1. Brief Biography2. Social and Historical Context3. The Globe theatre4. Themes, Motifs, and Symbols

in Romeo and Juliet5. Dramatic Terms

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography⦿ Born in April 23 1564 in

Stratford-on-Avon⦿ John Shakespeare (father)● tanner, glover, dealer in grain● town official (alderman, and

later mayor)⦿ Mary (mother)● daughter of Robert Arden, a

prosperous gentleman-farmer.

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography

⦿ Married Anne Hathaway in 1582⦿ She was 8 years his senior⦿ Three children born: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography

⦿ By 1590, he was an actor and playwright⦿ Leader of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men and

the King’s Men⦿ Died April 23, 1616

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography

⦿ He was buried in Stratford; the inscription on his tombstone reads

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography

“Good Friend, for Jesus’ sake, forbearTo dig the dust enclosed here;

Blest be the man that spares these stonesAnd curst be he that moves my bones.”

Shakespeare: A Brief Biography⦿ Author of 37 plays and 154 sonnets⦿ He acted before Queen Elizabeth in 1594.⦿ The exact year in which William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet is unknown, but it is definitely one of his earlier works, and one of only two tragedies written in the period from 1590 to 1595.

Historical Context⦿Written during the Elizabethan era, also

known as “The Renaissance.”⦿ This was a time of significant change in:

● Religion● Politics● Science● Language● Arts

Historical Context⦿ Set during a very religious period⦿ “Catholic” society with a strong belief in

damnation for mortal sin⦿ Shakespeare wrote this play following

The Reformation; when England became a protestant nation, breaking away from papal control by Henry VIII

⦿ Society become more open and less oppressed

When in a play⦿ Only men were

permitted to perform⦿ Boys or effeminate

men were used to play women

⦿ Costumes were often the company’s most valuable asset

The Globe Theatre⦿ He wrote his plays to be

performed in the Globe theatre.⦿ Shakespeare was part owner of The Globe⦿ The only account we have of the Globe is from a diary of a Swiss doctor who visited London and crossed the Thames River to see a play in a theatre with a thatched roof.

The Globe Theatre⦿ It was built in

1599⦿ Burned down 14 years later in 1613.

⦿ It was an 8 sided building with a central yard.

The Globe Theatre Continued

Dramatis PersonaeNEUTRAL CHARACTERSESCALUS prince of Verona.

(PRINCE)PARIS a young nobleman,

kinsman to the prince.

MERCUTIO kinsman to the prince, and friend to Romeo.

FRIAR LAURENCE Franciscans

FRIAR JOHN Franciscans

An Apothecary. (Apothecary)

Page to Paris; (PAGE) another Page; an officer.

Citizens of Verona; several Men and Women, relations to both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants. (First Citizen) (Servant) (First Servant) (Second Servant) (First Watchman) (Second Watchman) (Third Watchman) Chorus.

Dramatis Persona ContinuedTHE MONTAGUE HOUSEHOLDMONTAGUE head of his household

feuding with Capulet

LADY MONTAGUE wife to Montague.

ROMEO son to MontagueBENVOLIO nephew to Montague,

and friend to RomeoBALTHASAR servant to Romeo.ABRAHAM servant to Montague.

THE CAPULET HOUSEHOLD

CAPULET - head of his household feuding with MontagueLADY CAPULET wife to Capulet.JULIET daughter to Capulet.Nurse to Juliet. (Nurse)PETER servant to Juliet's nurse.An old man, cousin to Capulet.

(Second Capulet)TYBALT nephew to Lady Capulet.SAMPSON ,GREGORY , servants to

Capulet. Three Musicians. (First Musician)

(Second Musician) (Third Musician)

The Globe Theatre⦿ Spectators’ price of

admissions was● one shilling - to stand in

yard around stage (these were called the groundlings)

● two shillings - to sit in 2nd and 3rd floor galleries

● three shillings - to sit in the first floor galleries

• 1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income

• Broadway Shows today:• $85 Orchestra• $60 Balcony• 10% of a teachers’

weekly salary??

The Globe’s Spectators⦿ Wealthy sat in benches⦿ “Groundlings” (poorer people) stood and watched from

the courtyard (pit)⦿ Much more interaction ⦿ (with audience, each other) than today⦿ All but the wealthy were uneducatedand/or illiterate

The Globe’s Stage● 1/3 of yard was filled with 6ft

high platform● no curtain● no artificial lighting● back wall had at least two

doors● balcony was used for hilltops,

walls of cities, or second story scenes (famous balcony scene in R&J)

● trapdoors were used to raise or lower actors and props (ghosts)

• Performed in outdoor theatres

• During the day – illumination by natural light

• No “sets” – all props and dialogue

Romeo and Juliet⦿ Romeo and Juliet is as

much about hate as love ● Although Romeo and Juliet is

considered one of the worlds greatest love stories

● It can be argued that the love story is only a vehicle for the resolution of the story about hate, that is, the feud between the two families.

