
 Romeo and Juliet begins in conflict, a
conflict we know nothing about except
that it is real and it is bloody.
 Some conflicts are internal....
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Plot
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Exposition – Act I
Rising Action – Act II
Crisis, or turning point – Act III
Falling Action - IV
Climax and Resolution - Act V
Oxymoron
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An oxymoron describes when two
juxtaposed (to place (different things)
together in order to create an interesting
effect) words have opposing or very
diverse meanings.
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Juliet – “Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!”
(Act III Sc.2)
Setting
The story is set in the late
1500’s mostly in the town of
Verona, Italy. However,
there are a few acts set in
Mantua, Italy a smaller town
just a few miles away.
Between Milan and Venice
Important for trade
Interesting…
The Italian city of Verona,
where Romeo and Juliet
lived, receives about 1,000
letters addressed to Juliet
every Valentine's Day.
(Letters to Juliet)
“Star-crossed lovers” refers to
two people who are in love
but have conflicting
astrological signs. In
Shakespeare’s times, people
believed the course of their
lives was determined by the
exact second they were born.
Verona Today
Today, Verona has an
incredible amount of graffiti,
which is legal, provided that
you are writing about your
love for someone.
Setting
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Prince of Verona
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“chief magistrate” or podesta
Modern mayor,
 chief of police
 head of the local militia
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Character based Bartolomeo della Scala
Timeline
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Sunday – Act One
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Monday – Act Two
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Tuesday – Act Three
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Wednesday – Act Four
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Thursday – Act Five
Act I – Vocabulary
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Pernicious – causing great injury or pain
Adversary – a person who opposes or fights
against another
Augmenting – increasing; enlarging
Grievance – injustice; complaint
Oppression – feeling or being weighed down
with worries or problems
Transgression – a wrong-doing; sin
Act I
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Read Act I
Watch Act I in 1968 Film
Complete Act I Worksheet/BookWork
The Love Sonnet
Act I, Scene V, lines 93 - 106
Romeo
Juliet
If I profane with my unworthiness hand
This holy shrine, the gentile sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss
Good Pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saint have hands that pilgrims’ hands to touch
And palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss.
Romeo
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Juliet
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
Romeo
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
Juliet
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
Romeo
Then move not, while my prayer effect I take.
95
100
105
What do these mean? What ideas
do they have in common?
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Profane
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Saint
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Pilgrim
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Shrine
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Palmer
to abuse something scared (also, as in bad or “profane”
language)
person who died and was officially recognized by the
Catholic church as holy; Catholics believe a person
can ask the saint to speak for him/her to God to
grant a prayer
person who travels to a holy place out of devotion to a
god or saint
place where pilgrims visit for prayer and to worship a
saint; often a statue of the saint or a relic (bit of cloth,
bone, or body part) belonging to the saint is there.
person wearing two crossed palm leaves as a sign of
pilgrimage to the holy land (Israel)
Romeo:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
93
94
95
96
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Summary: Romeo decided he wants to kiss
Juliet’s hand to show her how much he likes her.
To do so, he taker her hand in his, and he
explains that his hand is obviously not as worthy
as hers. In fact, she is so worthy, she is like a
what? (Look at line 94)
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METAPHOR: Juliet is a ___________.
Romeo:
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If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
93
94
95
96
Summary: Romeo says that is by touching her
hand has “profaned” her hand – if he has made
it less holy – then he is willing to kiss her hand,
to make up for his unworthy touch.
Romeo’s metaphor to describe his lips:
Lips = __________ __________ ____________
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Romeo:
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If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
93
94
95
96
In line 94, Romeo uses a metaphor to describe
the kiss he will give Juliet’s hand. What two
words are the other half of this metaphor?
Romeo’s kiss on her hand =
_________ ___________
Juliet:
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Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch
And palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss
97
98
99
100
Summary: Juliet accepts the compliment and
plays along with Romeo, calling him by a new
name.
What words does she use to describe him in line
97?
