Intro to Shakespeare & Romeo and Juliet

Drama WordsGlobe Theater

How do we say it?• Verse Drama – A play in which the

dialogue consists almost entirely of verse/poetry.

• Iambic Pentameter – Shakespeare’s favorite rhythm! (1 unstressed syllable followed by 1 stressed syllable repeated 5 times) da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da Dum da DUM

• Romeo and Juliet was written entirely in Blank verse, poetry written in iambic pentameter that doesn’t rhyme.

William Shakespeare

General Info• Born around April 23 1564 (no exact date is

known) at Stratford-on-Avon in England• Died April 23, 1616 • Referred to as “The Bard”• Wrote

– 37 plays– 154 sonnets– Several long poems

• Controversy about actual authorship of plays

• Shakespeare built a career as an actor and eventually became an established and popular member of the London theatre circuit.

• "Romeo and Juliet" was written in 1595. • As an actor, he was a member of a theatrical company

known as the LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN. • During the reign of Queen Elizabeth and later King

James, they had great success in THE GLOBE THEATER.

The Globe Theater or the Wooden “O”

• The Globe was built during Shakespeare's early period in 1599

• It had a total capacity of between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators.

• No lighting• All performances were conducted, weather

permitting, during the day (probably most often in the mid-afternoon span between 2 P.M. and 5 P.M.).

The Globe Theatre

The Globe Theater• Open air = ‘s poor acoustics and the actors had

to shout their lines, stress their enunciation, and use exaggerated theatrical gestures

• No background scenery.

• Costumes and props - YES!

VERONA

Lady Capulet

Capulet

Tybalt

Juliet

MercutioMontague

Romeo Benvolio

Overview of PlayExposition:

Characters & Setting Act I

Conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets is exposed.

Rising Action:Introduction of Conflicts

Act IIRomeo and Juliet fall in “love.”

Climax:Turning Point - In a tragedy, things usually

go from bad to worse in Act III

Act IIIRomeo and Juliet marry. Romeo kills Tybalt.

Falling Action:Conflict resolution begins to fall into place

Result of the climax

Act IV Friar helps Juliet play dead and sends letter

Romeo

Denouement:Main conflicts are resolved - This act includes a catastrophe, which is another climactic turning point in the story line.

Act VRomeo come back to Verona to find Juliet

Drama Conventions• Stage Directions – italicized instructions for

performance• Playwright – author• Dialogue – conversation between two people• Soliloquy – monologue in which a character

speaks his or her private thoughts aloud and appears to be unaware of the audience

• Aside – short speech or comment that is delivered by a character to the audience, but that is beyond the hearing of other characters who are present.

Words to KnowDouble Entendre –  word or expression

that can be understood in two different ways with one way usually referring to sex

Example:In Finding Nemo,

the characters are told "Ok, everyone, think dirty thoughts!"

Act I Exposition

Paradox - Something (such as a situation) that is made up of two opposite things and that seems impossible but is actually true or possible.

Oxymoron - a combination of words that have opposite or very different meanings. Cruel Kindness

The love poetry of Shakespeare’s time put together contradictory words to express the turmoil of love.

ExamplesLoving v. HateHeavy v. LightnessSerious v. VanityMishapen Chaos v. well-seeming formsFeather v. leadBright v. SmokeCold v. FireSick v. HealthStill-waking v. Sleep

Frozen Tableaus

PracticeWrite down five or six oxymorons of your

own. Here are two adjectives to get you started:

1. Slow ___________2. Cowardly _________3. 4. 5. 6.

Words to Know (continued)• Foil – a character whose qualities or

actions usually serve to emphasize the actions or qualities of the main character, the protagonist, by providing a strong contrast.

Advice LettersRead the handout about advice columns to

get a feel for how advice-givers respond to the problems of letter writers. Then, based ONLY on what you know about the blogger’s post, respond to each of them with the wisdom you would expect an advice columnist to give.

Act II The Problem Begins

The Qualities of Tragic Hero• Possesses importance or high rank• Exhibits extraordinary talents• Displays a tragic flaw – an error in

judgment or defect in character that leads to a downfall

• His flaw is not his fault, but his actions are!

• Faces downfall with courage and dignity

Drama ConventionsIrony - is an implied discrepancy between

what is said and what is meant3 Types:1. verbal irony saying one thing and meaning

something else.2. dramatic irony is when an audience knows

something that a character in the literature does not.

