The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

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The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

• By William Shakespeare

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Shakespeares Time

• Elizabethan England 1564- 1616
• Elizabeth I was 25 years old when she became the
  Queen of England in 1558
• Reigned for 45 years until her death in 1603
• During this time, England emerged as a political
  power and made many cultural achievements
• Last half of the century became known as the
  Elizabethan Era

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Society

• Very class conscious
• Believed in the Great Chain of Being
• God
• Monarch
• Aristocracy land owners
• Professional priests, lawyers etc.
• Merchants shop owners
• Trades men blacksmiths
• Peasants

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Women

• Formal education of girls was not encouraged
• Those who were educated focused on chastity and
  the skills of housewifery
• Would assume the social class of her husband

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Women

• Women must obey their fathers and then their
  husbands
• Rarely left their homes, except to go to church

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Marriage

• With parental permission, boys are legal to marry
  at 14, girls at 12
• Marriage contracts were usually provided
• Includes brides dowry and settlement of cash
  and/or property by husbands family
• It was generally considered foolish to marry for
  love
• Wives are the property of their husbands

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Billy and his Theatre

• Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon
• Was well established in the theatre by the time
  that he was 20
• Became famous as an actor and author
• Became part owner of the Globe Theatre in 1599

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The Globe Theatre

• Where Shakespeares plays were performed
• Plays performed during the day because there was
  not lighting
• No scenery on the stage except for a balcony

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The Globe Theatre

• Plays were always about the rich and included a
  party scene
• Poor people sat in the front in the pit, rich
  people had seats around the side
• People brought their own food
• Favorite food was Hazelnuts
• Women were not allowed to perform on stage
  female roles were played by men

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The PlayTerms

• Blank Verse unrhymed iambic pentameter, used
  when nobles speak
• Rhyming Verse used when something emotional or
  highly important is happening
• Prose everyday language used when the commoners
  are speaking

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The PlayTerms

• Aside Character talks directly to the audience
  while the cast doesnt hear it
• Dramatic Foil A character that is present to
  bring out the characteristics of another
  character
• Benvolio Brings out Tybalts anger
• Nurse is dirty, brings out Juliets innocence

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The Play Terms

• Dramatic Irony When the audience knows more than
  the characters
• Soliloquy When the character is alone on stage
  talking to the audience
• Monologue A long speech given from one character
  to another

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Terms

• Fatal Flaw- Main characters in all of
  Shakespeares tragedies have oneThe big
  character flaw that causes the characters
  downfall
• RJs flaw Impulsivenessacting without thinking

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The Play

• Scene Verona and Mantua, cities in northern
  Italy
• Based around a feud between two families that has
  lasted for generations

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The PlayCharacters

• THE MONTAGUES
• Lord Montague
• Lady Montague
• Romeo Son of Montague
• Benvolio nephew of Montague and friend of Romeo
• Balthasar Servant of Romeo
• Abram servant of Montague

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The PlayCharacters

• THE CAPULETS
• Lord Capulet
• Lady Capulet
• Juliet daughter of Capulet
• Tybalt nephew of Lady Capulet
• Nurse to Juliet
• Peter servant to the Nurse
• Sampson and Gregory servants of Capulet

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The PlayCharacters

• THE OTHERS
• Prince Escalus ruler of Verona
• Mercutio relative of the Prince and friend of
  Romeo
• Friar Laurence a Franciscan priest
• Friar John a Franciscan priest
• Count Paris young nobleman, relative of the
  Prince

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Act I

• The Prologue
• Chorus a tradition from Greek Theater, would
  come out in each act and preview the act and make
  sure everyone got the lesson.
• Shakespeare uses it in only two acts

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Act I cont

• The Houses of Montague and Capulet have been
  feuding for years.
• The employees of the House of Capulet pick a
  fight w/ employees of the House of Montague.
• It turns into a Brawl
• The Prince is furious
• The next time there is a fight, the participants
  will be put to death

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Act I

• Romeo is depressed
• He is in love with Rosalinewho has vowed to live
  chaste (no sex)
• Juliets father is considering the request for
  Juliets hand in Marriage from Paris

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Act I cont

• Lord Capulet is giving a party
• Juliet is to meet Paris there
• Romeos friends take him to the party to cheer
  him up
• Tybalt sees Romeo at the party and becomes
  enraged

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Act I cont

• Tybalt vows to get Romeo later
• Romeo and Juliet fall in love immediately
• They, then, realize that they have fallen for
  their parents great enemy
• Poetic term Oxymorona statement that
  contradicts itself. Ex Loving hate, sick
  health

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Act II

• Romeo climbs into Juliets orchard
• He overhears her on the balcony (extremely famous
  scene)
• She finds out he is there
• They talk and agree to marry

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Act II cont

• Romeo goes to his priest, Friar Lawrence, and
  asks him to perform the ceremony
• The Friar agrees
• Tybalt has challenged Romeo to a fight
• Romeo and Juliet marry

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Act III

• Mercutio and Benvolio meet Tybalt in the street
  and a fight begins
• Romeo shows up and Tybalt tries to fight
  RomeoRomeo refuses.
• Mercutio fights and is killed

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Act III

• Romeo becomes enraged and kills Tybalt
• The Prince banishes Romeo
• Juliet is crushed by Tybalts death and Romeos
  banishment

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Act III

• The Friar arranges for Romeo and Juliet to have
  their wedding night
• Romeo goes to live in Mantua until the Friar can
  work something out
• The lovers have their wedding night

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Act III

• Romeo leaves for Mantua
• Lord Capulet agrees to have Paris marry Juliet
• Juliet begs her parents to change their
  mindsthey refuse

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Act IV

• Juliet goes to the Friar and tells him she will
  commit suicide before she will marry Paris
• The Friar gives Juliet a potion that will put her
  into such a deep sleep that she will appear to be
  dead

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Act IV

• The friar will send for Romeo to come and get
  Juliet in the tomb
• Juliet takes the potion
• Her parents find her dead and they bury her.

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Act V

• Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead
• The messenger the Friar sent is unable to
  deliver the message
• Romeo buys poison and rushes to Juliets tomb
• He meets Paris in the graveyard

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Act V

• Paris tries to arrest Romeo
• Romeo kills him
• Romeo goes into the tomb and kisses Juliet
  goodbye and drinks the poison
• The Friar shows up at the tomb

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Act V

• Juliet wakes up
• The police come
• The Friar tries to get Juliet to leave the tomb
  with him
• She refuses
• He leaves
• She stabs herself

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Act V

• The Prince shows up and asks for an explanation
• The Capulets and Lord Montague show up
• Lady Montague has died of a broken heart
• The friar tells the whole story

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Act V

• The Montagues and Capulets make up
• Capulet will have Romeo buried next to Juliet
• Montaque will build a statue of Juliet in pure
  gold

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The End

• Never has there been a story of such woe/ As
  that of Juliet and her Romeo (V,iii,309-310).

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Theme

• Shakespeares The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
  demonstrates how dangerous acting impulsively is.

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Theme

• Shakespeare poignantly illustrates how
  destructive prejudice can be in his play The
  Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

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Movie ComparisonWhich do you Prefer?
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The Modern Versions First Fight
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Musical Balcony Scene
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Modern Balcony Scene