____________ ____________
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Juliet:
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch
And palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss
97
98
99
100
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Summary: Juliet is not going to give in that easily to Romeo or
his word play. Rather than saying, “No, you can’t kiss me,” she
plays hard to get: “Oh, you’ve been too mean to your hand by
saying it’s the ‘unworthiest.’” She says that even pilgrims can
touch the hands of a saint (imagine a pilgrim rubbing the hand of
a statue as he prays; that often happened at shrines and still does
today). In other words, he could touch her hand, and their tow
palms together would be like a holy palmer’s (a pilgrim’s) prayer
because pilgrims put two hands together to pray.
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Does she want to be kissed. Why or Why not?
Romeo:
Juliet:
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
101
102
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Summary: Romeo, not to be argued out of kissing Juliet, asks,
“Don’t saints and pilgrims have lips, too?” She gets the
metaphor he’s using.
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Juliet = ______________________
And Romeo = __________________ ________________
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Romeo:
Juliet:
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Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
101
102
Summary: If Juliet is what Romeo says she is above, then she
can’t just start kissing him in public, after knowing him for only a
minute. Plus, isn’t her mother probably watching her from
across the room to see if she and Paris are flirting? So Juliet
responds, “Yes, they have lips, but those lips are meant for
PRAYER, rather than smooching.” But don’t thinks she’s too
mad at Romeo…
Romeo:
O, then. Dear saint, let lips do what hands do
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
103
104
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Summary: Romeo isn’t discouraged. He just told us a few
minutes ago, when he was talking to himself, that he’s never seen
true beauty until he saw Juliet this night. If lips are meant for
prayer, he argues, then let lips pray the same way that hands pray
– in other words, let their two sets of lips come together in a
kiss. To drive home his point, Romeo pretends to pray to Juliet,
as if she were a saint, saying that if she doesn’t let lips pray, they
lose their faith – their belief in God – and then they become
depressed.
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What word does Romeo use in line 104 for depression?
Juliet:
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Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
105
Summary: Juliet still hasn’t given into Romeo, not quite. She
says, ‘Sorry, saints don’t move, even when they do grant
prayers.” Shakespeare is punning:
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Move (verb) to start something. Saints don’t move – it’s pilgrim
who has to come to them.
Move (verb) to physically move. Remember, the saints are usually
statues of dead people – saints don’t “move” because they’re made
from wood or stone.
Juliet:
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Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
105
Summary: But look at the second half of her sentence. She gives
Romeo an opening! She says they “grant for prayer’s sake.” In
other words, saints give pilgrims what they are requesting in their
prayers. So, if Romeo is praying at this holy saint’s shrine
(Juliet), maybe this saint might just grant his prayer.
Romeo:
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Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take..
106
Summary: Romeo knows how to play on words; he uses
definition 2 of “move.” He moves in for a kiss after he asks her
to stand still. And then he kisses her!
Journal – Act I
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Act I – In the play, we never learn why the
Montague's and the Capulet’s are feuding. What
are 3 possible reasons these two families would
hate each other so much?
Activity
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Today, we are going to act out Act I, Scene I,
lines 1 – 100
Sampson, Gregory, Abram, Balthasar, Benvolio,
Tybalt, Officer, Capulet, Lady Capulet,
Montague, Lady Montague and Prince you all
have lines.
The rest of you will be broken up into 2 groups:
Capulet’s men, Montegue’s Men
Act II - Vocabulary
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Procure: get, obtain
Predominant: of or having strong influence.
Intercession: an act of pleading on another’s
behalf.
Sallow: of a sickly, pale-yellowish hue.
Lamentable: distressing, sad.
Unwieldy: awkward; clumsy.
Act II
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Read Act II
Watch Act II in 1968 Film
Complete Act II Worksheet
Reduced Shakespeare Company
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Act I and Act II
Journals – Act II
 Act
II – At the end of Act II, Romeo and
Juliet are in love and making arrangements
to get married. Is this true love? Explain.
The Balcony Scene
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Break into pairs analyze the balcony scene.
Look for figurative language.
Plan to Act out a portion…comically or
tragically….your choice!
Act III - Vocabulary
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Gallant: brave and noble
Fray: noisy fight.
Martial: military; war like.
Exile: banish
Eloquence: speech that is graceful and
persuasive.
Fickle: changeable.
Act III
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Read Act III
Watch Act III in 1968 Film
Complete Act III Worksheet
Journal – Act III
 Act
III – Romeo was challenged by Tybalt.