3. irony of situation is a difference between the expected result and actual results.

Scene 1

1. Explain the dramatic irony in this scene.2. What does Mercutio say about “blind

love?”

Scene 21. When Juliet appears on her balcony,

what does Romeo compare her to?2. How does Juliet

“speak, yet . . . [say] nothing”?3. When Juliet leans her cheek on her hand, what does Romeo

say?4. Unaware of his presence, what does Juliet ask Romeo to say?5. In a sentence or two, explain what Juliet says about names.6. Juliet asks how Romeo got into her place. The orchard walls are

high, and Romeo’s life would be in danger if her relatives were to find him there. What is Romeo’s response to these questions?

7. Why is Juliet embarrassed?8. Juliet is going to send someone to Romeo on the following day

for what purpose?

Scenes 3 & 41. What has Friar Laurence been out gathering in his basket?2. Explain lines 21-22: “Virtue itself turns vice, being

misapplied,/And vice sometime by action dignified”?3. When Friar Laurence sees Romeo, what comment does Friar

Laurence make about seeing Romeo so early in the morning?4. What does Friar Laurence mean when he says to Romeo,

“Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes?

5. Friar Laurence agrees to perform the marriage ceremony for Romeo and Juliet for what reason?

Scene 46. According to Mercutio, what kind of man is Tybalt?7. What is the nurse saying to Romeo in lines 157 – 163?8. How is Juliet to arrange to meet Romeo?

Scenes 5 and 61. The nurse is supposed to be gone only a half

hour, but she is actually gone for how long?2. How is the nurse behaving that is frustrating to

Juliet?SCENE 63. How does this scene foreshadow future events?4. What does Friar Laurence mean when he says,

“Therefore, love moderately; long love doth so”?

Activity Love Letters.Romeo and Juliet have declared their love for each other, and married secretly. But they are still living apart, keeping their marriage hidden from their family. Write a love letter either from Romeo or from Juliet,

incorporating as much of Shakespeare's language of love as possible.WORDS OF LOVE.forsworn ‑ promised not tonuptial ‑ weddingfair ‑ beautifulbeloved ‑ loved byvestal ‑ pure/virginalchaste ‑ puremaiden ‑ young virginparamour ‑ loverenamoured ‑ loved by/of

Parting is such sweet sorrow.  O she doth teach the torches to burn

bright!Call me but love and I'll be new baptised.Thy love's faithful vow.A maiden blush.Dear love, adieu.And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay.My heart's dear love.Did my heart love till now?You kiss by th'book.O my love, my wife!I will kiss thy lips.

Act III The Banishment

Pun – an expression that achieves emphasis or humor by utilizing:

• Two distinctly different meanings for the same word.

• Two similar sounding words– Biologists have recently

produced immortal frogs by removing their vocal cords. They can't croak.

AntithesisDefinition – OppositesDefinition of Antithesis: _________love________________ v. _______________________________________________________________ v. _______________female__________________________choices___________ v. ________________________________________________________________ v. ________________family___________________________________________ v. _________________death______________

Characters?

Scene i1. At the beginning of the scene, why does Benvolio think that there

will be a fight? 2. What does Mercutio accuse Benvolio of in lines 15-30? 3. When Tybalt and Mercutio first begin arguing, what does Benvolio

try to them to do? 4. What does Tybalt call Romeo? 5. Why won’t Romeo fight Tybalt? 6. What does Mercutio think is the reason Romeo refuses to fight? 7. Why does Mercutio keep repeating, “A plague o’ both your

houses”? 8. What does Romeo say that Juliet’s love has done to him? 9. Why does Romeo call himself “fortune’s fool”? 10. When Benvolio relates to the Prince what happened, what does he

say Romeo tried to before Mercutio was killed? 11. What does Lady Capulet accuse Benvolio of? Why? 12. What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt?  

