ROMEO AND JULIET by

William Shakespeare

Life time: (April 26, 1654 – April 23, 1616) His plays divided into three genres; Tragedy, History and

Comedy. Has made the Human being, a subject matter of his writings

because ‘Human being’ is the center of everything. He discussed the each section of the society. His focus was

not only the aristocrat class but the middle and the poor as well.

His plays deal psychologically rather than traditional writings.

About William Shakespeare:

Romeo and Juliet A tragedy of two ‘Star-crossed’ lovers.Borrowed plot from Aurther Brook’s narrative

poem ‘The tragic history of Romeo and Juliet’.Have been written between 1591 and 1595.Written in Shakespeare’s famous ‘poetic

dramatic structure.’Mixture of different styles, Use of metaphor and

imagery.Use of switching between comedy and tragedy

to heighten tension.

“A Glance at Romeo and Juliet’s story ”

Story takes place in Verona, Italy. A long feud between two families Montague

and Capulet interrupt the life of Verona. After the ‘Ball’ met and fall in love with each

other. Its often called “Balcony Scene”.

Tybalt offers a duel which Romeo rejects but Mercutio killed by Tybalt while fighting on the behalf of Romeo.

Romeo killed Tybalt and spend a night in Juliet’s chamber.

They tried to end the feud by marring each other on next day with the help of ‘Friar Laurence’.

Capulet family decided to marry Juliet with Paris.

Laurence gives Juliet a potion that puts her into deathlike comma for ‘two and forty hours’.

He promises to inform Romeo about the plan but he could not inform.

Romeo buys potion, kills Paris while fighting, knowingly that Juliet dead and goes to Capulet crypt.

Drinks potion and killed himself, Juliet awakes, found him dead, stabs herself with his dagger.

Their families decided to end the feud. Prince’s elegy at the end, “For never was a story of more

woe/Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

MAJOR CHARACTERS:RULING FAMILY….

Prince Escalus

Ruling power of Verona

Mercatio

A kinsman,Romeo’s

friend

ParisA kinsman who want to marry

Juliet

HOUSE OF CAPULET:

Mr. Capulet

&Mrs.

Capulet

Juliet (13 years old daughter &

Female Protagonist)

Nurse (Juliet’s

confident and personal

attendant)

Roslain (Mr. Capulet’s

Niece & Romeo’s first

beloved)

Tybalt (Mrs. Capulet’s nephew & a hot tempered man)

HOUSE OF MONTAGUE:Mr.&

Mrs. Montague Romeo(Juliet’s lover & Male

protagonist)Benvolio(Romeo’s Cousin & Best

friend)

Friar Laurance(Romeo’s Confident)

…Major Themes...

LOVE:1. Doomed love: (love that ends with death)

Use of allusions and metaphorical language in first meeting made them the symbol of young lovers.

2. Passionate love: (decided to marry on the bases of one night understanding)

3. Religion of love: In catholic, suicide condemned to hell but the Romeo & Juliet killed themselves in the love of each other.

Fate and Chance:1. Different debates, matter of chance or

fate ….2. It was Fate because of description was

that they were Star-Crossed Lovers.3. It was chance which is shown by the

involved characters. Like Tybalt showed as short tempered man (Choleric). According to Elizabethan belief, there are four humors in human body.

4. Its also called a Melodrama not tragedy.

Duality (Light & Dark) Both consider themselves as a light in

the darkness but they met in night. Romeo compares Juliet, like sun, bright

torch, bright angel among dark clouds. Juliet compares him with day in night

and called him whiter than snow on Ravan's back.

Dramatic Irony: LOVE is LIGHT --- MEETING in NIGHTFEUDING is DARK --- FAUGHT in

DAYLIGHT

Time: Creates an imaginary world to avoid the

harsh realities of life. Romeo Swears ‘by the moon’ Juliet answers not swear of by the moon, its

monthly changed. Spans period is just four to six days. In minimum time they become the symbol

of long lasting love. Used illusions of day and night to show that

time passes. Shakespearean plays mostly performed in

noon or after-noon.

By. Mohsin Latif Chaudhary

The End………...