Was Romeo wrong for not wanting to fight
back? Is he to blame for Mercutio’s death?
The Fight
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Act out the fight between Tybalt, Mercutio, and
Romeo
Act IV - Vocabulary
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Pensive: deep thought
Vial: small bottle containing medicine or other liquid
Enjoined: ordered
Wayward: headstrong
Dismal: causing gloom or misery
Loathsome: disgusting; detestable
Act V - Vocabulary
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Remnants – what is left over; remainders
Penury – extreme poverty
Disperse – to break up and scatter in all directions
Haughty – arrogant
Ambiguities – statements or events who meaning are
unclear
Scourge – instrument for inflicting punishment
Act IV and Act V
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Read Act IV and Act V
Watch Act IV and Act V in 1968 Film
Complete Act IV and Act V Worksheet
Journals – Act IV
 Act
IV – Juliet takes an elixir that makes
her seem dead out of desperation. Do you
think Juliet made the right choice? Did she
have other options?
Journal – Act V
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Act V - Write a 5 paragraph essay that (1)
summarizes the story of Romeo and Juliet (2)
explains what you liked most about the story
and (3) if you agree with the way the story
ended. Explain in detail.
Reduce Shakespeare Company
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Act III – Act V
Romeo and Juliet: Themes
Theme One: Love
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Romeo and Juliet has
become forever associated
with love.
The play has become an
iconic story of love and
passion, and the name
“Romeo” is still used to
describe young lovers.
Shakespeare’s treatment of
love in the play is complex.
He uses love in its many
guises to thread together the
key relationships in the play.
Fickle Love
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Some characters fall in and out
of love very quickly in Romeo
and Juliet.
For example, Romeo is in love
with Rosaline at the start of the
play, which is presented as an
immature infatuation.
Today, we might use the term
“puppy love” to describe this.
Romeo’s love for Rosaline is
shallow and nobody really
believes that it will last,
including Friar Laurence:
Fickle Love
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Romeo. Thou chid'st
me oft for loving
Rosaline.
Friar Laurence. For
doting, not for loving,
pupil mine.
Paris and Juliet
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Similarly, Paris’ love for Juliet is
borne out of tradition, not passion.
He has identified her as a good
candidate for a wife and
approaches her father to arrange
the marriage.
Although this was the tradition at
the time, it also says something
about Paris’ attitude towards love.
He even admits to Friar Laurence
that in his haste to rush the
wedding although he hasn’t
discussed it with his bride-to-be:
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Friar Laurence. On Thursday, sir?
the time is very short.
Paris. My father Capulet will have
it so;
And I am nothing slow to slack his
haste.
Friar Laurence. You say you do
not know the lady's mind:
Uneven is the course, I like it not.
Paris. Immoderately she weeps for
Tybalt's death,
And therefore have I little talked of
love;
Romantic Love
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Our classic idea of romantic
love is embodied in Romeo
and Juliet. Shakespeare
presents this as a force of
nature, so strong that it
transcends societal
conventions.
This idea is established in the
play’s prologue with the line
“a pair of star-cross'd lovers
take their life.”
Romantic Love
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Perhaps Romeo and Juliet's
love is fate - there love is
given cosmic significance
which can therefore overturn
the social boundaries of “fair
Verona.”
Their love is disallowed by
the Capulet and Montague
households, and Juliet is to
marry Paris – Yet, they
inevitably find themselves
drawn together.
Other Types of Love
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Many of the friendships in
the play are as sincere as
Romeo and Juliet’s love for
one another.
The close relationships
between Juliet and her Nurse,
and between Romeo,
Mercutio and Benvolio are
meaningful and heartfelt.
They care deeply for another
and protect each others
honor – this ultimately costs
Mercutio his life.
Theme Two: Hate
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The Capulet’s hate the Montagues
and vice versa.
We don’t know why though the
Prince says their grudge was the result
of an “airy word” (an insult)
 The Younger generation
of both families continue
this feud.
 It is this hatred that leads
to tension and conflict in
the play
Tybalt’s Hate
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Tybalt is unreasonably hateful.