Historical Context of Romeo and Juliet⦿ Based on the archetype of Pyramus and Thisbe

⦿ However, the plot for R&J was based on a fourteenth-century Italian novella, by Matteo Bandello

⦿ He included elements of history, tradition, romance, and fable● A boy and a girl, from families who hate each other

bitterly, fall in love, but everything goes wrong for them

Setting in Romeo and Juliet

⦿ Most of the play takes place in 'fair Verona' a city in the north of Italy

⦿ The action moves quickly from the city streets to the hall of old Capulet's house, then to the orchard below Juliet's balcony, to Friar Lawrences' lonely cell and finally to the the Capulet family mausoleum

⦿ The play starts on a Sunday morning in the middle of July; less than five days later - just before dawn on the following Thursday - it is all over.

Themes in Romeo and Juliet

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary

work.

Themes in Romeo and Juliet

1. The Forcefulness of Love ⦿ The most famous love story

in the English literary tradition

⦿ Focus on romantic love⦿ Love as overpowering force

● Family● Friends

Themes in Romeo and Juliet

2. What is love?● Religious ● Magical● Madness● Chemicals in the Brain

Themes in Romeo and Juliet3. Love as a Cause of Violence● Hate, Violence, Death, Love?● Love is blinding. . .

Themes in Romeo and Juliet4. The Individual Versus Society⦿ Romeo and Juliet against. . .

● Family● Law● Religion● Honor

Themes in Romeo and Juliet5. The Inevitability of Fate● Straight path or series of

crossroads?● “Star-crossed Lovers”● Feud● Series of Unfortunate

Events● Bad Timing

Other Themes:Family ConflictCivil Disorder and ViolenceParenthood and the Generation GapYouth and Old AgeReligionPolitical AuthorityDeath and TimeGender RolesAppearance vs. Reality

Motifs in Romeo and Juliet

Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s

major themes.

Motifs in Romeo and JulietLight/Dark Imagery● Night/Day

○ Night = Good/Evil?○ Day =Evil/Good?

● Provides contrast, hints at alternatives

Motifs in Romeo and Juliet

Opposite Points of View

⦿Mercutio’s POV⦿ Servants’ POV

● Nurse● Peter● Musicians

Other Motifs:Death and Life ImageryLove and Hate ImageryBird ImagerySun / Moon / Stars ImageryHot (fire) and ColdIllness and HealthHeaviness and LightnessSight and BlindnessHearing and DeafnessSeverity and VanityWeddingbed and Deathbed

Symbols in Romeo and Juliet

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to

represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Symbols in Romeo and Juliet

Poison● “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, And vice,

sometimes by action dignified.”● Tendency to “poison” things

Symbols in Romeo and JulietThumb-biting● An insulting gesture● A juvenile, vulgar display● Meaningless

○ Foolishness of entire Montague/Capulet feud○ Stupidity of violence in general

Symbols in Romeo and JulietQueen Mab ● Brings dreams

Confirms vices: greed, lust, violence

● Is total nonsenseFairy pulled by “grey-coated gnat”

● Tiny, InsubstantialJust like the dreams/desires/fantasies of people

Shakespearian Drama

Tragedy: A drama that ends in catastrophe—most often death—for the main character and often for several other important characters as well

Tragic Hero: The main character, someone who is nobly born and has great influence in his or her society. This character has weakness or errors in judgment (Tragic Flaws) that lead to his or her downfall. Fate may play a role in the course that events take.

Shakespearian DramaComic Relief: A humorous scene, incident, or speech that

relieves the overall emotional intensity in the play. Comic relief helps the audience absorb the tragic events in the plot of a play

Allusion: A brief reference, within a work, to something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know. Many of Shakespeare’s allusions are to mythology or the Bible.

Foil: A character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work. This highlights the other character’s traits

Shakespearian DramaSoliloquy and Aside:

A soliloquy is a speech made by an actor alone on stage to let the audience know what is on that character’s mind.

An aside is a character’s remark to the audience or to another character that others on stage aren’t supposed to hear. The purpose of an aside is to reveal that character’s thoughts.

Shakespearian DramaBlank Verse: Unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter.

Shakespeare wrote all of his plays in blank verse.

Example of Blank Verse ~ / ~ / ~ / ~ / ~ /But soft.|What light| through yon|der win|dow breaks?~ / ~ / ~ / ~~ / ~ /It is| the east|, and Jul|iet is |the sun!

Opening Discussion…1. Do you believe in love at first sight?2. What is true love?3. What role should parents play in the relationships of their

children?4. What qualities do you look for in the opposite sex?5. Are females more romantic than males, or is that a

stereotype?6. What are some advantages and disadvantages of being

young?7. What role does marriage play in society today?8. Who or what controls what happens to people in life –

destiny? fate? our own characters?