Romeo and Juliet
By William
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
•37 plays written
•Conflicts and theme
of plays are timeless
• Definition:
Tragedy
• A drama or literary work
• the main character is brought to
ruin
• or suffers extreme sorrow,
• as a consequence of a tragic flaw,
moral weakness, or inability to
cope with unfavorable
circumstances
Catastrophe
• The final event in a
drama- the death in a
tragedy
Comic Relief
• A bit of humor injected into a
serious play to relieve the
heavy tension of tragic events
• Ex: the nurse is a comic relief in
Romeo and Juliet
Chorus
Who: a single character
What: speaks to audience
Why: gives audience an idea
about the conflict ahead
Soliloquy
• Definition:
• A character talks to
himself or herself or
reveals his or her
thoughts without
addressing a listener.
Aside
• Lines spoken to the audience not
meant to be heard by the
characters on stage
• or lines spoken to another
character but not meant to be
heard by all of the characters
Monologue
• Definition:
• A long speech made by
one person
Pun
• Definition: A play on words,
sometimes on different senses
of the same word and
sometimes on the similar sense
or sound of different words.
• Examples: Let’s talk about rights
and lefts. You’re right, so I left.
• Without geometry, life is pointless
(Historical Context of R&J)
Life in 1595
• Life expectancy was
shorter
• Childhood to adulthoodno teenagers
Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo is a Montague
• 16 years old
• Acts on feelings-emotional
kind of guy
• Juliet is a Capulet
• 13 years old
• Acts out against parents
Star Crossed
• "Star-crossed" or "star-crossed lovers" is a
reference to those who fight against (or
cross) their fate, which is written in the
stars. The phrase was first recorded by
William Shakespeare in his play Romeo
and Juliet
• also refers to destiny and the inevitability
of the two characters' paths crossing each
other. It also usually means unlucky, since
Romeo and Juliet's affair ended tragically
• Doomed by unlucky stars
R&J Play
• Story happens within a
total of 4 days
• Influence on popular
culture!
Montagues and Capultes
• Ongoing family feud
• No one knows why for sure
• Constant fighting between
two families
• Citizens used to it
Montague Family
•
•
•
•
Wealthy
Romeo-16 year old son
Lord and Lady Montague-parents
Mercutio- a true friend of Romeo and very witty
and talkative (cousin to Prince Escalus)
• Benvolio- a cousin and loyal friend to Romeo
(good sense and peacemaker)
• Balthasar- a loyal servant to Romeo
• Abram- a loyal servant to Lord Montague
Capulet Family
• Juliet Capulet- 13 year old daughter
• Lord and Lady Capulet- Juliet’s parents
• Tybalt- cousin to Juliet; bad tempered,
expert swordsman
• The Nurse- Juliet’s nurse; outspoken,
bawdy, loud, (rude), was Juliet’s wet
nurse when her baby died
• Peter- the nurse’s servant
• Sampson and Gregory- servants to Lord
Capulet
Drama is meant to be acted
• You will be assigned to act out scenes with
proper costumes and props
• Everyone must partake! Ten points! If you
are absent, you will rotate with someone
• The list will be given ahead, so you may
practice and prepare for your part
• No judgments- participation points only-no
Oscars or Grammys or other rewards
• It will be fun!
Other Important Characters
• Prince Escalus- ruler of Verona
• Friar Laurence- a kind Catholic
priest; Romeo’s confessor and
mentor; tries to help Romeo and
Juliet
• An Apothecary- a person who
prepares and sells medicine and
chemicals
Five Act Dramatic Structure
Climax
Act III
Exposition
Act I
Resolution
Act V
Play
•Broken up into Acts
(chapters) & scenes
(usually about 5-6
scenes)
•Prologue
Prologue
• Definition:
• An introduction or preface,
especially a poem recited to
introduce a play.
• Purpose: usually reveals key
elements of the plot to inform even
the most illiterate/uneducated
audience members
Prologue
• Uses Iambic Pentameter
• da DUM | da DUM | da
DUM | da DUM | da DUM
• if YOU | would PUT | the
KEY | inSIDE | the LOCK
Iambic Pentameter
• Pentameter: 5 sets of stressed and unstressed
syllables (iambic units)
• This line has 5 feet, so it’s written in
pentameter. And the stressing pattern is all
iambs:
• if YOU | would PUT | the KEY | inSIDE | the
LOCK
• da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da
DUM
Sonnet
• Popular verse form (1595)
• 14 lines often iambic
pentameter
• Couplets and rhyme scheme
• Label the rhyme scheme
(begin with A)
The Prologue
•
•
•
•
Sonnet
Performs a vital dramatic function
Allows the audience to foresee events
Before the audience meets Romeo and
Juliet, they know their love is doomed
• Their families are caught up in an argument
• It will only be resolved by the death of the
young lovers
Prologue
• Read chorus (one character) to
audience
• Gives an idea about the conflict
• Helps the illiterate/uneducated
audience understand
Line One
Once there were two
families of equal status
and prestige
Line Two
• Theses two families lived
in Verona, Italy where the
story takes place
Line Three
• In Verona fighting has
broken out in a riot
Line Four
• The fighting has been a
result of a long-standing and
bitter feud between the two
families-each noble family
endured physical and
bloody assault
Line Five
• From each of these enemy
families come the young
lovers of the story
Line Six
• The young lovers are
doomed by their own fate
from birth (family name)
and will commit suicide
Line Seven
• The two young lovers
met and fell in love
aware that their union
would bring sorrow on
their parents
Line Eight
• The death of these
young lovers becomes
the source of horrible
grief to their parents
Line Nine
• They both die for love
Line Ten
• Their death punishes
their parents’ hate
Line Eleven
• Their children’s death
brings peace between
the two families
Line Twelve
• The next two hours, it is
our (the actors’) business
to show this tale
Line Thirteen
• Have patient ears and
listen to the play
Line Fourteen
• The missing pieces, we
(the actors) will try very
hard to clear up for you!