Summary: Act 3, scene 2In Capulet’s house, Juliet longs for night to fall so that Romeo will come

to her “untalked of and unseen” (3.2.7). Suddenly the Nurse rushes in with news of the fight between Romeo and Tybalt. But the Nurse is so distraught, she stumbles over the words, making it sound as if Romeo is dead. Juliet assumes Romeo has killed himself, and she resigns to die herself. The Nurse then begins to moan about Tybalt’s death, and Juliet briefly fears that both Romeo and Tybalt are dead. When the story is at last straight and Juliet understands that Romeo has killed Tybalt and been sentenced to exile, she curses nature that it should put “the spirit of a fiend” in Romeo’s “sweet flesh” (3.2.81–82). The Nurse echoes Juliet and curses Romeo’s name, but Juliet denounces her for criticizing her husband, and adds that she regrets faulting him herself. Juliet claims that Romeo’s banishment is worse than ten thousand slain Tybalts. She laments that she will die without a wedding night, a maiden-widow. The Nurse assures her, however, that she knows where Romeo is hiding, and will see to it that Romeo comes to her for their wedding night. Juliet gives the Nurse a ring to give to Romeo as a token of her love.

Scene ii

13.Why is Juliet so impatient for the nurse to return?

14.Describe Juliet’s rapidly changing attitudes toward Romeo in this scene.

15.What piece of news has upset Juliet the most?

16.What does the nurse promise to do?

Act III, Scene 4Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Paris walk together. Capulet says

that because of the terrible recent events, he has had no time to ask his daughter about her feelings for Paris. Lady Capulet states that she will know her daughter’s thoughts by the morning. Paris is about to leave when Capulet calls him back and makes what he calls “a desperate tender of my child’s love” (3.4.12–13). Capulet says he thinks his daughter will listen to him, then corrects himself and states that he is sure Juliet will abide by his decision. He promises Paris that the wedding will be held on Wednesday, then stops suddenly and asks what day it is. Paris responds that it is Monday; Capulet decides that Wednesday is too soon, and that the wedding should instead be held on Thursday.

TableausTableau, a French word, means a dramatic

scene or picture. Students use their bodies and expression to create a picture of a character or event frozen in a moment in time. Students build their understanding through creative problem solving and group discussion.

Scenes 3 & 417.Explain Romeo’s reaction to the news of his

banishment. 18.Romeo tells Friar Laurence that the priest

cannot know or understand how Romeo feels. Why?

19.What argument does Friar Laurence use to prevent Romeo from killing himself?

20.What does the nurse give to Romeo?

21.What does Capulet tell his wife to say to Juliet?

Scene 522. As Romeo is preparing to leave Juliet, what argument does she use to

convince him to stay? 23. Later, why does Juliet think Romeo should leave? 24. Just as Romeo is about to descend the rope ladder and leave Juliet, what

does Juliet say about the way Romeo looks? 25. Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying? 26. When Lady Capulet threatens to send someone to Mantua to poison

Romeo, what does Juliet say? 27. After Lady Capulet breaks the news about Paris, what is Juliet’s response? 28. If Juliet’s mother does not arrange to delay the marriage, what will Juliet

do? 29. What is Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s threats? 30. What is the nurse’s advice to Juliet? 31. How does Juliet’s attitude toward the nurse change? 32. What “scheme” does Juliet devise to get rid of the nurse and to get out of

the house?

Diary Entry

1. Write down three of Juliet's lines in her farewell scene with Romeo (ll41‑64) which show how much she'll miss him.

2. Write down three lines from her conversation with her family (ll107‑148) which show how much she doesn't want to marry Paris.

3. Now write Juliet's diary entry for the end of this emotional day, describing her feelings about Romeo's departure and her reaction to the prospect of marrying Paris. Incorporate the lines you gave chosen into your diary entry, using either the whole line or part of the line, as fits in best.

Act IV The Plan

Cast of Characters• Protagonist – central character• Antagonist – character who opposes main character• Foil – minor character whose traits contrast sharply

with those of the main character• Round -A round character is a major character in a

work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed

• Flat – minor characters that are not described in full detail

• Static – does not undergo important change• Dynamic – undergoes an important change (within

himself) – change of character in the character

Scene 11. Why is Friar Laurence reluctant to marry

Paris to Juliet? 2. How does Paris explain the sudden haste of

the marriage plans? 3. What is ironic about the conversation

between Juliet and Paris? 4. If Friar Laurence cannot help her, what does

Juliet threaten to do? 5. Why does Friar Laurence think that Juliet will

accept his plan? 6. Describe the friar’s plan for Juliet.

