The Tragedy of Romeo The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and Juliet By: William Shakespeare By: William Shakespeare
Dec 16, 2015
The Tragedy of Romeo The Tragedy of Romeo and Julietand Juliet
By: William ShakespeareBy: William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s TimeShakespeare’s Time
Elizabethan England Elizabethan England 1564- 16161564- 1616
Elizabeth I was 25 years Elizabeth I was 25 years old when she became the old when she became the Queen of England in 1558Queen of England in 1558
Reigned for 45 years until Reigned for 45 years until her death in 1603her death in 1603
During this time, England During this time, England emerged as a political emerged as a political power and made many power and made many cultural achievementscultural achievements
Last half of the century Last half of the century became known as the became known as the
“Elizabethan Era”“Elizabethan Era”
SocietySociety
Very class consciousVery class consciousBelieved in the ‘Great Chain of Being”Believed in the ‘Great Chain of Being”
GodGodMonarchMonarchAristocracy – land ownersAristocracy – land ownersProfessional – priests, lawyers etc.Professional – priests, lawyers etc.Merchants – shop ownersMerchants – shop ownersTrades men – blacksmithsTrades men – blacksmithsPeasantsPeasants
WomenWomen
Formal education Formal education of girls was not of girls was not encouragedencouraged
Those who were Those who were educated focused educated focused on chastity and the on chastity and the skills of skills of housewiferyhousewifery
Would assume the Would assume the social class of her social class of her husbandhusband
WomenWomen
Women must obey Women must obey their fathers and their fathers and then their then their husbandshusbands
Rarely left their Rarely left their homes, except to homes, except to go to churchgo to church
MarriageMarriage With parental With parental
permission, boys are permission, boys are legal to marry at 14, legal to marry at 14, girls at 12girls at 12
Marriage contracts Marriage contracts were usually providedwere usually provided Includes brides dowry Includes brides dowry
and settlement of cash and settlement of cash and/or property by and/or property by husbands familyhusbands family
It was generally It was generally considered foolish to considered foolish to marry for lovemarry for love
Wives are the Wives are the propertyproperty of their husbandsof their husbands
‘‘Billy’ and his TheatreBilly’ and his Theatre
Born in 1564 in Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon
Was well established Was well established in the theatre by the in the theatre by the time that he was 20time that he was 20
Became famous as Became famous as an actor and authoran actor and author
Became part owner Became part owner of the Globe Theatre of the Globe Theatre in 1599in 1599
The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre
Where Where Shakespeare’s plays Shakespeare’s plays were performedwere performed
Plays performed Plays performed during the day during the day because there was because there was not lightingnot lighting
No scenery on the No scenery on the stage except for a stage except for a balcony balcony
The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre
Plays were always about the rich and Plays were always about the rich and included a ‘party scene’included a ‘party scene’
Poor people sat in the front in the ‘pit’, Poor people sat in the front in the ‘pit’, rich people had seats around the siderich people had seats around the side
People brought their own foodPeople brought their own foodFavorite food was HazelnutsFavorite food was Hazelnuts
Women were not allowed to perform on Women were not allowed to perform on stage; female roles were played by menstage; female roles were played by men
The PlayThe PlayTermsTerms
Blank VerseBlank Verse: unrhymed iambic : unrhymed iambic pentameter, used when nobles speakpentameter, used when nobles speak
Rhyming VerseRhyming Verse: used when : used when something emotional or highly something emotional or highly important is happeningimportant is happening
ProseProse: everyday language used : everyday language used when the commoners are speakingwhen the commoners are speaking
The PlayThe PlayTermsTerms
AsideAside: Character talks directly to the : Character talks directly to the audience while the cast ‘doesn’t’ audience while the cast ‘doesn’t’ hear ithear it
Dramatic FoilDramatic Foil: A character that is : A character that is present to bring out the present to bring out the characteristics of another charactercharacteristics of another characterBenvolio – Brings out Tybalt’s angerBenvolio – Brings out Tybalt’s angerNurse – is ‘dirty’, brings out Juliet’s Nurse – is ‘dirty’, brings out Juliet’s
innocenceinnocence
The Play The Play TermsTerms
Dramatic Irony:Dramatic Irony: When the audience When the audience knows more than the charactersknows more than the characters
Soliloquy:Soliloquy: When the character is When the character is alone on stage talking to the alone on stage talking to the audienceaudience
