The Tragedy of Romeo The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and Juliet

The Tragedy of Romeo The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

Does falling in love make the rest of life easier?Does falling in love make the rest of life easier?

In Romeo and Juliet, life makes love more complicated than it should be.

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

The Italian town Verona is beautiful, yet nothingThe Italian town Verona is beautiful, yet nothing cancan hidehide the ugliness of the feud between its two the ugliness of the feud between its two most prominent familiesmost prominent families..

The Montagues and the Capulets hate each other.

Romeo and Juliet are two crazy kids in love. They are about 14 years old, and both are from very wealthy families in the town of Verona, Italy.

Juliet’s balcony…

probably not, but Verona says so!

Characters in ROMEO AND JULIET

Romeo - of the house of Montague

Juliet - of the house of Capulet

Nurse - the woman who raised Juliet (mothers weren’t that involved during Shakespeare’s time!)

Tybalt - Juliet’s bad-tempered cousin

Benvolio - Romeo’s best friend

Mercutio - Romeo’s witty friend

Friar Laurence - a priest who is good with medicines

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

Even though Prince Escalus has warned the Even though Prince Escalus has warned the families to avoid each other,families to avoid each other,

Romeo Montague joins friends who are determined to sneak into a party at the Capulet home, where he meets Juliet Capulet.

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Is there such a thing as love at first sight?

Romeo and Juliet can’t take their eyes off each other.

And that’s before their romantic exchange on her balcony.

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

But the couple has a friend in the local priest—if only Friar But the couple has a friend in the local priest—if only Friar Laurence can coax the families toward peace. Laurence can coax the families toward peace.

As happy as the two are together, neither family would be pleased to learn of their sudden love.

Romeo and Juliet: IntroductionRomeo and Juliet: Introduction

and even leads to and even leads to a death.a death.

But meanwhile, the feud between the families is getting worse

Can love overcome the desire for revenge?

Romeo and Juliet: BackgroundRomeo and Juliet: Background

• In Romeo and Juliet a prologue in sonnet form summarizes the play for the audience.

• Most lines in the play, like the lines of a sonnet, are in iambic pentameter—ten syllables of a steady unaccented/accented pattern.

Romeo and Juliet: BackgroundRomeo and Juliet: Background

English has changed in the hundreds of years since Shakespeare’s writing. In his day

• true shrift meant “true confession”

• I would often meant “I wish”

• wherefore meant “why”

• Hast thou meant “Have you”

Romeo and Juliet: BackgroundRomeo and Juliet: Background

• Act I

The Elizabethan audience expected a drama to unfold in five predictable segments.

Introduction Climactic moment, resolution

Crisis, or turning point

• Act IV

• Act III

• Act II

• Act V

Rising action

Falling action

Romeo and Juliet: Discussion StartersRomeo and Juliet: Discussion Starters

During the 1300s in Verona, Italy—the setting for During the 1300s in Verona, Italy—the setting for Romeo and Juliet—Romeo and Juliet—it was customary for a father it was customary for a father to arrange a suitable marriage for his daughter.to arrange a suitable marriage for his daughter. Whom do you think this custom would have Whom do you think this custom would have benefitted? benefitted? What reaction might parents have had to What reaction might parents have had to children unwilling to marry the person the children unwilling to marry the person the parents chose?parents chose?

Romeo and Juliet: Discussion StartersRomeo and Juliet: Discussion Starters

Several characters in the play try to “fix” the Several characters in the play try to “fix” the crisis for Romeo and Juliet by deceiving others.crisis for Romeo and Juliet by deceiving others. If you try to make a friend’s troubles go away, If you try to make a friend’s troubles go away, are you are you helpinghelping or or meddling?meddling? Do lies and deception usually help a crisis or Do lies and deception usually help a crisis or make it worse?make it worse? What kind of connection might there be What kind of connection might there be between time pressure and the impulse to between time pressure and the impulse to deceive?deceive?