Read the following passage carefully, and try to guess at the meaning of the underlined words, using your understanding of what has happened in the play so far to help you. Suggest a replacement word or phrase for the underlined words.

 Sc1 ll91‑101.• Tomorrow night look that thou lie alone,• Let not the Nurse lie with thee in thy chamber.• Take thou this vial, being then in bed,• And this distilling liquor drink thou off,• When presently through all thy veins shall run• A cold and drowsy humour; for no pulse• Shall keep his native progress, but surcease;• No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest;• The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade• To wanny ashes, thy eyes' windows fall,• Like Death when he shuts up the day of life.Write the entry you might find for Friar Lawrence's potion in a

medical journal, explaining how to take it and the effect it has. 

Scene 2

7. What does Juliet say that makes her father happy?

8. How does Capulet change the wedding plans? What implication does this have?

Scenes 3 & 49. How does Juliet show her maturity and

independence in this scene? 10. If the potion does not work, what will

Juliet do? 11. What are some of the fears Juliet has

about the potion? Scene 412. What is happening in this brief scene?

Scene 5

13. Describe the imagery Shakespeare uses in describing Juliet’s “death”?

14. What does Friar Laurence say to comfort the Capulet family?

15. What event are the Capulets now preparing for?

In an effort to prevent fighting in the streets of Verona, citizens both young and old must constantly monitor the feuding families and intervene as necessary. The Prince of Verona knows that the citizens, many of whom are elderly, are concerned about the recent brawls and killings.

1. Divide the class into small groups. Each group will act as the Prince’s staff, including chief advisors and speechwriters. Consult the text and each other to come up with the topics that the Prince will need to address when he speaks to the people.

2. Have one person list these topics.3. Using the list, each group should prepare a short speech for

the Prince (no more than three minutes).4. While compiling the speech, remember to address the major

problems of Verona according to the play. Also, ensure that the speech reflects the Prince’s personality.

5. When the speeches are complete, each group should have a volunteer stand up and read the speech to the class.

Act V Denouement

Summary and

Themes

Later, after discovering that the young man who caught her eye is a member of the enemy family, Juliet goes out onto her balcony to tell the stars about her strong but forbidden love. At the same time, Romeo is lurking in the bushes below. He overhears Juliet confess her love for him to the heavens. No longer able to control his powerful feelings, Romeo reveals himself to her and admits that he feels the same. The very next day, with the help of Romeo's friend Friar Lawrence, Romeo and Juliet are secretly married.

On the day of the wedding, two of Romeo's friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, are walking through the streets of Verona when they are confronted by Juliet's cousin, Tybalt. Tybalt is out to get Romeo for crashing the Capulet's party so he starts a fight with his friends. Romeo shows up, but does not want to fight Tybalt because he no longer holds a grudge against Juliet's family. Romeo's friends can't understand why he won't stand up for himself so Mercutio steps in to do it for him. A swordfight with Tybalt follows. Mercutio is killed. To avenge the death of his friend, Romeo kills Tybalt, an act that will award him even more hatred from the Capulet family.

The Prince of Verona banishes Romeo and he is forced to leave Juliet, who is devastated by the loss of her love. Juliet's father, not knowing of his daughter's marriage, decides to marry her to another young man named Paris. In despair, Juliet consults with Friar Laurence. He advises her to agree to the marriage, but on the morning of the wedding, she will drink a potion that will make it look like Juliet is dead and she will be put into the Capulet burial vault. Then, the Friar will send Romeo to rescue her. She does as the Friar says and is put into the vault by her heartbroken parents.

Bad news travels fast. Before the Friar can tell Romeo of the hoax, Romeo hears from someone else that his beloved Juliet is dead. Overcome with grief, Romeo buys a poison and goes to Juliet's tomb to die beside his wife.

Inside the vault, Romeo drinks the poison and takes his last breath next to his sleeping wife. Moments later, Juliet awakens to see her husband's dead body. She learns what has happened from Friar Laurence who has just arrived and accessed the scene. With no reason left to live, Juliet kills herself with Romeo's dagger. The tragedy has a tremendous impact on both the Montagues an d the Capulets. The families are hurt so much by the death of their children that they agree to never fight again.

Other Themes• Passion• Vengeance• Despair• Death• Fate• Names/Labels• Peace• Light• Youth versus Age• Secrets