Monologue:Monologue: A long speech given A long speech given from one character to anotherfrom one character to another
TermsTerms
Fatal Flaw- Main Fatal Flaw- Main characters in all of characters in all of Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s tragedies have one—tragedies have one—The big character The big character flaw that causes the flaw that causes the character’s downfallcharacter’s downfall
R&J’s flaw: R&J’s flaw: Impulsiveness—Impulsiveness—acting without acting without thinkingthinking
The PlayThe Play
Scene: Verona and Mantua, cities in Scene: Verona and Mantua, cities in northern Italynorthern Italy
Based around a feud between two Based around a feud between two families that has lasted for families that has lasted for generationsgenerations
The PlayThe PlayCharactersCharacters
THE MONTAGUESTHE MONTAGUESLord MontagueLord MontagueLady MontagueLady MontagueRomeo – Son of MontagueRomeo – Son of MontagueBenvolio – nephew of Montague and Benvolio – nephew of Montague and
friend of Romeofriend of RomeoBalthasar – Servant of RomeoBalthasar – Servant of RomeoAbram – servant of MontagueAbram – servant of Montague
The PlayThe PlayCharactersCharacters
THE CAPULETSTHE CAPULETSLord CapuletLord CapuletLady CapuletLady CapuletJuliet – daughter of CapuletJuliet – daughter of CapuletTybalt – nephew of Lady CapuletTybalt – nephew of Lady CapuletNurse – to JulietNurse – to JulietPeter – servant to the NursePeter – servant to the NurseSampson and Gregory – servants of Sampson and Gregory – servants of
CapuletCapulet
The PlayThe PlayCharactersCharacters
THE OTHERSTHE OTHERSPrince Escalus – ruler of VeronaPrince Escalus – ruler of VeronaMercutio – relative of the Prince and Mercutio – relative of the Prince and
friend of Romeofriend of RomeoFriar Laurence – a Franciscan priestFriar Laurence – a Franciscan priestFriar John – a Franciscan priestFriar John – a Franciscan priestCount Paris – young nobleman, relative Count Paris – young nobleman, relative
of the Princeof the Prince
Act IAct I
The Prologue:The Prologue: Chorus: a tradition Chorus: a tradition
from Greek Theater, from Greek Theater, would come out in would come out in each act and each act and preview the act and preview the act and make sure make sure everyone got the everyone got the lesson.lesson.
Shakespeare uses it Shakespeare uses it in only two actsin only two acts
Act I cont…Act I cont…
The Houses of The Houses of Montague and Capulet Montague and Capulet have been feuding for have been feuding for years.years.
The employees of the The employees of the House of Capulet pick a House of Capulet pick a fight w/ employees of fight w/ employees of the House of Montague.the House of Montague.
It turns into a BrawlIt turns into a Brawl The Prince is furiousThe Prince is furious The next time there is a The next time there is a
fight, the participants fight, the participants will be put to deathwill be put to death
Act IAct I
Romeo is Romeo is depresseddepressed
He is in love with He is in love with Rosaline—who has Rosaline—who has vowed to live vowed to live chaste (no sex)chaste (no sex)
Juliet’s father is Juliet’s father is considering the considering the request for Juliet’s request for Juliet’s hand in Marriage hand in Marriage from Parisfrom Paris
Act I cont…Act I cont…
Lord Capulet is Lord Capulet is giving a partygiving a party
Juliet is to meet Juliet is to meet Paris thereParis there
Romeo’s friends Romeo’s friends take him to the take him to the party to cheer him party to cheer him upup
Tybalt sees Romeo Tybalt sees Romeo at the party and at the party and becomes enragedbecomes enraged
Act I cont…Act I cont… Tybalt vows to get Tybalt vows to get
Romeo laterRomeo later Romeo and Juliet fall in Romeo and Juliet fall in
love immediatelylove immediately They, then, realize that They, then, realize that
they have fallen for their they have fallen for their parents “great enemy”parents “great enemy”
Poetic term: OxymoronPoetic term: Oxymoron—a statement that —a statement that contradicts itself. Ex: contradicts itself. Ex: Loving hate, sick healthLoving hate, sick health
Act IIAct II
Romeo climbs into Romeo climbs into Juliet’s orchardJuliet’s orchard
He overhears her He overhears her on the balcony on the balcony (extremely famous (extremely famous scene)scene)
She finds out he is She finds out he is therethere
They talk and They talk and agree to marryagree to marry
Act II cont…Act II cont…
Romeo goes to his Romeo goes to his priest, Friar priest, Friar Lawrence, and asks Lawrence, and asks him to perform the him to perform the ceremonyceremony
The Friar agreesThe Friar agrees Tybalt has Tybalt has
challenged Romeo challenged Romeo to a fightto a fight
Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet marrymarry
Act IIIAct III
Mercutio and Mercutio and Benvolio meet Benvolio meet Tybalt in the street Tybalt in the street and a fight beginsand a fight begins
Romeo shows up Romeo shows up and Tybalt tries to and Tybalt tries to fight Romeo—fight Romeo—Romeo refuses.Romeo refuses.