The mere sight of Romeo at the
Capulet party angers him to the
point of murder
It is Ironic that the party which
brings the two lovers together sows
the seeds that destroy their lives.
Perhaps Shakespeare is showing the
paradoxical relationship between the
two emotions.
Just as Romeo chooses Juliet as the
object of his romantic desire, Tybalt
chooses Romeo as the object of his
murderous desire.
Does Love or Hate triumph?
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Does love or hate conquer in the play?
Romeo’s love for Juliet and hopes for
happiness are destroyed by Tybalt’s hatred
of Romeo, Mercutio’s hatred of Tybalt
and Romeo’s failure to make amends
through love (Act 3 Scene 1)
The families hatred forces the two to end
their lives.
The love that prompted their rash actions
however brings an end to the families
hatred.
Once again Shakespeare shows us that
Love and Hate are intertwined.
Theme Three: Fate
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In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores the theme
of fate by allowing the audience to be party to his
characters’ destiny.
In the opening lines of the play the audience is
told what is going to happen to the lovers: “a pair
of star-cross'd lovers take their life.”
Throughout the story, the audience is put in an
omnipotent, god-like position from the start
encouraging them to think about fate and to what
extent our actions are free.
Because we know Romeo and Juliet’s fate from
the outset we are constantly hoping that they will
take a different course – perhaps that Romeo will
arrive just after Juliet has woken.
However, their fate is sealed and we are forced to
question our own destiny and ability to make free
choices.
Theme Three: Fate
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When Mercutio shouts “a plague on both your houses”
in Act 3, Scene 1, we are reminded of the protagonists’
fate.
This bloody scene in which characters are killed gives us
a glimpse of what fate has in store, marking the
beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall.
Is it fate that Friar Lawrence’s plan to inform Romeo of
Juliet’s faked death is not realized due to unforeseen
circumstances?
Is it fate that Romeo kills himself when he does?
Romeo and Juliet see omens throughout the play,
continually reminding the audience of their fate.
Their death is a catalyst for change in Verona: the
dueling families are united in their grief creating a
political shift in the city.
Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were fated to love and die for
the greater good of Verona.
Theme Four - Loyalty
Some characters have certain
loyalties, like the Nurse to
Juliet, the Friar to Romeo
and The Montagues and
Capulets to their own blood
relatives. These loyalties
become hard to maintain
when certain decisions have
to be made. Do you think
you have to be loyal to
someone just because it is
expected of you?
Theme Five - Honesty
Many of the characters lie and deceive to get what they want
such as The Friar, Romeo and Juliet.
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How far would you go to get what you wanted in life?
Do a few lies here and there matter?
Journal - Themes

Write a 5 paragraph essay
discussing the THEMES (not the
PLOT) of the story and how those
these are still important to society
today.
Plot Diagram

Review the story from beginning to end and
make a Plot Diagram.
R+J
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R+J is the story of Romeo and Juliet told in a very new
way.
The language the characters use is the same as in the play.
The setting is Verona Beach, California.
The swords are hand guns.
Everything is presented with vivid imagery and a musical
score to enhance the emotional connection.
Take notes on the similarities and differences between the
two films.
Journal – Film Comparison
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Film Comparison – Write an essay comparing
and contrasting the 1968 film to the 1996 film.
Journals
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Creative story using phrases (FROM INTRO PACKET)
Act I – In the play, we never learn why the Montegue’s and the Capulet’s are feuding. What are
3 possible reasons these two families would hate each other so much?
Act II – Ac the end of Act II, Romeo and Juliet are in love and making arrangements to get
married. Is this true love? Explain.
Act III – Romeo was challenged by Tybalt. Was Romeo wrong for not wanting to fight back? Is
he to blame for Mercutio’s death?
Act IV – Juliet takes an elixir that makes her seem dead out of despiration. Do you think Juliet
made the right choice? Did she have other options?
Act V – Write a 5 paragraph essay that (1) summarizes the story of Romeo and Juliet (2) explains
what you liked most about the story and (3) if you agree with the way the story ended. Explain
in detail.
Themes - Write a 5 paragraph essay discussing the THEMES (not the PLOT) of the story and
how those these are still important to society today.
Film Comparison – Write an essay comparing the 1968 film to the 1996 film.