Mercutio fights and Mercutio fights and is killedis killed
Act IIIAct III
Romeo becomes Romeo becomes enraged and kills enraged and kills TybaltTybalt
The Prince The Prince banishes Romeobanishes Romeo
Juliet is crushed by Juliet is crushed by Tybalt’s death and Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s Romeo’s banishmentbanishment
Act IIIAct III
The Friar arranges The Friar arranges for Romeo and for Romeo and Juliet to have their Juliet to have their wedding nightwedding night
Romeo goes to live Romeo goes to live in Mantua until the in Mantua until the Friar can work Friar can work something outsomething out
The lovers have The lovers have their wedding nighttheir wedding night
Act IIIAct III
Romeo leaves for Romeo leaves for MantuaMantua
Lord Capulet Lord Capulet agrees to have agrees to have Paris marry Juliet Paris marry Juliet
Juliet begs her Juliet begs her parents to change parents to change their minds—they their minds—they refuserefuse
Act IVAct IV
Juliet goes to the Juliet goes to the Friar and tells him Friar and tells him she will commit she will commit suicide before she suicide before she will marry Pariswill marry Paris
The Friar gives Juliet The Friar gives Juliet a potion that will a potion that will put her into such a put her into such a deep sleep that she deep sleep that she will appear to be will appear to be deaddead
Act IVAct IV
The friar will send The friar will send for Romeo to come for Romeo to come and get Juliet in the and get Juliet in the tombtomb
Juliet takes the Juliet takes the potionpotion
Her parents find Her parents find her “dead” and her “dead” and they bury her.they bury her.
Act VAct V
Balthasar tells Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is Romeo that Juliet is deaddead
The messenger the The messenger the Friar sent is unable Friar sent is unable to deliver the to deliver the messagemessage
Romeo buys poison Romeo buys poison and rushes to Juliet’s and rushes to Juliet’s tombtomb
He meets Paris in He meets Paris in the graveyardthe graveyard
Act VAct V
Paris tries to arrest Paris tries to arrest RomeoRomeo
Romeo kills himRomeo kills him Romeo goes into Romeo goes into
the tomb and the tomb and kisses Juliet kisses Juliet goodbye and goodbye and drinks the poisondrinks the poison
The Friar shows up The Friar shows up at the tombat the tomb
Act VAct V
Juliet wakes upJuliet wakes up The police comeThe police come The Friar tries to The Friar tries to
get Juliet to leave get Juliet to leave the tomb with himthe tomb with him
She refusesShe refuses He leavesHe leaves She stabs herselfShe stabs herself
Act VAct V
The Prince shows The Prince shows up and asks for an up and asks for an explanation explanation
The Capulets and The Capulets and Lord Montague Lord Montague show upshow up
Lady Montague has Lady Montague has died of a broken died of a broken heartheart
The friar tells the The friar tells the whole storywhole story
Act VAct V
The Montagues and The Montagues and Capulets make upCapulets make up
Capulet will have Capulet will have Romeo buried next Romeo buried next to Julietto Juliet
Montaque will build Montaque will build a statue of Juliet in a statue of Juliet in pure goldpure gold
The EndThe End
““Never has there been a story of such Never has there been a story of such woe/ As that of Juliet and her Romeo” woe/ As that of Juliet and her Romeo” (V,iii,309-310).(V,iii,309-310).
ThemeTheme
““Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of The Tragedy of Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet demonstrates how demonstrates how dangerous acting dangerous acting impulsively is.impulsively is.
ThemeTheme
Shakespeare Shakespeare poignantly poignantly illustrates how illustrates how destructive destructive prejudice can be in prejudice can be in his play his play The The Tragedy of Romeo Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.and Juliet.
Movie Comparison:Movie Comparison:Which do you Prefer?Which do you Prefer?
The Modern Version’s First FightThe Modern Version’s First Fight
Musical Balcony SceneMusical Balcony Scene
Modern Balcony SceneModern Balcony Scene